I keep finding white-tailed bucks right at sunrise. They do not stay out long, so I try to be in the right area when I first arrive at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.
These two bucks in velvet gave me another quick chance before the morning changed.
Bucks in Velvet at Sunrise
The best part of this morning was timing. I found these bucks soon after sunrise, while they were still visible and moving through open edges and cover.
One buck was larger and partly hidden in green vegetation. His velvet antlers stood out through the brush, even with plants between me and the deer.
The second was a young buck in velvet. He stood in a more open area, with warm morning light across the field.
I have been seeing more bucks in velvet during this stretch of the season. For more from the same period, see my posts on Whitetail Bucks Are In Velvet and Older Whitetail Buck In Velvet.
Reading the Cover Around These Whitetail Bucks
These deer were photographed at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The buck in cover was in the Sandtown area, past the Goss parking area.
That kind of cover can make a photo more difficult. It can also make the image feel more natural. I liked the way the leaves and stems framed the larger buck without hiding his face or antlers.
The young buck gave a different look. He was more open, so the field and morning light helped tell the story.
Photographing Bucks From the Auto Tour Road
I photographed these bucks from the paved section of the auto tour road. I parked along the side and rested my camera and lens on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup.
That setup let me stay steady without leaving the vehicle. It also helped me work quickly, which matters when these bucks only stay visible for a short time.
Camera Details:
- Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
- Lens: Canon EF 500 mm f/4L IS USM
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
- Date taken: May 31, 2020
- Aperture: f/5.0 and f/7.1
- Shutter speed: 1/100 sec. and 1/500 sec.
- ISO: 2500 and 800
- Exposure Compensation: +1/3 EV
- Mode: Aperture Priority
- Focal length: 500 mm
I like mornings like this because they reward being early and having a plan. The bucks were only out for a short time, but that was enough for two different views of velvet season at Sequoyah.