Hummingbird Moth Up-close At The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Day 6 at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge: Elk, Deer, and Insects

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My sixth day at the refuge started with a familiar and welcome routine. I sat at my campsite before sunrise with a hot cup of coffee, listening to the morning chorus. The intense sound of elk bugling echoed through the valleys, growing louder and more frequent as the light began to break.

Morning Elk Bugling and a Wildlife Mystery

As the sun cleared the horizon, I drove out to the west side of the refuge. This section is less crowded, and it consistently rewards me with great animal encounters. Right away, I spotted a cow elk standing beside a younger elk in the early light.

Cow elk holding an unusual object in her mouth at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
A cow elk pauses with an unusual object in her mouth while feeding at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

While taking photos of the pair, I noticed something completely unexpected. The cow elk appeared to spit out a large, hard object. Looking closely at my camera screen, it resembled a portion of a jaw bone with teeth still attached. I have never seen anything like this in the field, and it leaves me with a fascinating wildlife puzzle.

White-Tailed Deer Along the West Side Trails

Later that morning, the large mammals continued to show up. I crossed paths with several white-tailed deer feeding quietly in the brush. Two bucks and a doe gave me a wonderful opportunity to slow down and compose a few portraits.

White-tailed buck standing in tall grass
A white-tailed buck stands alert in tall grass at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

The deer seemed content in the tall grass, pausing occasionally to watch me. Working in this part of the refuge allowed for clean backdrops without any traffic disruptions.

White-tailed doe standing in tall grass
A white-tailed doe pauses in tall grass during an early morning encounter at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
Second white-tailed buck moving through tall grass
A second white-tailed buck moves through tall grass during my sixth day at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

Exploring Wichita Mountains Wildlife Through Macro Photography

When the afternoon heat set in, the large mammals went to find shade. I decided to change my focus and look for smaller subjects. I laced up my boots and hit the trails to look for active insects.

Hummingbird moth hovering over a wildflower
A hummingbird moth hovers while feeding on a wildflower during my visit to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

I usually cover about five miles a day on these hikes, carrying my camera gear along the rocky paths. On this walk, I found a gorgeous hummingbird moth nectaring on some Red-whiskered Clammyweed.

Hummingbird Moth Up-close At The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Hummingbird Moth Up-close At The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

A colorful Gulf Fritillary butterfly also paused on a nearby wildflower, completely unbothered by my presence.

Gulf Fritillary butterfly perched on a flower
A Gulf Fritillary butterfly rests on a flowering plant during my visit to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

Down on the rocky ground, a Great Golden Digger Wasp and a tiny bee fly provided excellent macro opportunities.

Great Golden Digger Wasp on rocky ground
A Great Golden Digger Wasp moves across rocky ground while I was photographing insects at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Bee fly resting on rocky ground
A bee fly rests on rocky ground while I was photographing insects at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

This day had a little of everything. Bugling elk started the morning. White-tailed deer worked through the grass. Insects filled the warmer hours with color and small details.

The cow elk mystery will probably stay with me the longest. I still do not know exactly what I photographed, but that is part of what keeps wildlife watching interesting.

The refuge keeps reminding me to look wide, then look close. Day 6 was another good example of that.

You can follow the next part of the trip here: Days 7 and 8 at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

3 thoughts on “Day 6 at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge: Elk, Deer, and Insects”

  1. Jim said he is seeing the same thing as you. Said maybe a wolf or coyote grabbed him and dislocated his jaw bone trying to take him down and it popped out. Very unusual for sure.

  2. Hi, Steve. Nice photos. I thought you might be interested to know (if you don’t already) that the plant the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth is nectaring on is Red-whiskered Clammyweed. This plant has become my favorite for attracting all species of pollinators!

    Terry

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