Watching a wild predator hunt is something I never take for granted. This Coyote Hunting Success happened early on a July morning at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, where I not only photographed the Coyote but also captured video of it catching and eating a rodent.
Coyote Hunting Success in an Oklahoma Field
I spotted this Coyote moving through an open field shortly after sunrise. It paused long enough to look in my direction before continuing to hunt through the grass.
Coyotes depend on their sharp hearing and sense of smell to locate small prey hidden in thick vegetation. Rodents make up an important part of their diet, and they often spend several minutes listening before making a quick pounce.
A few moments after I photographed this Coyote, I watched it catch a rodent. I was able to record the entire hunt on video, making the encounter even more memorable than the photograph alone.
If you would like to see the hunt, you can watch the accompanying YouTube video that shows the Coyote catching and eating its meal.
This wasn’t my first memorable encounter with one of these predators at the refuge. In an earlier post, Coyote With Prey at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I shared another successful hunting moment involving a Coyote carrying its meal.
Photographing a Hunting Coyote at Sunrise
The light was still challenging this early in the morning, so I needed a high ISO to maintain enough shutter speed while working at 800 mm. Even though the Coyote paused briefly, there was no guarantee it would remain still for long.
I photographed the scene hand-held from a respectful distance, allowing the animal to continue its natural behavior without interruption. Encounters like this are always more rewarding when the wildlife behaves naturally.
Camera Settings
- Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
- Lens: Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM
- Focal Length: 800 mm
- Aperture: f/10
- Shutter Speed: 1/320 second
- ISO: 6400
- Exposure Compensation: +1/3
- Support: Hand-held
- Date: July 8, 2026, 6:23 A.M.
Watching a Wild Hunt Unfold
Photographing the Coyote was exciting, but watching it successfully catch its meal was the highlight of the morning. Moments like this offer a glimpse into the daily challenges wild predators face simply to survive.
Seeing natural behavior unfold without disturbance is one of the reasons I enjoy wildlife photography so much. Every outing has the potential to reveal something new, and this Coyote certainly made the morning one to remember.