The happy fox...

The happy fox...  We took a drive up to Hardware Ranch yesterday.  This elk refuge is just 20 miles from our home, with most of the drive being up a beautiful canyon with a rushing stream plunging through a narrow forested floor interspersed with larger meadows.  Our goal was to see the elk herd, which congregates near the feeding station in the winter.  We did see the elk, though at some distance.  However, while we sat gawking at the elk, Debbie spotted something much closer and much more interesting: a red fox, hunting in the field just below us, perhaps 300' away. 

The photo at right is not mine, but the fox in it looks like a freshly bathed version of the one we saw.  Ours looked like it had spent some time recently in a muddy area – it's tail was matted, and the entire fox looked quite dirty.  As we watched, it was hunting (most likely for voles, which are extremely common here).  We saw it pounce several times, and after one of them it took a minute or so to eat something it caught...