Throughout my years as a wildlife photographer, I have often felt as though I’ve formed some sort of spiritual connection with my subjects. Of course I realized that it could just be my imagination at work. However, recently I’ve come to know that these interspecific exchanges are very real and affect both photographer and animal alike.

For years I have stalked white-tailed deer in the woods near my home in upstate New York. Stalking is no longer necessary as they are now accustomed to using my backyard as part of their daily routines. This summer, deer were my constant companions as they came to eat the apples falling from my trees. Now in the winter my property affords them protection from hunters. I’ve taken hundreds of photos of them at various times of the year.  My favorite time to photograph them is in the winter, especially when it’s snowing.

Although they are quite common, I’m still completely fascinated by them and love having them around, even though they seem to consider the supposedly deer proof shrubs that I’ve planted to be deer candy. It is a small price to pay for the interactions that I truly cherish.

Only recently I became aware that the deer have been observing me just as closely as I observed them. I don’t know how they’ve done it, but they’ve picked up on some of the human customs in an uncanny way. I know that this will sound unbelievable but just this holiday season I received and documented, incontrovertible evidence that my deer can understand, appreciate and even celebrate human traditions. One buck typically appears near Christmas and I’ve nicknamed him Rudolph. No, he doesn’t have a shiny nose. Rudolf and his companions are so used to me that I often talk to them. During the holiday season I might even sing Christmas carols as I do my work in the backyard or even as I’m photographing the deer. Little did I know that the deer were listening. Little pitchers really do have big ears. Just the other day, as I was sweeping off the porch, I heard a distinctive clinking noise coming from the nearby woods. When I looked up I couldn’t believe what I saw: Rudolph was approaching with his white tail held up high and his antlers adorned with Christmas tree ornaments wearing a wreath around his neck! Needless to say I was speechless and to this day I still don’t know where the ornaments came from. However, from that point on I knew that we understood each other.

What followed in the ensuing days could only be described as an amazing interspecific cultural interchange. I followed the deer through the snow in the woods and they revealed much of their ways which had previously been a mystery to me. The deer themselves were curious to learn more about humans and their behavior. Rudolph was particularly interested in my son’s sports car and was completely keen on learning to drive it!  “Why not ?”, I thought.

So how could a cloven-hoofed ungulate drive a sports car? Surely there would be untold technical difficulties, but I was committed to do what I could to make it possible. Fortunately, the car is a convertible so there was no problem accommodating antlers. I had to make some modifications to allow hooves to maneuver the steering wheel and shift the manual transmission. With the technical changes complete, as you might imagine, it also took quite a lot of patience and time to show Rudolph how to actually drive the  car. We had to go out in the wee hours of the morning on back roads so the neighbors wouldn’t see what was going on and possibly report it to the police. I don’t believe that the state of New York would issue a learner’s permit , much less a driver’s license, to a wild cervid.

In spite of all the obstacles we persevered and when it was finally time to let Rudolph have a go on his own, he asked if he could take his twin brother along to visit their family in a nearby forest. The site of the two of them driving off together was one of the more remarkable things that I’ve ever witnessed and photographed. I am including one of the photos that I took that day as proof that what I have written actually took place. I do make the following disclaimer: I entered the “Driving home for Christmas” headline with Photoshop. Otherwise, everything else is completely natural and un-manipulated. It is absolute proof that animals understand humans and that unexpected miracles still take place in this world, especially during the holiday season. I wish everyone, animals and humans alike, a most happy and festive Christmas!

John Cancalosi, Ithaca, New York, December 18, 2013