I had a unique wildlife encounter while visiting the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. As I was driving down a quiet back road leading to Sally Jones Lake, I caught a glimpse of a Coyote running alongside me through the tall grass. I stopped the truck hoping to get a photo, but the grass was too dense to see clearly. As soon as I started driving again, the Coyote resumed trotting alongside me!
I continued down the road, and the Coyote kept pace with me the whole way. When I stopped near the end of the field, I expected it to dart into the woods. Instead, it stopped and sat watching me intently. Finally having a clear view, I seized the opportunity to get some shots of this curious Coyote from inside my truck.
It was an amazing experience to have this typically shy animal seem so intent on sticking close by. The Coyote got up, wandered around the field edge a bit, then settled down again in the grass facing my truck. We watched each other for a few minutes before it eventually disappeared into the dense vegetation.
I’m not sure what motivated the Coyote to turn our drive into a game of follow-the-leader. Perhaps boredom or simple curiosity drew it to investigate further. But I felt fortunate for the encounter and the chance to photograph this usually elusive predator so clearly. The trio of images I captured show the Coyote’s attentive interest standing, sitting, and walking as it observed the strange vehicle that led it on such an unusual chase. An entertaining wildlife moment and some great photos to remember it by!
Image Information: Third Image
- Date: 11/23/23
- Time: 08:39 AM
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- ISO: 1600
- Aperture: 7.1
- Shutter: 1/2000
- Exp. Comp.: 0
- Lens (mm): 500
- Program Mode: Manual
Note: I am wondering if this is the same Coyote I photographed not long ago. It is not far from that location: A Photographer’s Mystery Solved: The Buck’s Alarm Revealed