My Favorite Maine Activity Involves a Car, a Camera, and Deer

Some people love going on beer runs but, for me, I'd much rather take a deer run, looking for bucks and does.

What's a Deer Run?

I know I'm not the only one who does it because my husband and I see others stopping alongside the road whenever there are deer in the fields. You can spot a deer runner easily because they're driving just before dusk, and slowing down anytime they drive by a field or open area where deer might gather. Ideally, you have at least two people because the driver has to watch the road while the spotter...well...spots the deer.

Is It Something New?

This Maine tradition goes back a long time. My father tells me my grandfather used to do it, as far back as the 1920s. He was a hunter and always wanted to keep track of where the deer were gathering. Which, to be honest, is how I got into it. My husband is also a hunter so he encouraged me to go with him one night to look for deer. We made a pot of coffee and headed out. But I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, at first. Then we started seeing them. Sometimes just one on its own and sometimes family groups.

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They're so beautiful and it's fun to watch as they stand perfectly still, hoping we'll continue on. I especially love when the does start dropping their fawns. Babies, babies everywhere.

What Do You Do When You Find Them?

After a while, my husband encouraged me to take my camera along and see if I could get some pictures. From that point on, I was hooked. If the lighting is right and the deer don't run away, I can usually get a few decent pictures. I especially love this one, with the long grass and purple flowers surrounding this pretty girl.

I love looking for deer and shooting them, but only with a lens. Oh, just a warning to anyone taking their camera on a deer run. Don't wait until it gets too dark.

If you do, you'll end up with some funny pictures of glowing eyes.