Mount St. Helens is most famous for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980 which was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. The eruption caused a massive debris avalanche, reducing the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 feet to 8,365 feetand replacing it with a mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater.
The picture shows the side of the volcano and its reflection with a fishman getting ready to cast.

My Favorite

I have taken a few hundred deer pictures this fall and so far this one is my favorite. I like how he is sandwiched between white oaks and the remains of understory flora are in front of him.

Leaping Buck

I was lucky to capture this young buck starting to leap and in mid air.

More Big Bucks

Whitetail deer have over populated in East Central Illinois as they have in many areas of the United States. I remember as boy hardly ever seeing deer and if one photographed in the county it would surely make the front page of the paper. Now during the rut season I drive my four wheeler through the country side and take pictures regularly and since they are very common they never make the front page. Well I take that back I did have one on the front page last year but he was white. Pictured are three bucks I have taken in the last couple of weeks.

Big Antlers

In the late winter and early spring of the midwest buck white-tail deer lose or shed their antlers and then proceed to grow them back. Shed hunting is very popular and good exercise. Fall shed hunting is a bit more unusual. I found the antlers pictured recently but in this case the old guy shed head and all. I also found the shed to this buck in the spring which I am guessing would be a rarity to find the same shed in one year. If I find his shed next spring I am writing Ripley's.

Big Buck

The Rut is the period of time when white-tailed deer mate. During the rut (also known as the rutting period), males rub their antlers on trees or shrubs, fight with each other, and pursue estrus females by their scent.The Rut is the time when white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), especially bucks, are more active and less cautious than usual. This makes them easier to hunt, as well as more susceptible to being hit by motor vehicles or in my case easier to photograph. I caught this guy this morning more interested in his mate than me.

One Antler Buck

This the season when Big Bucks fight to see who is the toughest and gets to breed the Does. This guy apparently lost since he only has one antler.