When it showed no sign of backing down, and suspiciously
showed no reaction at all, the aggressor decided he had to get tough.
He charged the decoy, scattering its limbs across the ground.
Perhaps feeling a little guilty, or possibly just bemused by
how the creature’s head fell off with no blood, the victor looked a
little sheepish.
The images were captured by photographer Don Jones in the Kootenai National Forest in Montana, US.
Mr Jones, 52, said: ‘I knew that once the bucks saw this smaller decoy buck they would not stand for it.
'I believe that part of what angers the attacking buck is that
the model’s ears are fixed to be straight out at attention, which isn’t
a sign of submission.’
When rivals come face to face like this, you know they are going to lock horns. But this alpha-male deer should have used his brain, not brawn, when he spotted this plastic model disrespecting his turf.
