I was lucky to capture this close-up shot of a Whitetail Doe and Fawn grooming each other at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. It was a warm August morning, and the deer were bedding down for the day in the shade of the trees.

Whitetail Doe And Fawn Closeup

Whitetail Doe And Fawn Closeup

I had been visiting the refuge regularly throughout the summer, hoping to see some fawns. The manager had told me that he had seen a few, but not as many as usual. This was the first time in 12 years that I had gone without seeing any fawns at the refuge.

I believe that the flooding that occurred in May may have had something to do with this. If any fawns were born during that time, they may have drowned.

I was able to get this close-up shot because the deer were in a dark, wooded area. I was almost tempted not to take the shot because it was so dark, but I decided to give it a try. I used a high ISO setting and a fast shutter speed to compensate for the lack of light.

I am happy with how this photo turned out. It is a rare opportunity to get such a close-up look at these beautiful animals.

Here is the information about the camera equipment and settings I used:

  • Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
  • Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
  • Settings:
    • ISO: 2000
    • Shutter speed: 1/100 of a second
    • Aperture: f/5.6