# Taking Pictures Of Your Dead Deer...



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

This is from the KC Hall in Halletsville's website. They have a great deer contest up there and I think it's going on 10 years now.

Anyway, there is some good information in here for taking the best picture possible of your kill.

TH

*Use a wet rag to clean off as much of the visible blood as possible. Wipe off any blood on the antlers, around the mouth and nose, and at the bullet wound. Carry some baby wipes with you in the field to use to clean the deer up for pictures. *

*Either tuck the tongue inside the mouth where it won't be visible or cut it off. *

*Either tuck the tongue inside the mouth where it won't be visible or cut it off. (did I mention this twice again!!!!?) *

*The hunter should always be on the picture and should also be clean of blood on their clothes or hands. *

*Include the rifle or Bow in the picture if you like. *

*Get any beverage cans or other trash items out of sight. *

*Hold the deer in such a way as to not cover antlers with your hands. Use only your finger tips to hold the antlers. *

*Have the hunter tilt their cap back so as to reduce "cap shadow". Also, even in the daylight take some pictures with the flash on to help reduce "cap shadow". *

*Take a lot of pictures so you'll have more to choose from. They are cheap compared to your lease, feed, rifle, or 4 wheeler. *

*Get as close as possible. Look at what you want in the picture and move up close enough to only get what you want. The closer you can take the picture the better the quality will be when it is published on the internet. *

*Take some different angles so that you are able to get a picture that shows all the deer's antlers. Try straight on, left, and right, and high and low.*
*Be aware of the sunlight and shadows. You may want to take some pictures in the shade and some in full sun. Then pick the ones that turn out best.*


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## Free_loader (Nov 4, 2004)

if you don't mind.. i'd like to add

*Either tuck the tongue inside the mouth where it won't be visible or cut it off.*


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Yup, they should have mentioned that in the tips, huh? LOL!

TH


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## LIONESS-270 (May 19, 2005)

Including Champagne and stem ware is acceptable I think......as is a tracking dog....









Background...think Background.....

chief


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Get low down to take the picture -- on the ground if need be. It will improve the picture.

Don't be afraid to move the deer to a better spot -- if he fell in a big pile of corn the picture will be better if you move him!


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## troy merrill (May 21, 2004)

Tucking the legs under looks nice.

Propping the deer up on a rock or log can help.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

A few "trophy photo" tips from another board:

1. Take off your hat and sunglasses.
2. The sun should be behind the camera and shining on the animal to reduce shadows.
3. Pull the legs under the game animal to hold it upright. Belly and back shots always look poor.
4. Wipe off excess blood.
5. Remove any intermediate vegetation or objects between camera and subject.
6. Force your camera to use a fill flash even in bright sunlight.
7. If you have a flip out LCD monitor on your camera, use it so that the photo can be taken with the camera almost on the ground. Get as much sky behind the horns as possible. Those little shorty desktop tripods are great to have in your daypack. That way you can frame the shot yourself and use your timer to take pictures. Many cameras can be set to take several timed shots in a row.
8. Frame the shot so the hunter and entire animal take up as much of the picture as possible. This is crucial many photos are blown because of framing errors. The most common error is overwhelming the shot with the surroundings of the subject. Post cropping can only help so much!
9. Take more than one picture! Try several angles and poses. Digital cameras allow you to review photos right after you take them. Do this and make adjustments as necessary. It may take 12 attempts to get one good picture. You only get a short time to take trophy photos make the most of it! 
10. Keep your hands OFF the horns. That's what many folks are looking at and your fat fingers aren't that interesting. If you have to get the animals head up. Grab the back of the neck below the ears or support the jaw with your hand. Sometimes you gotta use props. Use them. [Edit: May not work with a whitetail!]

Also check to see that your shadow is not in the picture!

One more -- be respectful of the animal -- don't sit on it, etc.


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

Those are some good tips, I would add....

If you can, position the antlers or horns against the sky.

Beware of busy camo patterns distracting from antlers.

Check the foreground for grass or obstructions as well.


