Post by: Tom Reichner on May 19, 2009, 11:18:55 PM
The main difference between the Cascade and the regular Red is that in the Cascade population, color phases are the norm. Many authorities claim that the most common color for Cascades is black, or mostly black with some silver. In all cases, they have a white tip to the tail, as do all red foxes, regardless of what color the body is.
Anyway, I thought it would be an interesting project for a couple reasons. First, much of my boyhood was spent back in Pennsylvania trapping foxes. And also, foxes are completely nonexistent up here in the areas around Omak.
My goal was to try to get as many different looking photos of foxes as I could. One thing that made that possible was the variety in the color phases. What I was told about the Cascade Fox turned out to be true - I saw pale orange, not-so-pale orange, an orange/black cross, a darker orange/black cross, and a black phase that had a generous portion of silver mixed in.
Photographing these guys was not too easy. Although they are fairly habituated to humans, they are active creatures who never seem to stay still for more than a few seconds. Even when they sat down, they'd just get up again in ten or twenty seconds, only to walk a few steps and sit down in a new place. This made setting up a tripod a total impossibility, and I had to use my smaller lens (the 100-400 zoom) and handhold for almost all of the shots.
In just a couple weeks their winter fur will start to shed, and they'll look like hell for a couple months. I'm very tempted to go back ASAP and do this all over again!
Post by: popeshawnpaul on May 19, 2009, 11:28:36 PM
Shawn
Post by: addicted on May 19, 2009, 11:29:05 PM
excellent photos
Post by: wastickslinger on May 19, 2009, 11:31:38 PM
Post by: Aneoakleaf on May 19, 2009, 11:42:17 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on May 20, 2009, 12:33:50 AM
Post by: RyanD on May 20, 2009, 12:35:46 AM
Post by: River on May 20, 2009, 12:41:27 AM
Dan
Post by: Dean44 on May 20, 2009, 05:11:49 AM
Congratulations of some great shots, and mostly on your skill to get into position for the shots!
Post by: boneaddict on May 20, 2009, 05:50:30 AM
Post by: markts on May 20, 2009, 06:08:24 AM
Post by: boneaddict on May 20, 2009, 06:21:07 AM
.(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2Fbonesbucks%2Fproject5.jpg&hash=3e81c531ef03e9395f35c0e5f75a61ba52fc6f70)
Post by: luvtohnt on May 20, 2009, 07:03:06 AM
Brandon
Post by: Idabooner on May 20, 2009, 07:29:33 AM
Thanks for sharing some nice pictures.
Post by: skybusterbo on May 20, 2009, 08:31:29 AM
Post by: runamuk on May 20, 2009, 08:33:16 AM
I've never seen a fox alive in WA.... saw a few when we lived in Idaho have seen a few as roadkill.....I'd sure love to see as many as you did that is amazing.
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on May 20, 2009, 08:52:17 AM
For you to get photos of several in one weekend.. Man, can we go varmint 'huntin' sometime? You use the camera, I'll use a rifle. If we do it right, we'll both get our shots. :IBCOOL:
-Steve
Post by: Slider on May 20, 2009, 08:59:57 AM
Post by: boneaddict on May 20, 2009, 09:15:32 AM
Post by: jackelope on May 20, 2009, 09:26:42 AM
Post by: Tom Reichner on May 20, 2009, 09:42:36 AM
Are they in an area where they are used to the presence of people?
Congratulations of some great shots, and mostly on your skill to get into position for the shots!
Yes, Dean, they are used to people. But only two seemed unconcerned about me getting close. The others got very nervous and skittish when I would try to move into better position. Overall, I got lucky - it would be easy to go looking for them for a weekend and get shut out, not seeing a single fox.
are all these pics from washington?Yep, all taken here in WA. Over on the 'wet' side. There are no foxes here where I live in Okanogan County, unless perhaps there are a few over in the Methow valley. Supposedly, there are only a few hundred of these Cascade foxes left in the wild, with almost all of them being in the southwestern part of the state. A naturalist told me there are also a few down in Oregon somewhere.
Post by: saylean on May 20, 2009, 09:43:32 AM
I've seen like two foxes in my life..
1 lives up at the refinery I used to work at (Conoco Phillips) in ferndale and the other I saw at the airport in Ireland (dublin)....
pretty freaking cool man. thanks for posting
Post by: popeshawnpaul on May 20, 2009, 05:56:42 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 08:44:03 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on May 20, 2009, 09:18:45 PM
Post by: Rick on May 20, 2009, 09:30:19 PM
Post by: Huntbear on May 20, 2009, 10:28:36 PM
Post by: M_ray on May 20, 2009, 10:38:27 PM
Post by: coriantonk on May 20, 2009, 10:49:42 PM
Post by: rougheye on May 21, 2009, 08:00:55 AM
Post by: boneaddict on May 21, 2009, 10:55:55 AM
Post by: jackelope on May 21, 2009, 10:58:25 AM
:chuckle:
Post by: 10Key on May 21, 2009, 12:44:42 PM
Post by: Cylvertip on May 21, 2009, 04:19:00 PM
Post by: javman on May 23, 2009, 12:00:44 PM
Post by: M_ray on May 23, 2009, 03:32:21 PM
Sweet pics Tom! The one with Pinnacle Peak in the background is money!
What ever you do don't let the cat out of the bag on where these guy's are! ;) :chuckle:
Post by: tlbradford on May 23, 2009, 04:02:56 PM
Sweet pics Tom! The one with Pinnacle Peak in the background is money!
That was my favorite too.
Post by: littlebuf on May 23, 2009, 05:05:52 PM
Post by: boneaddict on May 23, 2009, 05:24:14 PM
Post by: littlebuf on May 23, 2009, 06:12:13 PM
Post by: @RCHER on May 24, 2009, 12:11:38 PM
I've never heard of the name cascade fox attached to the red fox. I saw all different colors of reds growing up in Montana. Caught and shot mostly red phase. I definitely see more black ones than red phase here in wetern WA.
Post by: grandpawrichard on May 26, 2009, 05:21:19 PM
Your photos of the foxes are just fabulous! I haven't seen a fox in the wild for over 30 years now. :( Thanks for posting the photos for our enjoyment!
Dick