A few days ago, I photographed a drooped ear deer at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. What caught my attention was one ear that appeared partially drooped, while the other ear looked normal.
I do not know if this was caused by a recent injury or if the doe was born this way. Either way, it stood out right away when I got the deer in my viewfinder.
Wildlife Notes on a Deer With Drooped Ear
White-tailed deer rely on their ears for constant awareness, so anything that looks off is hard to miss. In this doe, one ear seemed to hang lower while the other still worked normally. That contrast is what made this animal so interesting to photograph.
I have seen unusual ear posture before in another animal. Last fall, I photographed a cow elk with droopy ears, and this doe brought that experience back to mind. The difference here is that only one ear appeared affected.
When I see a deer like this, I try not to assume too much from one moment in the field. A partially drooped ear could point to an old injury, a recent injury, or something the animal has had since birth. I cannot say which applies here from this one sighting, so I would rather stay careful than guess.
This sighting also reminded me of another post I wrote about injured white-tailed does that survived. Deer put up with a lot more than most people realize, and sometimes the marks they carry tell part of that story.
Photographing a Deer With Drooped Ear in Low Light
This was a low-light shot, and that shaped every part of how I made the photo. I was standing outside my truck and braced myself on the bed of the truck to help steady the camera at 800mm. Even with that support, this was still a challenging setup because the light was not giving me much to work with.
The high ISO shows just how dim it was. I needed enough shutter speed to hold the deer sharp, but I also had to balance that against the long focal length and the available light. In situations like this, I would rather come home with a slightly noisy image than a blurry one.
Camera settings
- Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
- Lens: Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM
- Focal length: 800mm
- Aperture: f/9
- Shutter speed: 1/200 second
- ISO: 8000
- Exposure compensation: 0
- Support: Hand-held and braced on truck
Compositionally, I like how the doe stands out against the green field. The open setting keeps distractions down and makes the ear easier to notice. The soft background also helps pull attention to the deer’s face, which is where the story is.
A Memorable Deer at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
I see a lot of deer, but every now and then one stands out for a small detail. In this case, it was that partially drooped ear. I may never know what caused it, but it made this white-tailed doe memorable and worth sharing.
A good friend! Nice