Nature is not always warm and friendly - Not for small children

pathfinder · January 20, 2008

Brendan and I went to Cataract Falls today to shoot the waterfalls in the cold weather - it has been around 15 degree F today, so we expected lots of ice formations. We saw those at the Upper Falls, but when we arrived at the Lower Falls, we were no longer looking at water falls, and ice formations, but a life and death struggle of a young white tailed deer.

I had to run back to the truck ~ 150 yards to get a different camera body, change lenses, and run back hoping I had not missed the action. I did not, fortunately. Here is my first frame with a 400 DO

Lower Cataract Falls is 15-20 feet tall and was thundering along, with an open clearing in the water at the base of the falls, but otherwise completely surrounded with ice in the river. Along the far shore was a stone wall about 60 feet tall, as well as a 30 feet high wall we were shooting from. There is no easy way to get down to the water level, even in the dry summertime. The easiest way is to come up stream by boat - but that is several miles.

So there was absolutely nothing we could do to help this poor, confused hypothermic deer. Imagine being in that torrent of water, and then trying to climb out on the ice into 15 degree F air temp with the sun going down rapidly.

We watched as the deer swam away from the falls, and struggled mightily to crawl up onto the frozen river surface, only to turn around and jump back into the water at the base of the falls.

If you look carefully you can see the antlers are completely ice covered, and the ears are frozen solid as well

After several swims back and forth from behind the falls to the ice surface, we could see the poor animal was getting weaker and weaker. We watched this go on for over 20 minutes. Imagine trying to swim in this torrent of water and ice.

Finally it tried to get upon the ice one last time, and just gave up and turned around and went back to the falls.

Its eyes are closed, and its back is stretched out, but it no longer was able to crawl upon to the ice any longer. It returned back to behind the falls and was seen no more.

I wish I could say there was a happy ending to this tale, but I am sure the sub-freezing temps, the water and the failing sunlight caused this deer to succomb to hypothermia. A clothed human in this water would not last 20 minutes.

You just never know what you are going to see in the wintertime in Indiana.

Ann McRae · January 20, 2008

Hi Jim

The real world is truely survival of the fittest, isn't it. Poor thing. Looks like you might have gotten some great waterfall shots had you not witnessed this sad drama.

ann

leaforte · January 21, 2008

How sad!:cry But at least battling the elements, and giving it your best, being beat by nature, is much nicer than getting squashed by a vehicle.

JenGrace · January 21, 2008

That's some great documentation there. Sad story, but we all know that's how nature works.

Giphsub · January 21, 2008

Yep, sad, but that's life. Horrible to witness I imagine.

Tee Why · January 21, 2008

Interesting series.

Harryb · January 21, 2008

Amazing series of shots of the reality of the natue. Sad story that you did a fine job documenting.

ShepsMom · January 21, 2008

Awwww, poor little fella :cry Nature is crule, strongest will always survive. Very nice captures here. Good job

pathfinder · January 21, 2008

It was so sad to watch, Harry. Brendan and I wanted to do something, but there was no way anyone could safely get within 50 -100 yards of the poor creature.

I wonder if the reason it jumped back into the water was that the water was so much "warmer" than the air temperature that is felt "warmer".

The air was so cold that the water in its coat would begin to freeze instantly on exposure to air, and the water temp had to be above 32 degrees F. Of course, sustained submersion in 33 degree F water is certain to be fatal.

Ric Grupe · January 21, 2008

Too bad you didn't have a Winchester instead of a Canon.

JohnDC · January 21, 2008

Thanks for your documentary showing the more sad and desperate ways that nature works--a side that many of us don't get to see. Constructively, it is also natural selection: maybe the deer had one of the diseases that weakens strength and judgment; maybe the deer wasn't carrying genes for the good instincts. If there were such causes, the deer population would be better for the loss of the disease vector or disadvantageous genes. And in the older, more natural days, this would not be a loss to the ecosystem, either: the carcass would have fed the bears, foxes, eagles, and other carnivores in the lean days of the early spring thaw.

Maestro · January 21, 2008

Excellent documentary photography and a beautifully sad story of survival.

zacker · January 21, 2008

wow...dunno if i could have stood there and watched... I might have turned away.. thats sad but someone said it best a few posts up... better to fight your butt off, only to loose to nature than to get killed by a car (man) anyday! I imagine deer and other animals die like this all the time, we just dont see it happen!

Awais Yaqub · January 21, 2008

Amazing series
but sad :cry

Icebear · January 21, 2008

pathfinder wrote:

I wonder if the reason it jumped back into the water was that the water was so much warmer than the air temperature that is felt "warmer".

I'd guess it was just completely confused from hypothermia. Hypothermia makes humans stupid. Prolly has same effect on other higher order mammals. I was so cold once (on a mountaineering trip) that I damn near froze because I didn't want to take my big down jacket out of my back pack. My hypothermically addled brain reasoned that if I put it on, I wouldn't have it if I needed it (!?!?) and since it was so windy and my hands were so cold, it might blow away. So there it sat, as I continued to get colder. Scary.

The deer was probably past the point of pain. A cruel as nature seems, she does seem to narcotize her creatures when it gets too bad to bear.

howboucha · January 21, 2008

It was a tough thing to witness. My wife was almost (or actually was) in tears when she watched the DVD of the 200+ images I shot. I showed my dad a few at dinner, and he really liked them until he realized what was actually going on.

this was by far a true once in a lifetime opportunity, a tough experience but one that I am fortunate (along with pathfinder) to have experienced.

A few that I took:
Nikon D300 Sigma 70-200 2.8 with 2x tele

howboucha · January 21, 2008

and a few more:

pathfinder · January 21, 2008

Great shots Brendan - you captured the very few rays of sunlight down there too.

What a spectacle.

leaforte · January 21, 2008

Very hard to look at, but a tribute for sure. The one I find particularly tough is the one where he is looking at the photographer. Like he's pleading for the answer. Also very interesting is the fact that the young bucks antlers, lacking any body heat, are completely covered in ice. In the third shot (a few more), he almost looks majestic or magical with the addition of the icicles from the rocks above morphine with his own frozen antlers.