CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



257 



antlers, and the contest was renewed and continued for another five 

 minutes. 



Finally one of the bucks backed off and started to nibble at a tuft 

 of grass. The other buck rushed at him but this time he did not accept 

 the challenge but turned tail and trotted off to a brush pile where he 

 began to browse on dead oak leaves. The victorious buck made no 

 effort to follow up or to punish his vanquished foe, seemingly being 

 content to let his adversary go unharmed the moment the opponent 

 was willing to acknowledge defeat. 



In such battles between bucks, casualties are relatively rare. In 

 my study of mule deer in California, I have found that now and then 

 two large bucks will fight with such force and vigor that the tines of 

 their antlers will be forced past each other and become locked, so that 



Fig. 96. Two friendly California mule deer bucks, with antlers recently shed, 

 biting ticks on each other's head and neck. Yosemite, February 8, 1930. Wild 

 Life Division No. 775. 



both bucks become exhausted and eventually die a lingering death 

 through their being unable to pull their antlers apart so that each 

 might go his separate way. The chief purpose of the fighting that 

 takes place between bucks appears to be to afford a series of competitive 

 tryouts to see which buck shall be driven out and which one left to 

 breed. 



FRIENDLINESS OF BUCKS 



As soon as the rutting season is over there is a marked change in 

 the behavior of the larger bucks. Their antagonistic attitude toward 

 each other is replaced by a general tolerance and even fellowship. For 

 example, as early as January 14, 1921, near Sawmill Mountain on the 



