During a July visit to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I spotted a raccoon family near Miner’s Cove. The mother and her kits were preparing to cross the road when I stopped to photograph them.
Watching the Raccoon Family
The mother kept an eye on me while her kits wandered nearby. Seeing wildlife with their young is something I enjoy, and I was glad to have my camera ready.
There was more to watch than a single animal passing through. I could follow the mother’s attention toward me while also watching what the young raccoons were doing. Those small differences in their behavior made the encounter interesting to photograph.
I had no way of knowing how long they would stay in view. With brush close by, I wanted to make the most of the opportunity without causing the mother to hurry her young away.
Stepping Out for a Photograph
I parked my truck and grabbed my camera, hoping to get a few shots before the group moved away. Then I stepped out with care because I didn’t want to startle them.
I took several photographs during the sighting. For me, part of the appeal was having the chance to record a mother with her young during an ordinary drive through the refuge.
More Raccoons at Sequoyah
I photographed another mother with four kits at the refuge on July 22, 2021. On that visit, I had left the Moody boat ramp and was heading toward the four-corner intersection.
Movement beside the road caught my attention. I pulled over and photographed the young following their mother before they disappeared into the roadside brush.
You can see that separate encounter in Raccoon Family of Five at Sequoyah Refuge. Both sightings gave me a chance to watch young raccoons alongside their mothers at Sequoyah.