YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

So often an animal walks by and we take a few shots until it is out of sight and then go on to the next thing – the next creature that comes along.  This year I have resolved to spend more time getting to know the different wildlife that crosses my path, in hopes of seeing their personalities and behaviors more clearly.  Often I wait and watch and not much happens, but every once in awhile I get some surprises.

Like with the fox.

I had seen the fox out mousing in a very large area and when the wolf activity had died down several hours later, decided to ski the trail in that area.  I want to ski back to Yancy’s Hole and the area where they have the cookouts, on into the canyon.  The going is very flat and so I figure it to be a good trail for me.

And so I was putting things into my pack, and getting my skis out, when the darned fox walked past with a bone in its mouth.  I was very excited because he was the first one that had been anywhere near close in a long time and so photographed him and forgot about the skis.

Well, after the fox buried the bone, he wandered on and eventually disappeared behind a tree.  And, so, I decided, why not snowshoe back into that area, on a little used trail, instead.  Maybe I would see the fox, maybe not, but I would get a work out.

And, so with snowshoes on and carrying just my small lens and a trekking pole – it was too warm for a jacket or anything else – I took off, getting tired in deep, wet snow almost immediately.

I had not gone far, when I realized that the fox had bedded behind the tree on an open hill. Now what?

Well, I continued past and the fox never moved, never looked up, nothing.  When I got about 150 yards past the fox I stopped to watch but it just slept.  Eventually, I made my way to the other side of the fox, about 50 yards away and sat in the snow for awhile.  He looked up every now and then and definitely knew I was there but it was nap time.  It was nice just sitting there, all alone, watching the fox and knowing that he was not being disturbed.

After awhile I decided to go back to my car and retrieve my big lens and tripod so that I could stand much further back, about 70 or 75 yards, to make sure the fox had plenty of room when he woke up.  He did look up at me when I returned but way too quick for a shot before going back to sleep.

I actually thought that the peacefully sleeping fox was quite the treat and so very beautiful.  He only looked at me one other time, and that was when I lost my balance and startled him.  Me standing in snow and around sagebrush is a difficult thing and I have to be very careful.

And there were a few times when a raven would fly in that the fox would look around, but always it seemed he was looking past me, not at me.

In my mind I wanted to wait for the fox to get up and stretch.  I had the shot all composed, in my head, but he wasn’t a very cooperative fox.  What I got instead, when he woke up for a little while, was a whole lot of grooming, scratching, standing, turning, scratching the other side and going back to sleep.

He yawned several times – even yawned while scratching.  It was quite cute.  Boy did I feel like I was getting a secret look into the life of a wild fox.  I was mesmerized.

What a beautiful face!

And then time to lie back down.

This was a lengthy process as he curled himself into his tail just right.

He then scratched the other cheek before curling back up into a ball and going back to sleep.

I really wanted that stretching shot but decided that my time was up.  I had had the fox for 3 hours, all to myself but at any time someone could spot us and he would be inundated with attention.  After those peaceful three hours, I wanted to leave knowing that the fox was not disturbed.

And, as it turned out, my timing was perfect because just as I got to my car two guys pulled up demanding to know what I had found and wondering if it was a fox.  I am a terrible, terrible liar, which really sucks but they did go away.

I left the peace of the fox to see two coyotes chasing the big horns around at the Confluence.

It was getting dark and a lamb was isolated on a cliff near the road but I do believe it escaped unharmed.  Not enough light for photos so I went on home.

But, before the fox and the coyotes and sheep, was the Lamars in the morning.  We had a them for a little while.  The fox ended up being a welcome respite to the drama on either side of the day.

 

What a day.

And then today, nothing but 6 wolves 10 miles away.  A fox a mile away.  And coyotes quite a distance too.  Just an ermine, in the near dark, on the way home.  That is why I go out every day – never know what will come along.

 

Until tomorrow.

 

©Deby Dixon 2015

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