New Baby reindeer to my herd

I am so glad you got him home safely!

 

Me too!!! I have been very worried about you loading him in the trailer! Well....from the sound of it, you should have highly spirited babies from Monty & your girls. Well done, BohoKaren!

 

Very pleased you got him in the trailer and home without harm to yourself! So sorry the lads got bruised up, but pleased you escaped. Monty is really something to rule the paddock of 7 older boys! Wow, you really picked a winner for your girls!

 

Glad Monty is home safe and sound and no serious injury to anyone. Ready to take on 7 others? Wow! Good to know that neither he nor his comrades were injured in getting things sorted out at home. Will he be a candidate for next fall's rut? If so, can he stay longer to make transportation easier on everyone, including Monty?

 

In Norway we have both "tame" reindeer (they still live out in the wild) and truly wild herds. In a project to study them more closely, a few wild reindeer got cameras attached to a collar around their neck. Here are a few of the photos that were taken

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Great pic's Mir...Thanks!............... Can you imagine how wickedly dangerous a rut is in the wild with soooo many reindeer in the herd? EEEEk!

 

Thanks for the photos Mir! What a sweet baby

 

Wonderful pictures, Mir!

Brookeham, if they are anything like the elk we have here, the large herds of females we have in the winter/spring/summer, become smaller herds with a single bull during the rut. The single bull spends ALL his time defending his "harem" from all takers. Usually, just a few threatening moves on the part of the big bull puts the lesser bull in his place (away from the herd). On those occasions when they are more evenly matched, a true fight occurs. Once strength is measured, one bull usually gets chased off but sometimes a third bull comes in and cuts a few out for himself! The rest of the year, the bulls group together in "bachelor" herds.

Beware the human, even in a car, that gets too close to a rutting bull! A few Yellowstone Park visitors have gone home with holes in their vehicles.

 

Oh WOW what incredible pictures!!! Mine can't compete at all - truly spectacular!

Just "my" own thoughts on the rut - in the wild the bulls have so much more space to escape or keep their cows away from other bulls and humans.

My pictures today really can't compete with Mirs - they are only Mischa one of my cows posing....

 

They are spectacular, BoHoKaren!

 

Thanks for the lovely photos Mir and BoHoKaren! They are all wonderful and very different aspects of reindeer!

 

Your pictures are great BoHoKaren! Mischa is so cute with her tongue out

 

Could Mischa possibly be saying "Phooey on posing for pictures!" ?? TeeHee!! Just kidding...love it that they all seem to be 'hams'!!
G-R-E-A-T photos, Mir and BoHoKaren!! You give us all such pleasure!!

 

Tried some of the "Show Team" in their "Bells & Whistles". Pictures haven't worked too well as I was single handed and unless I held their ropes in the middle of the field they just wandered off, so I couldn't get all in one photo!! (Baby Hector was the only one that didn't wander off - and he's only a trainee!)
Will try again when I have a helper.

Lotte tried her new head collar on today and it does suit her but didn't try her bells on as she needs "one to one" for her first time.

If it isn't raining tomorrow may try and photo her with her bell neck collar.

 

BohoKaren - You must be a very proud reindeer mommy! They all look so stunning in their Holiday outfits!!!! I do believe Hector is a star in the making! Look at him....he seems to be posing! So regal and handsome!!!

 

Brooke, I wish you could see me trying to photograph Hector - he is more than a poser (his mother Katya is nearly as bad)... To get better shots I need to kneel down and once I do he just keep coming closer. He is the King of photobombs. If I took every photo of him that I tried 90% would be his nasal hairs, with steam on lens!!! He's a lovely pain in the "*"... At least Boris and Mischa pose.

And an informational post.... you have all seen part of the problem with a rutting bull (Monty) AND I think you may have realised what a cute cuddle bunny Hector is.. If this thread is still going in September next year I think it will be an eye opener because my little "cuddles bunny" Hector will be a demon from Hell for 2 months - I won't dare go into his paddock... Hormones get scary. And the chances are he will drop his antler before Xmas next if I keep him entire...

 

Oh you must keep Hector "entire"!!! You have to keep those gorgeous genes going! I really did LOL about your description of how Hector keeps coming closer & breathing into the lens!!! LOL
Enjoy your "cuddle bunny" until next year's rut.

 

Love the first look at the holiday finery and can't wait to see more pictures!

 

Just an interesting, I hope....

1st picture Mischa today, (I think looking fabulous! )
She was one of my original wild purchases (and to be honest, my soul mate as she bonded far quicker than Boris etc. mainly because the slightly bigger ones were bullying her and I hand fed), she was tiny wee, picture 2 is her at 11 months when I purchased her.
To put picture in context, recent pictures of Hector and Lotte are 5 1/2 months and way bigger already

Mischa today

and when I purchased her at 11 months

5 months older than Hector and Lotte are now!!!
Hasn't she done well

To put in context adding picture of my premmie calf born "too tiny to survive at 7 lbs" she is now almost 6 months (5 months younger than baby Mischa picture)!!! No chance Lotte won't survive now!!!

 

She was blessed in coming to you! How beautiful she looks now, thanks to your care!