How To Photograph A Fox Den
Foxes are highly coveted subjects for wildlife photographers. They’re beautiful, playful, intelligent and express strong family bonds.
If just a glimpse of a fox is a treat, finding a den full of fox kits is like winning the photography jackpot. Dens offer a wealth of different photo ops, from tight portraits to compelling action shots, kits wrestling each other and practicing their stalking techniques, and parents bringing home rodents for meals.
In North America, we have six species of fox: red, gray, swift, kit, island and arctic. Red foxes and gray foxes are the only species that can be found in suburban and urban areas. Given this accessibility, their dens are easiest for us to locate, and thus these two species tend to be the most photographed. Dens might be located in an old woodchuck burrow or in spaces under a barn, shed or porch. They may have several entrances.
The months of March and April find a mama fox snuggled up in the den with her kits, nursing them, while the father brings in food for her. The kits don’t emerge until they’re about four to five weeks old and then begin to explore their world. Mother’s milk is supplemented and then replaced by the meat of animals brought home to them.
