We've had some sunshine and warmer temperatures, so the ice in McCarty Cove has changed from a few weeks earlier. That prompted Sharon Bodenus and her granddaughter who is interested in photography, to head out for some picture taking. They stopped first to snap a photo of the Marquette Lighthouse from the beach area of the cove and then went out to Presque Isle Park for some pictures, chatting as they drove along, about how neat it would be to see the albino deer that is often seen out there and there it was, right in front of them.

You can see the excitement in the young photographer's face, having her photo taken right there with the albino and other deer. Sharon said there were many more than what you can see in the photo and her granddaughter was not shy at all about getting close to them for the photos. Be sure to check out Sharon's Facebook page for more of her photography: Upper Peninsula Photography Sharon Bodenus.

The photos Sharon shares here today are the first four shots and illustrate for all of us, what a healthy deer looks like in the winter. The bottom photo was taken by Randy Walker in Eagle River, and shows what bloating looks like in deer that are not fed properly in the winter. The Calumet Keweenaw Sportsman Club is trying to get the word out, that there are foods that the deer population should not be fed during the winter months. They posted the following information on their Facebook page, which you can check out here: Calumet-Keweenaw Sportsmen's Club

Corn and most other foods can have a detrimental effect called Acidosis on deer in the winter months because these foods are newly introduced into their diet and their bodies cannot digest the food properly.
Acidosis is a fall of pH in the rumen (1st stomach), which result in fatal levels of lactic acid absorbing into the blood stream, erosion of the lining of the rumen causing inflammation and ulceration, and dehydration.
Foods that are safe to feed deer in the winter months are:
Pellets specifically designed to feed whitetails (can be found at feed stores)
Hay
Alfalfa hay
Foods that are unsafe to feed deer in the winter months and cause more harm than good are:
CORN and other vegetables
Any other type of food you would eat including, but not limited to cookies, crackers, bread, and cereal
We also find it important to feed the deer herd in the winter as food can be scarce. Please help us help the herd by only feeding them the proper foods.
*Picture is the result of what happens to a deer when it eats improper foods-taken in Eagle River*

Great pictures. The bloated deer makes me feel
sad. I hope they get this deer some good food
soon. Thanks for these shots and thanks for the
information about feeding them properly, also!

Very nice, professionally done pix! Interesting subjects as well and at first I thought that deer in the last photo was pregnant...with quintuplets.

Excellent info...

Very nice shots!

Great info Mary, the last photo is quite sad! Looks like that deer could use a "warm barium enema"! Alex, I'm gonna need your assistance!lol.... Seriously, might need to be put down I would think?

The first photo brings back a ton of memories. While attending NMU, I lived in an Apartment above a taxi cab company right there on Lakeshore Blvd. at McCarty's cove, never could heat that place very well, but we sure enjoyed living there!

Have a nice weekend All.

The first picture is especially beautiful.
Fantastic really. I love the deer pics also-except
for the last one-which is sad. There is important
info there though.

Very deer photos.

Gorgeous picture of McCarty's Cove!!!

Over the decades, and dozens of trips to Presque Isle, we have never seen the albino deer. Must be really lousy timing on our part! Feel so sorry for the deer in the last picture. It must be suffering a great deal. And probably at the hands of someone who was only trying to help it.

That last photo is tragic. Poor sweet deer.