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## ROOSTER REDCHASER (Feb 25, 2005)

tuck his tongue..........or cut it off. (being carefull not to cut your index finger off in the process)


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## Capt. Forrest (Jan 5, 2005)

just got back to the house from a "scouting run" and thought I would share a couple extra little tid-bits

if you have a walk-in on the property, pose the deer and take pictures the following day

(in the above case, posed deer i like to do the following)

in deer posed in a cooler, the eyes will have that sunk-in look
get some glass eyes from a taxidermist and place in sockets of the posed buck.

also, wd40 on a paper towel gives the antlers a nice look for a picture

don't sit directly behind the antlers

don't grab the antlers between the g1 and g2 on the main beam and show everyone all your knuckles in the picture

no blood

have fun and take A BUNCH of pictures

capt. forrest


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

...but I like a little tongue.


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## Free_loader (Nov 4, 2004)

justletmein said:


> ...but I like a little tongue.


Hey .. no one said you couldn't keep it after you cut it off for the picture ;-)


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## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

I'm not the best photographer in the world and all of the above is good info. But, here are a few points I would stress:

Clean off as much blood as possible.

Get Low--at least level with the subject (or from multiple angles)

Only frame what is necessary in the picture

Take pics with and without flash (even in daylight)

Take notice what is in the background-- move if necessary


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## JD761 (Jun 7, 2006)

Don't put the horns way out in front of you to make them look bigger. I can't stand that!


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## Sean Hoffmann (May 24, 2004)

To expound upon what TXP said. Was the blood off your hands before you grip the monster rack.


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## LIONESS-270 (May 19, 2005)

Dealing with a Huntress...taking photos..

Have a long slow discussion with HER explaining in large detail about your intentions on taking the photo....Smile and speak gently and make it sound like its going to be fun for her.....







mention the words patience, help, cooperation and Special...more than one time....Repeat them often.

If you do this ahead of time...you can avoid the wrath..sulking and looks of distain that she displays for the camera when you ask her to....... 
"Raise/lower your chin...Relax, Move your left/right hand..Relax, Raise his head, turn it a bit..left/right..up/down...Take your cap off...NO my hair is messed up...Hold that, don't move"....Etc. etc...etc...

With out the proper pre-pic communication...Some subjects can get a little testy!!!!!!!!!!! and they are armed!!
Thereby prolonging the agoney and ruining your best efforts with a frown or sticking her tounge out at you....just before losing the sun and having to reposition everything....







. Those are the pics I don't post...









But its fun!!! ya just gotta tell em ahead of time...LMAO!!!!!
Guiding is solid work sometimes.....







...but the Tips are Good!!!!!!









chief...


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## parkman14 (Jul 27, 2006)

I thin k the best pics are taken when the person taking the pics is lying down on there belly or there side. That is just my .02.
Cody


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Bump -- we are getting a lot of good reports. Please take a nice close-up picture of your trophy so we can get a good look at it!


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## El Cazador (Mar 4, 2005)

This is a good thread. I always hate getting friends to take pictures of me and my trophies b/c I usually am disappointed with the results. I find it best to carry a short tripod in my backpack, and do it myself.

I need to print these tips and pass them out to my buddies.


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## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

Also, *Either tuck the tongue inside the mouth where it won't be visible or cut it off. *


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## huntinguy (Aug 22, 2005)

I think the advise here is excellent, the only thing that I can add thats helpfull is this:


try to make sure and kill a really really big buck with massive horns......it makes 'em look bigger in the pics :rotfl:



Honestly the advice is all very good.


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## Lonestar (Jun 13, 2005)

How about sitting up like this?








www.TexasLSO.com


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## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

Personaly IT IS WHAT IT IS and if I can get that bloody string hanging off that tounge great, Thats what a dirt nap is all about. I just killed the thing not had a date with it. But if ya like flapy shirts with shoulder pads go for it.


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## big bluemarlin (Apr 12, 2006)

i think laying down next to the animal is a good thing but only if she takes her clothes off , DO NOT forget to cut HER tounge out


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Thought it might be good to bring this back up for 2007 in light of the thread Rack Ranch posted.


