Driving the auto tour road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma is always a great experience. I never know what I might find. On this visit, I stopped to photograph a snake crossing the road. That is when I had an unexpected encounter with a very friendly Whitetail Doe.
An Unexpected Visitor
The doe emerged from a nearby soybean field. She began feeding on the grass right next to the road. She seemed completely unfazed by my truck. In fact, she was so close that I actually had to back up. I needed more room to fit her in the frame. It is rare to have a wild deer get that close without spooking.
She spent several minutes grazing calmly. Occasionally, she would look up and glance in my direction. She did not seem to mind the attention at all. Another car eventually pulled up to watch her too. She even walked over to inspect their vehicle before she finally headed back into the trees.
Wildlife Notes
Whitetail deer are common at Sequoyah, but their behavior varies. Many deer at the refuge are used to seeing vehicles on the auto tour road. This doe took that comfort to a new level. I noticed she had several scars on her body. She also had two large blood blisters on her rump.
These marks might suggest she has survived some tough encounters in the woods. Despite her scars, she moved with great grace. Soybean fields are a major food source for deer in this part of Oklahoma. You will often see them emerging from the fields during the early morning or late evening.
Photography Notes
Working with wildlife that is this comfortable can be a challenge. When an animal is too close, your focal length might be too long. Even with my lens set at 400mm, I had to reposition my vehicle to get the right composition.
I used my Canon EOS 7D with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. I prefer to stay inside my truck when photographing deer at the refuge. The vehicle acts as a mobile blind. This keeps the animal calm and allows for more natural behavior.
Settings:
- Aperture: f/5.6
- Shutter speed: 1/320 second
- ISO: 800
- Exposure compensation: 0