Kit fox and coyote yesterday afternoon

Have never shot one, only seen pics and video but that is the most well furred grey fox I have ever seen. Looks like down. Beautiful animal.
 
If that's the case then all those small light-colored fox that i've shot in the past and dark-colored fox were all grays then--right? There is such a difference in the "morphology" of the facial structure, tail length, coloration of these 2 distinctly different spp., that i know as a biologist that these must be 2 different spp. The swifts that are commonly seen out on the prairie of southeastern CO are all grays too then. The rancher that owns the land says the swifts are getting to be more commonly seen as well too. I have never once in 30 years heard anyone refer to these small light-colored prairie dwelling fox as grays. I haven't looked it up but i don't believe that grays are commonly seen on the prairie unless close to a river or stream. If this is a gray then all the folks (including the ranchers) who reside down here are wrong.

I'll try and stop by moms place tomorrow and get pictures of both a swift fox and a gray i had tanned for her years ago. I have seen enough of each that i can immediately tell them apart.
 
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All of the swift fox i have seen are literally the size of large house cats. Did you shoot a real small coyote to go with it?

I have never seen a gray fox.
 
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Can't wait to get the pics of the 2 i had tanned. I can see from the pic i posted (taken at last light) that it could easily be mistakne as a gray.
 
sscoyote, that is an exceptional gray fox!

doggin coyotes, I would guess your fox is a swift. I don't see a black stripe on top of the tail, running the full length.

It's hard to mistake a kit, with their goofy chihuahua ears.
 
To further confuse myself, what's this?

cc2010fox.jpg
 
The one I shot was maybe 3-4 pounds.
Note im holding him up with two fingers in last pic.

Was that coyote 7-8 lbs?
 
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There's gray, black, white, red, albino, and blonde coyotes as well as a mixture of all the colors and some live in central park in NYC. Location and color is not the only determination. And it wouldn't be the first time a bunch of people were certain about something but in fact were wrong (remember you were certain it was a kit fox at first)

BUT, you shot it and saw it first hand, at least in the pic it is way too big to be a swift, and sure as heck looks like a gray. IMHO


Either way they are great lookin dogs, good job

Im Out
Fin
 
Thanks Bigsky. Actually didn't skin either--the coyote was manged out one side, and the grift had a huge wound in him. Had i had more time before i "had" to be home i probably would've skinned it and sewn it for days, but as it was i have their tails at least.

I did always confuse the kits with swifts, thinking they were the same spp. and names were interchangeable.
 
Originally Posted By: sscoyoteI did always confuse the kits with swifts, thinking they were the same spp. and names were interchangeable.

Ummm, me too. I guess I've never seen a true Kit fox.
 
Originally Posted By: doggin coyotesTo further confuse myself, what's this?

cc2010fox.jpg


I say swift, but can't tell for sure. Down here the greys come out of rocky/brushy desert country or mountains. The swifts and kits come out of the grassy/sage flat country. The swifts and kits are always a suprise while calling coyotes, where the greys are pretty easy to target.
 
Got an interesting story about grays. I was hunting with an older buddy of mine and another friend one day out west of town in the rocky brushy country u describe. I was calling and old buddy Earl was watching the back door as always, when this other prtner started complaining about Earl getting all the shots. Just then Earl's gun goes off and my buddy just shakes his head. Sure enough he gets this gray fox off a rock above him. My other bud was peeved to beat the band.
 
Hey Dan--how goes it? No never did, but it's everybody's favorite it seems when we go shooting--even Vicky + mom like to shoot it. Going to try some 53 Horn. V-Max's soon (advertised BC of .29). Time to go to the range again--probably with mom and Vicky in tow--

IMG_0921.jpg
 
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