I recently had the pleasure of photographing this young 6 point buck in velvet at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. He was gracefully wandering through the open fields of Goss Field in the northwest corner of the refuge.
Bucks will soon be shedding their velvet, usually around early September here at Sequoyah. The velvet coating on their antlers contains blood vessels and nerves that help with antler growth. Once the antlers are fully formed, the velvet will start to peel off.
This is the same young buck I photographed grooming with a doe in a previous post (Buck And Doe Grooming Each Other). It’s amazing to see how much his antlers have grown in just a short period of time! I feel fortunate to see him again before he sheds his velvet.
I was able to capture these photos by setting up my camera and lens on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup truck. This allowed me to photograph him from a distance without disturbing his natural behavior.
I can’t wait to return to Sequoyah and continue documenting the wildlife in their natural habitat. There is always something majestic to see, especially during this transitional period leading into autumn.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Steve Creek, Wildlife Photographer
Gear Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon EF 800 mm f/11
Technical:
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date and Time Taken: August 13, 2021 (6:45 A.M.)
- Program Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f11 (Fixed)
- Shutter speed: 1/250
- ISO: 12800 (Auto)
- Exposure Compensation: 0
- Focal Length: 800 mm