White-tailed deer and spotted fawn standing at the edge of a waterhole, reflected in the still water with dense green vegetation in the background.

Whitetail Doe and Fawn Reflection in Water

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One quiet morning on the Phillip Parks Memorial Fishing Pier at Reeves Slough in the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I witnessed a truly peaceful scene. Around 7:00 A.M., a Whitetail Doe and her Fawn emerged gently from the edge of the woods and moved toward the water’s edge. The surface of the slough was so still it looked like glass, perfectly reflecting the pair as they paused to feed.

White-tailed deer and spotted fawn standing at the edge of a waterhole, reflected in the still water with dense green vegetation in the background.
A white-tailed doe and her fawn pause at the edge of a calm waterhole, their mirrored reflections adding to the peaceful scene, captured with care to preserve their natural behavior.

Wildlife Encounter Interrupted by Coyotes

Just as I began to take the shot, a pair of Coyotes appeared from a different area of the refuge. Their sudden arrival startled the Doe and Fawn, causing them to quickly retreat back into the woods. Luckily, I was able to capture a sharp image of them seconds before they vanished, their mirror image still visible in the calm water.

Capturing Reflections with Patience and Timing

Moments like this are why I return to the refuge time and time again. These encounters happen fast, but with preparation and patience, I’m sometimes in the right place at the right moment. The early light, the quiet setting, and the wild presence of the deer all came together for one unforgettable shot.

Photography Details from Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

  • Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
  • Date Taken: July 28, 2014
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec.
  • ISO: 800
  • Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
  • Focal Length: 320mm
  • Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
  • Camera: Canon EOS 7D

More Whitetail Deer Photography Moments

I’m always grateful for the opportunity to photograph wildlife like this Whitetail Doe and Fawn reflection in water. If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to see a Whitetail Buck running through the water I photographed at the same location.