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## tokavi (May 6, 2006)

My thoughts on pictures are posted on Racks thread about etiquette


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

Thought I would re-circulate this one for this years hunters


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

I took these pics before this thread was started, both are the wifes bucks for 2008...what ya think?


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

I take a lot of pictures of friends and their deer, but I notice some photos that others take the deer is posed up with the hunter behind and you can see the deer looks to be propped up high with what looks like no one holding him up, how do they do that? when I have my picture taken with a big antlered deer it can be difficuly to hold up head and pose for long periods, any ideas.


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## Palmetto (Jun 28, 2004)

Captn C said:


> I took these pics before this thread was started, both are the wifes bucks for 2008...what ya think?


Great Job. Glad someone brought this up.

The more pics I look at, the more I start critiquing them, and the more I realize how much I suck at this too...LOL.

Glad to see no guns pointing at your wife's head. I cant stand that. Rule#1 = Treat every gun as if it where loaded.

Here is one of my fav's of a hog my wife killed.


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## El Cazador (Mar 4, 2005)

wacker said:


> Personaly IT IS WHAT IT IS and if I can get that bloody string hanging off that tounge great, Thats what a dirt nap is all about. I just killed the thing not had a date with it. But if ya like flapy shirts with shoulder pads go for it.


LOL


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## txsnyper (Feb 8, 2007)

I like the pic of the girl and the hog. She looks clean, but not completely "made" up.

For some reason it *bothers me* when you see those pics of the folks that went back to camp (or the lodge) took a shower, had their best jeans pressed, bought a new shirt then had it pressed, got a hair cut, shaved, put on cologne (sometimes it's so heavy you can smell it through the picture), went to get a spray on tan, then got a manicure all before they sat next to the deer for a pic.

But to each is own, as long as the tongue is cut the heck off.


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

RAYSOR said:


> I take a lot of pictures of friends and their deer, but I notice some photos that others take the deer is posed up with the hunter behind and you can see the deer looks to be propped up high with what looks like no one holding him up, how do they do that? when I have my picture taken with a big antlered deer it can be difficuly to hold up head and pose for long periods, any ideas.


Let rigor set in and then you can bend the deer around into the position you want and it will stay. It's real easy if they hang from their heels over night. The neck will be in a good position and all you have to do is turn the head. I've done it a few times, but I like the deer fresh and as close as possible to the actual spot it fell. I always forget about the blood....

Here is one of my favorite shots of the wife with her buck she took in 2006.


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## Palmetto (Jun 28, 2004)

txsnyper said:


> I like the pic of the girl and the hog. She looks clean, but not completely "made" up.


Yeah, it's not easy to do, but I make her clean up alteast once a week whether she needs it or not!


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

Palmetto said:


> Great Job. Glad someone brought this up.
> 
> The more pics I look at, the more I start critiquing them, and the more I realize how much I suck at this too...LOL.
> 
> ...


It always help when it is nice looking young lady rather than your ugly mug in the photo.


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

Send all your pictures to the *Photography Forum* Those guys can reposition the head, remove the blood, tuck the tongue back in or cut it off, adjust the lighting and remove all the fat fingers. They can even turn a spike into a 12 point!!!! J/K


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

Also be sure to add photos to your albums.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

And I might add, Never, ever, never ever send a picture of your deer to that Pale Guy after you shoot it. He'll eat your arse out over the phone cause the picture is cruddy and stuff. Hey, I forgot the camera at the house and couldn't take any field pictures. Shoot me, sheesh.



TH


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Capt. Forrest said:


> ... don't sit directly behind the antlers ... capt. forrest


But if you do ... you should wear a solid colored shirt as to silhouette the antlers as you would against the sky.

It's always best to find a good location to that's photogenic if your into photography, again and as said, there isn't a thing wrong with moving the deer to another location.

A nice photo is as impressive a trophy as a shoulder mount in many circumstances.


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## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

Trouthunter said:


> And I might add, Never, ever, never ever send a picture of your deer to that Pale Guy after you shoot it. He'll eat your arse out over the phone cause the picture is cruddy and stuff. Hey, I forgot the camera at the house and couldn't take any field pictures. Shoot me, sheesh.
> 
> 
> 
> TH


Well, lets just say it's pretty hypocritical for someone to start a thread like this and then take crappy pictures of their own deer.:headknock

IMO, that is something only a real loser would do.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

See what I mean? He was worse on the telephone. 

