Red FoxIn its feline posture, the red fox closed the distance between itself and a meal. (Photo David A. Murray)

The porthole to Mother Nature's private world opened briefly, and being in the right place at the right time allowed a glimpse of rarely seen wildlife behavior.

The slender scavenger quickly changed its posture and immediately became alert. Freezing in its tracks, one ear began to change direction and scan the surroundings like a radar dish searching for a signal. Suddenly, the ear stopped moving and within a fraction of a second both ears and eyes were intensely focused in one direction. The small nose twitched back and forth to sample the air.

The scavenger was now transformed into a skilled predator as the red fox quickly crouched and, with exceptional balance and control, froze in a cat-like hunting position ready to stalk its prey. Patiently, this cunning "wild dog" watched its prey. The unsuspecting rabbit turned away and, unaware of the danger, continued eating in a small patch of clover. Slowly and deliberately, in its feline posture, the red fox closed the distance between itself and the first meal of the day. Then, at the most advantageous moment, a short and instant burst of speed from the fox ended the hunt.

The mammal Family Canidae is essentially comprised of "wild dogs." In fact, along with the different species of wolves, coyotes, and foxes, is the one non-wild member of the Family Canidae, the domestic dog.

All of the canids in North America have the same dog-like similarities in their appearance; a long narrow snout, pointed and erect ears, reasonably long legs for their body size, and a bushy tail. All wild canids are also similar in the fact that they are all scavengers as well as hunters. However, only one dog-like canid hunts with cat-like similarities, and that's the red fox.

The red fox is almost everywhere on the Continent, in fact, it's the most widely distributed wild carnivore in the world. The population amazingly not only extends throughout North America, but populations also exist in Asia, Europe, Australia, and northern Africa.

The red fox was first introduced into this country by the Europeans in about 1790. The first critters were released on the East Coast in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The newly settled landowners wanted to replicate the hunting sport of their homeland, and it wasn't long before this country saw red fox being hunted with hounds as they had done in Europe for many years. Naturally, and fortunately, not all the fox were caught in the hunt, and over the course of years a red fox population began to emerge.

There is conflicting information as to whether any similar variety of red fox existed in this country prior to the European introduction. Nevertheless, in either case, many different varieties of fox interbred over the years to give us the red fox of today.

Red fox are scavengers and opportunistic hunters. Their diet varies with the season and their habitat. Nevertheless, some of the staple food sources are mice, moles, rabbits, hares, and a variety of other small mammals and birds in their habitat. They also consume fruits and berries, as well as grains and grasses in some habitats.

As hunters, they have two primary methods or techniques, both of which are unique to red fox. One technique is based on their exceptional ability to hear low-frequency sounds. This enables them to hear noise or movement of prey that is underground. Finding small critters under leaves, snow, or in burrows, is a big advantage for the fox. The other hunting method that is exclusive to the red fox is the crouched-down cat-like stalking technique, as captured on film and pictured here.

Personally, photographing this type of wildlife behavior is not only the most challenging form of photography, but also the most rewarding. It takes a combination of skills, experience, and circumstance to successfully capture this type of wildlife behavior. Conversely, missing or ruining one of these opportunities can be an extreme disappointment; these are often once in a lifetime opportunities. However, there are ways to increase your odds of success and prepare for the unexpected.

Skills and experience in wildlife photography come in two forms. The first form is the skill and experience necessary to react to a wildlife photo opportunity quickly with regards to equipment operation and ability. In a matter of seconds, a unique wildlife photo opportunity can occur. Unlike many other forms of photography, there is no time to ponder about the shot, fiddle around with equipment or try to figure out correct exposures or techniques; every second counts, and every movement you make must be instinctual. Extensive practice and experience in equipment use, exposure, and positioning yourself for the best composition, can pay big dividends in "nailing" the shot. The other valuable form of skill and experience is the familiarity and knowledge gained from years of working with wildlife and being able to recognize wildlife behavior before it actually occurs.

In regards to the right circumstances, I'm a firm believer in the fact that you make your own luck. A lucky opportunity or set of wildlife circumstances, generally, only occurs after countless hours of research and time in the field. There is no shortcut for putting in your time out in the field.

Good shooting!

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