Buck During the Rut

This buck whitetail deer was following the scent of a doe during the rut.  The buck is not a large one but we were happy to catch this pose.  During the short breeding season the bucks are relentlessly on the move looking for does.  We were positioned at the edge of a meadow with many buck rubs and active scrapes hoping to see some action.  This classic, sneaking buck came by shortly after sunrise.  The woods beyond the deer are still very dark and this helps the buck stand out so well.  The low morning sun lights up the antlers against the background.
200mm lens, 1/1250 second at f/2.8, ISO 250.  We could have used a lower ISO but a few minutes earlier we had been getting some photos of does before the sun popped out.  The buck appeared suddenly and there was no time to change.