TH


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## texas8point (Dec 18, 2006)

Ive also heard you should take off your hunting clothes and put on a dress and high heals.......you want to look presentable for all the folks you could offend.


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

Once again, I revived this thread for all the hunters this year.
Good Luck


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

I put on my AFFLICTION shirt for this on to help calm the PETA simpithizers. I also sprayed the buck with AXE body spray and had him circumsized.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

BEER4BAIT said:


> I put on my AFFLICTION shirt for this on to help calm the PETA simpithizers. I also sprayed the buck with AXE body spray and had him circumsized.


The wife likes it when I have the tongue hanging out... what do you do???


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

This is what happens when you don't cut the tongue off before the taxidermist gets hold of it...


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

And please dont fart at the table at deer camp. The global warming nerds will cry. I hope people see my picture and decide never to hunt so there is more for me.


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

Oh yes for you ******** anti American Socialist,,,,, Praise Be To Alah I Shot a Deer....LALALALALALA!!!!! Now does that cover it? I have a solution to all this Go HUNTING!!!!!!! Have Fun!!!!!!


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## Sniper John (Dec 11, 2006)

AvianQuest said:


> This is what happens when you don't cut the tongue off before the taxidermist gets hold of it...


Now that's funny right there. :rotfl:


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## blackhogdog (Jul 20, 2009)

Trouthunter said:


> This is from the KC Hall in Halletsville's website. They have a great deer contest up there and I think it's going on 10 years now.
> 
> Anyway, there is some good information in here for taking the best picture possible of your kill.
> 
> ...


First rule should be remove the bolt from the gun and all shells and point the gun away from the photgrapher and from the hunter, I am so freaked out over pictures I see of deer with guns pointed at the hunters head or right at the viewer where u can see in the guns bore!! Does not make a good picture at all to me and I know a greenhorn took the picture with no regard to safety. our paper had a 9 year boy with a gun pointed right at his head on the front page, what was the photoapher thinking??? Maybe its better if the gun is not in picture alltogether!! All it has to do is slip and go off!!


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Maybe its better if the gun is not in picture alltogether!! All it has to do is slip and go off!!


Unless it's been unloaded.

I won't remove the bolt from my rifle in the field for numerous reasons but unless I'm hunting there is no round in the chamber.

TH


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Really? Is this what hunting has come to?
I completely agree with pointing the gun away from anyone for safety reasons. I will try not to take a pic with the tongue, BUT, after I shoot I am going to find my deer, get my camera out and take a pic. 

I am not wiping/cleaning/prepping a deer for picture purposes. I don't send my pics to people who may be offended. I send my pics to friends/family/fellow hunters. I can't afford big deer so my pics don't get published in magazines. If someone is offended by a pic on 2cool then they shouldn't be looking at the hunting forum.

Luckily the red button is gone now


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## txsnyper (Feb 8, 2007)

I love this thread every season when it gets posted.
I can't seem to get it in my head...

MAKE SURE THE DANG TONGUE IS NOT IN THE PICTURE, but if it is at least make sure it's been cut off and kind of laying next to the deer.


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

StinkBait said:


> Really? Is this what hunting has come to?
> I completely agree with pointing the gun away from anyone for safety reasons. I will try not to take a pic with the tongue, BUT, after I shoot I am going to find my deer, get my camera out and take a pic.
> 
> I am not wiping/cleaning/prepping a deer for picture purposes. I don't send my pics to people who may be offended. I send my pics to friends/family/fellow hunters. I can't afford big deer so my pics don't get published in magazines. If someone is offended by a pic on 2cool then they shouldn't be looking at the hunting forum.
> ...


Hey, I would not slam you for your opinion, and I will not be offended by any pics that you post. That being said....

When we take a pic, we do it to have a memory of the event. To show to others or look at ourselves and remember a good day and time.

