This is another pose of the Fox Squirrel I posted a few days ago
While I was growing up in the ‘60’s fox squirrels were something I heard a few folks talk about but was something I had never seen. We had Eastern Gray Squirrels, some years there wasn’t many but most years they were quite plentiful.
Squirrel hunting was very popular and opening day of squirrel season would find the woods echoing with the sharp crack of .22s and the loud booms of shotguns. Most local folks hunted squirrels and many hours were whiled away arguing about what was the best squirrel gun. Among the shotgunners most preferred the full choke 12gauge but the 16’s 20’s and even the little .410’s had their proponents.
It wasn’t until the early to mid 1980’s until I encountered my first Fox Squirrel. By then the composition of our forest was changing as the first onslaught of the gypsy moth was underway.
Nowadays as one wanders our local woodlands they are as likely to encounter a fox squirrel as they are a gray. No longer are squirrels eagerly sought after as most hunters are pursuing deer with archery equipment. The woods have grown mostly silent and the squirrels have one less predator to be concerned about.
8 comments:
Another great shot of the fox squirrel, great lighting!
Cat
The city where I live has lots of gray squirrels. Surrounding woods do too. I sometimes count as many as 20 in my backyard in the morning. All here looking for a handout. That goes on all day long but the numbers decline to one or two by night.
Nice photograph.
Neat shot...he's looking right at you :)
Thanks for the comments on my blog and the info about what to do in PS. I really need to take a class in PS - there are so many things you can do with it.... and I haven't figured out many of them :)
Nice shot there
Great backlighting on that bushy tail. You really captured that little guys inquisitive personality.
hi Salty.. this is a great picture, the stance is great..it looks about ready to jump at you... how much bigger are these than the grey?
Really nice picture! He looks so fat and I love that bushy tail! I don't think folks eat squirrel like they used to. When I was growing up fried squirrel on Sunday was just as good as fried chicken. I wouldn't touch it now!
If I had to pick, I think I would go with the first fox squirrel shot you posted, but it is a hard decision as both are excellent. The first just seems to have more impact.
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