This whitetail fawn looked hot before the morning was far along. I photographed it on July 24, 2022, at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
I spotted the fawn with a whitetail doe near the edge of a slough across from Miner’s Cove. It was a little after 8:00 A.M., and the summer heat had already settled in.
Whitetail Fawn In Summer Heat Near A Slough
The doe and fawn were walking along the slough edge when I saw them. Both deer looked warm, and the fawn appeared to be panting.
That made sense for the morning. The date was July 24, and Oklahoma heat can build fast, even early in the day.
After I photographed the fawn, it moved into the nearby trees. My guess is that the doe and fawn were heading to a cooler place to bed.
Shade matters on mornings like this. Wooded cover near water gives deer a place to rest during the hottest part of the day.
I have photographed other whitetails using wetland cover in summer, including this post about whitetail does and a fawn among lotus leaves.
Reading This Fawn’s Heat Behavior
This fawn’s open mouth caught my attention. It looked like it may have been panting.
Panting can help deer release heat. It also showed how hard summer conditions can be on young wildlife.
The fawn stayed near the slough and then headed toward trees. That mix of water, shade, and cover likely helped it handle the heat.
I liked how this brief moment told a simple story. The fawn was not doing anything dramatic. It was just moving through a hot summer morning and trying to stay comfortable.
Photographing The Fawn From My Truck
I photographed this fawn from my truck, using a beanbag draped over the window for support. That setup gave me a steady rest without stepping out and disturbing the deer.
The fawn was across the slough, so I used the long end of my lens. I wanted a close look while keeping distance between me and the deer.
Camera settings:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Focal length: 500 mm
- Aperture: f/8
- Shutter speed: 1/400 second
- ISO: 1600
- Exposure compensation: 0
- Support: Beanbag draped over truck window
- Date and time: July 24, 2022, at 08:11 A.M.
This was a quiet encounter, but it stayed with me. A young fawn near a slough, early light, and heavy summer heat made the scene feel honest and familiar.
Precious pic.