I still laugh when I look at these frames. A whitetail buck at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge gave me what looks like a big, goofy grin.
He did it just long enough for me to get a couple shots before he melted into the grass.
Wildlife Notes
I spotted two whitetail bucks stepping out of a wheat field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. They moved fast, and they stayed tight to the edge where cover was close.
The buck in the first photo looks straight at me with that “smiling” expression. It’s one of those moments where the timing and angle make the whole scene feel personal.
A second frame makes me laugh even more. It looks like he’s sticking his tongue out right before he disappears into the tall Johnson grass.
You can also see the velvet antlers coming along. They’re farther along than they were earlier in the season, and it’s been fun to watch that steady change from spring into summer. I shared another antler-growth update here: Witnessing Whitetail Antler Growth at Sequoyah NWR
Photography Notes
Both photos were taken from my truck with a bean bag on the window for support. That steady rest matters at 500mm, especially when the shutter speed drops.
Gear: Canon EOS R5 + Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Focal length: 500mm
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/100
ISO: 8000 (Photo 1), 10000 (Photo 2)
Exposure compensation: +1/3
Light was dim along that field edge, so ISO climbed fast. I kept the aperture wide open and watched my framing so I could fire quickly before the deer slipped into cover.
Closing
This is why I keep going back to Sequoyah. Even when the encounter is short, something unexpected can happen in a split second, and it can turn into a favorite set of photos.