Why you should want to take better photos of your deer?

Let me lay out a scenario for you, and you judge how familiar it feels. You’ve been in the mountains for five days and four nights, eating freeze-dried meals and drinking water filtered through a plastic hose contraption. After putting 40+ miles on your boots in the last week chasing deer up and down every ridge in sight, you are exhausted. 

You are tired, wind-worn, hungry for real food, and almost ready to quit when you suddenly catch the briefest glint of antler through the trees on the ridge adjacent to you. You drop your pack to get in position. Range the target. Dial for effectiveness. Settle into the natural pause in your breathing pattern and find the trigger. Thirty minutes later, after surrendering and then regaining 300 feet in elevation, you are standing before a beautiful buck. You take a few snapshots with your phone before breaking him down and beginning the long packout back to the truck.

Later, when you have regained cell service, you send the photos out to friends and family only to learn the pictures don’t come close to doing justice to the deer, the moment of triumph, or your struggle. 

Taking good photos matters and can help you and others relive your hunt and all the critical successes and failures therein.

How do you take better photos of your deer?

Tastefulness:

First, you must assume any pictures you post on the internet or send to friends and family will eventually be leaked to the general or non-hunting public. This being the case, we must ensure we always represent ourselves and hunting in the best manner possible. Here are a few ways to ensure your pictures are respectful and professional.

• Clean up any blood around the muscle or mouth. (in fact, try to make sure as little blood as possible is visible in the picture)
• Put the deer’s tongue back in its mouth.
• Include the habitat in the photos. A mountain backdrop or sagebrush helps build the atmosphere into the picture.
• Pose the buck naturally. Sitting with its head up with you, holding it by the antlers, is a common position.
• When possible, leave your rifle or bow out of the picture. Social media does not like the idea of firearms or weapons in pictures. Who knows how these rules will evolve, but better safe than sorry. 

Backdrop:

The right background can make or break a picture. Here are a few tips to make your backdrop count:

• Change your perspective: taking photos from a higher or lower angle than your natural eye line can add a little extra to the picture that will make it stand out.
• Put the sun at your back, but don’t get your shadow in the picture. You want the natural light to shine on your deer.
• Include elements in the foreground. Some sage or other vegetation can help put the buck and other aspects into perspective.

The Rule of Thirds:

The rule of thirds is a general rule in photography used to create more pleasing images.

• Divide your proposed shot into nine equal parts.
• Place your buck at the intersection of three parts, leaving roughly 2/3 of the available space open to the backdrop and negative space.

Smile:

My last piece of advice is to smile. I know it’s a bit hokey, but when you look back at pictures of yourself with deer, you don’t want to see a grumpy version of yourself. You are happy in this moment, and you want to remember it that way.

Conclusion:

I know this is a lot of extra work after you are exhausted, but trust me, you and the hunting community will appreciate the extra effort in the following months and years.

Thanks for reading and good luck filling your tags in 2025.

As always, Good luck this winter and remember to send any success pictures or stories from the field to Web@muledeer.org and you could be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article or any of our articles have helped you become a better hunter or conservation steward, consider becoming a member of the Mule Deer Foundation or the Blacktail Deer Foundation or both.