It begins in the spring, with the young bucks coming onto the lawn with their antlers just beginning to show. Gradually, they get bigger, covered with thick velvet, like this young gentleman grazing near one of the cottages.
About this time of year, however, the bucks are getting ready for the mating season, and the first rule of that game is to have the antlers polished up and looking good.
As the velvet dries and begins to fall away, the bucks rub the antlers against small trees and shrubs -- down by the pond we have lots of examples of these antler polishing trees. Finally, the last shreds of velvet are gone, and the antlers are ready to be revealed...
This is our same young buck, up by the basketball court, filling his tummy with crabapples, and showing off his antlers for the girls. And for us.
We think him very handsome. Even if he is eating our apples...
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