This White-tailed doe encounter got my heart rate up fast. I was walking a service road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma when a doe burst from the brush and ran straight toward me.
White-Tailed Doe Encounter on a Refuge Service Road
Early on June 3, 2026, I was walking one of the service roads at the refuge. The morning was quiet, and the brush along the road was thick.
All at once, a White-tailed Doe came out of the cover at a run. Instead of crossing ahead of me, she came in my direction.
My first thought was simple. Why was she running?
While I kept photographing her, I also took my eye away from the camera. Behind her, I scanned the brush for movement. Something may have spooked her, but I never saw it.
The cover was thick enough that I could not rule anything out. Still, I never got an answer.
Why This Doe May Not Have Seen Me Right Away
After a few seconds, I had another thought. The doe was getting closer and she was not slowing down.
I began to wonder if she had even seen me.
That surprised me. I was standing right there on the road, but she kept coming. The brush, low light, and her own focus may have kept her from picking me out right away.
When she got close enough that I thought she might run into me, I waved my hand.
That did it.
She finally saw me and stopped. For a moment, she stood there looking me over. She seemed to be trying to figure out what I was.
Then she turned slightly and ran past me.
That close pass reminded me of another deer encounter I wrote about, White-tailed Doe Running Past Me.
The reason she was running stayed a mystery. What I do know is that she gave me a close encounter I will not forget.
Photographing a Running Doe in Early Morning Light
This was one of those moments where I did not have time to think much. I raised the camera and reacted as the doe came out of the brush.
The light was still low, so the ISO was high. I was hand-holding the camera, which made the quick movement even more challenging.
Camera settings:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Focal length: 500 mm
- Aperture: f/8
- Shutter speed: 1/640 second
- ISO: 6400
- Exposure compensation: 0
- Support: Hand-held
- Date and time: June 03, 2026, at 06:33 A.M.
A running deer coming straight toward me was not what I expected that morning. It was a quick encounter, but it was one I will remember.
Nothing like starting the day with a White-tailed Doe running full out in your direction.