Heading home Tuesday morning I detoured through the Petawawa forestry as I often do. Saw a set of ears poking up through the grass on the roadside. Slowed down and stopped to see a Red Fox pup. Shot the first two from the van.

Further investigation, ie: got out of the van and looked, showed a den there.

Wednesday evening had to go back to Petawawa so I left early and went through the forestry again this time approaching from the west with the sun behind me. This time I saw a total of 3 pups although never together.

I parked the van about 30 yards from the den and could see the pups. I got out and crossed the road to approach on foot. Casually walked forward a few steps at a time keeping the camera up and in front of my face to hide my eyes. Don’t know if this really helped but didn’t want to stare them down. Never a good idea to challenge a strange dog by staring at it.

One of the pups disappeared on down the road. It didn’t want anything to do with me. The second kept an eye on me but wasn’t worried enough to disappear. Part way through shooting this one I realized a third had stuck it’s head out to see what was going on. It didn’t think much of this photographer and thought better about sticking around. It disappeared back down into it’s hole.

For most of what you see here I was on the other side of the road. I walked past the pup and then back again. It was comfortable enough with me there to get back to playing as all youngsters should. It was looking at something hidden in the grasses, licked it’s lips and then pounced. I was expecting it to come up with a mouse or some such beast. I laughed when it came up with a flip-flop someone had discarded.

As I walked back to the vehicle it ventured across the road to sniff at where I’d been standing. The pesky deer flies were flying around this youngster as well as me.

I had the feeling he was sad to see me go.