After the shot, the hunting is usually over for the day and we have plenty of time. Why not take a few minutes and try and take the best pic possible? We work so hard to get the animal, and the prep does not take that much effort, my opinion.

I hope that my grandkids (that aren't born yet) will one day look at these with pride. I also show off my pics to my non-hunting coworkers. Even my little deer and does. I am proud of each animal I take and it doesn't have to be magazine quality to bring a smile to my face.

So, if you post pics with deer on the tailgate, hanging up field dressed, covered in blood with an arrow sticking out, I will still admire them and probably even give you greenies, but in my pics....the animals will look as good as I can make them and like they want to be in the picture....


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

Ya'll forgot the cigarette hanging out of someones mouth, or in their hand, with their kill or catch, You talk about a tacky picture. Of course I am a non-smoker, so it just ruins the pic for me. You don't see it so much with some of the nicer photos of deer, but I've seen them on occasion, especially on some of the fishing pics.


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

For the love of all things holy remove the Rolex it make hunters look rich. And don't smile, death is a sad thing.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Easy!!! Shoot it & take a picture. Forget the Handy wipes pampers Etc.Its hunting Quit trying & change it . That's why hunting has changed & is so expensive


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

I'm glad they put the warnings up on the outdoor channels so I can cover my eyes before they shoot.


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## rotti (May 12, 2006)

I'd say a close 2nd to cutting the tongue out is to try and take the pics before hanging/gutting the deer. I used to be guilty of it myself (taking pics next to a deer hanging from the skinning rack) but finally started taking them w/ the buck on the ground after seeing a thread similar to this one. I also try and find a place to take the picture w/ an all natural background (no trucks, camp houses....etc). Kind of goes along w/ what Chunky posted earlier today....


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## cloudfishing (May 8, 2005)

When you take pics you have to show the moment without that you just "posing"


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## jamie_hinesley (Jul 2, 2006)

Then do the hokey pokey!!!


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## texas8point (Dec 18, 2006)

powder his nose so there isn't any shine to it, oh and try and get him to smile !


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## Little-bit (Oct 19, 2005)

Just take the dang picture and I'm gonna smile real big for ya... OK?

"Say Cheese"....


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## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

sooooo, no pics like this one then?

i didn't have a camera with me in the field, left my phone at the trailer, so when i got back, got down to business, then remember a pic for our deer contest, it was only a doe...

but then again, i do like nice photos too from time to time...


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## artofficial (Oct 3, 2005)

Here is the way they should be...Mine from a couple of years ago...

Ty


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## HarryK (Jun 5, 2008)

After you stick his tongue back in his mouth and/or cut it off...

1. Make sure to take pliers to remove the tag from his ear
2. After you remove the chain from around his neck, at least ruffle his hide to cover up where it had been.
3. And lastly, for goodness sake take the checkbook out of your front pocket and put it in your back pocket:biggrin:

just sayin':rotfl:


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## texas8point (Dec 18, 2006)

HarryK said:


> After you stick his tongue back in his mouth and/or cut it off...
> 
> 1. Make sure to take pliers to remove the tag from his ear
> 2. After you remove the chain from around his neck, at least ruffle his hide to cover up where it had been.
> ...


Now thats funny !


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## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

HarryK said:


> After you stick his tongue back in his mouth and/or cut it off...
> 
> 1. Make sure to take pliers to remove the tag from his ear
> 2. After you remove the chain from around his neck, at least ruffle his hide to cover up where it had been.
> ...


4. make sure to wear a deer queer (TTH) shirt/hat/jacket also noting how big of a texas trophy hunter you are :cheers:


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

5. Take a moist cotton swab and wipe out all the C'Mere Deer (Queer) he snorted up his nostrils... yours too.


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Haute Pursuit said:


> 5. Take a moist cotton swab and wipe out all the C'Mere Deer (Queer) he snorted up his nostrils... yours too.


^Includes Deer 'Cane...


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

artofficial said:


> Here is the way they should be...Mine from a couple of years ago...
> 
> Ty


Seriously.....that is a great photo!


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

Lets not offend anyone living in gated comunities with our hunting


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