I had always heard that San Angelo State Park was home to an American Badger, or two. I had never before seen one. That is until yestereday, when leaving the park, one wandered across the road just a few yards outside the south gate entrance. I stopped the car and used my binoculars to see where he may have went after he entered the buffalo enclosure. I could just make him out lying in the tall grass.
I got out of the van with my Canon 7D and my 100-400mm soom lens. I set it for aperture priority and spot-focus. I walked up to the the fence and through the lens I could see him watching my every move. He had backed himself into his lair so only his head and upper body was outside. I moved back and forth and side to side, trying to get my spot-focus on his eye. Getting the eye in focus is the utmost important thing in photographing any wildlife. With the eyes out of focus, the image is a throw-away. But I think I got it with this shot. Enjoy, and click the image to see an enlargement.
American Badger peering through the grass
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 