White-tailed Doe on High Alert

A Day Without Keepers at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

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On November 11, I drove to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, hoping to photograph wildlife. Plenty to see, but I didn’t keep a single shot.

The day wasn’t lacking in wildlife. It was lacking in opportunities for a shot that satisfied me.

I saw a large White-tailed Buck trailing a Doe. Bad light. The Buck’s ears cast an awkward shadow over its face. Not a shot worth keeping.

Later, I saw a few Does. They stood behind thick brush. No good image there either.

Driving the auto tour road, I spotted a Bobcat. It walked on the edge of the road, paused, looked my way—then vanished into tall grass. No time to shoot.

Later in the morning, a Coyote appeared, lying in a plowed field. I think it’s the same one I photographed back in October, almost the same spot. [Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge: October Wildlife Encounters]. I took a few shots, but I deleted them. Heat haze ruined those photos.

Heat haze is a constant challenge for wildlife photographers. When light passes through air layers of different temperatures, it bends, making images blurry and unfocused. The day had warmed quickly, and that Coyote was almost a mirage in my lens.

Most of my trips to this refuge end with a card full of wildlife photos. Not this time. Sequoyah always offers a lot to shoot, but I’m picky. And that’s how it should be.

Wildlife photography is about more than abundance. It’s about timing, light, and clarity. Even when I walk away without a keeper, the pursuit always matters. Days like this remind me that patience, even without reward, makes the good shots worth it.

The image I took on October 27 of a White-tailed Doe near thick brush shows how easily these animals can disappear. The brush was dense, and after just a few steps, the Doe vanished completely from view. It illustrates the challenges of photographing these animals in their natural environment, where even a slight movement can change everything. Timing and visibility are everything, and on that day, I had neither in my favor.

White-tailed Doe on High Alert
A White-tailed Doe pauses at the edge of thick brush, fully aware of her surroundings. Photographed at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, this scene captures the doe’s careful observation of the area before venturing further. The dense greenery offers both cover and a safe passage, vital for her survival.

2 thoughts on “A Day Without Keepers at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge”

  2. Steve, I have left many times without a keeper, but most times I have learned something that makes the trip worth it.

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