I drove to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge before sunrise on February 13, 2024, hoping to find a few bucks I had been seeing in the same area. I did, and they were standing out in an overgrown field with that soft early light hitting them just right.
Wildlife Notes
The first thing I noticed was the setting. This field was thick with old growth from last season. It will not stay that way for long. Once the refuge fields get worked for crops like soybeans or corn, the whole look changes fast.
The second thing I noticed was the timing. These bucks were still carrying their antlers. In late winter, that is normal. Shedding usually happens later in the season, and it can vary by buck and by year.
In the background, I could see trees starting to wake up. A few already had buds showing. That mix, winter coats, winter antlers, and the first hint of spring, is part of what I like about this frame.
Image Information:
- Date: 02/13/24
- Time: 7:25 AM
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- ISO: 2500
- Aperture: 7.1
- Shutter: 1/500
- Exp. Comp.:+0.7
- Lens (mm): 500
- Program Mode: Manual
The bucks were a good distance away, so I leaned into the “tell the habitat story” approach instead of trying to force a tight portrait. I kept them small enough in the frame to show the field texture and the tree line behind them. For this kind of scene, I would rather have a clean, readable landscape with deer in it than a cropped-to-death file that loses the place.
Closing
This is one of those photos that says as much about the refuge as it does about the deer. Overgrown fields, late-winter antlers, and early buds all in one calm moment.
This photo is absolutely stunning. The glowing light is perfection, the buck White-tailed Deer are beautiful. I feel as though I could walk right into this image.
Thanks my friend!