Recently, I had the chance to capture an image of a beautiful coyote at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
I was up early, around 6:45 AM, and driving slowly down the auto tour road looking for wildlife activity. The farmers had just finished disking one of the fields, called Dockery Field, which often draws animals out to investigate the newly turned soil. This field is located on the backside of the refuge between the Sally Jones Causeway and Sandtown area.
Adult Coyote Resting
As I was scanning the field, a coyote caught my eye as it was resting near the edge, probably taking a break from its morning hunt. Coyotes tend to be crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk, which is why this was a prime time to spot one.
From what I could tell, this looked like an adult coyote, not the younger one I had been seeing in the area since spring. As I stopped to take some photos, another coyote crossed the road in front of me, likely this one’s mate or relative. I was able to get some great shots of both of them.
Adult Coyote Standing On Fresh Disced Field
I took the photos by resting my camera and lens on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup truck. This provided a stable shooting platform so I didn’t have to get out and possibly disturb the coyotes.
Coyotes are amazing creatures and very adaptable. They can travel 3-10 miles per day along regular routes and trails as they hunt for food. I feel lucky to have encountered this beautiful wild coyote on an early morning photography excursion in one of Oklahoma’s scenic wildlife refuges. Keep an eye out for more photos from my adventures soon!
Gear Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon EF 800 mm f/11
Technical:
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date and Time Taken: August 03, 2021 (6:54 A.M.)
- Exposure Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f11 (Fixed)
- Shutter speed: 1/250
- ISO: 6400 (Auto)
- Exposure Compensation: 0
- Focal Length: 800 mm