Young spike whitetail buck in velvet at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Young Spike Whitetail Buck at Sequoyah Refuge

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A young spike whitetail buck gave me a good summer look at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. I had seen this deer several times during the season, and on this morning he stayed close enough for a few clean photos.

Spike whitetail buck crossing a gravel road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
The young buck crossed the gravel auto tour road before moving toward cover.

Spike Whitetail Buck in Summer Velvet

This buck was still in velvet when I photographed him. The soft covering on his antlers gave him that summer look I always enjoy seeing in young whitetails.

He was a spike, with one simple antler on each side. Some people say once a buck is a spike, he will always be a spike. I do not see it that way.

A young buck can grow a different set of antlers as he gets older. Age, nutrition, and genetics all play a part. I have also photographed antler growth changes in another post, Same Buck, Two Months Apart.

Watching This Young Buck Along the Refuge Road

I photographed this deer near the auto tour road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. He crossed the gravel road, then moved into the tall grass near the edge.

Young spike whitetail buck standing in tall roadside weeds in Oklahoma
The buck paused in the tall grass near the road, giving me a more natural view.

That gave me two different looks at the same animal. One frame showed him in the open as he crossed. Another showed him partly hidden in the weeds, which felt more like a natural whitetail moment.

Young spike whitetail buck in velvet at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
A young spike whitetail buck in summer velvet at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.

Encounters like this are one reason I enjoy working the refuge in summer. Wildlife can appear close to the road, but it still takes patience to get a clean view.

Photographing a Deer From Beside My Pickup

For these photos, I stood outside my pickup and used it as cover. That helped me stay less noticeable while I worked with the camera.

The first photo was taken on July 25, 2023, at 6:47 a.m. The morning light and the tall roadside cover helped set the scene.

Camera details for the first photo:

  • Camera: Canon EOS R5
  • Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
  • Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
  • Date and time: July 25, 2023, 6:47 a.m.
  • Aperture: f/7.1
  • Shutter speed: 1/800
  • ISO: 3200, Auto
  • Exposure compensation: 0
  • Focal length: 500mm

This young buck was not doing anything dramatic. He was just moving through his summer habitat. That was enough for me.

Sometimes a simple roadside encounter says plenty about the season, the place, and the animal in front of the lens.

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