The game cameras I put in are doing their job. THis guy decided to visit the Beta Site around eight this morning:
This is the second visitor that the game camera has caught. First one was a squirrel yesterday. Im not posting that, ’cause its pretty boring. This guy, though…a surprise. The area is also home to some rather larger denizens as well:
If they leave me alone, I’ll leave them alone. But if they wanna challenge me in a game of Food Chain Promotion/Demotion…..well…may the best mammal win.
And being a mildly intelligent animal, I know when to take risks and when not to. Today was a day not to. Tried to head up to the Beta Site but the snowmelt in the shaded draws had turned some twisty turns of road in to sheet ice. How bad? When I came to a stop I started sliding down hill…backwards. Fate smiled and I didnt go off the side of the road but I was in a not-great situation. Pulled a shovel from the back of the truck and spent an hour dumping dirt and gravel all along the road….not to get me to where I was going, but to allow me to leave in one piece. Managed to pull it off and headed straight to the tire store for a set of chains. Will also update the gear in the back to include a spud bar for breaking ice and least one bag of sand and salt.
So, todays trip up there was a bust. But I fully intend to be there tomorrow if the weather holds up.
Awesome. Nothing like having “your own” wildlife. Looking forward to seeing more pictures in the future.
Nice shot with the camera. I love looking at the variety of game that hits our farm.
Don’t know how much land you have, but if you have more deadfall trees and an Alaska sawmill, you’d be able to make a decent log cabin on the cheap.
….with the proper foundation.
Mostly lodgepole pine…tall and skinny. Good for rail fence, though.
Have you managed to interact with any of the Human locals yet?
Finding the right balance between Opsec and Networking can be tricky…
But I expect that people in the area will have a rough idea why you bought such isolated land.
Ceejay
I did, in fact, encounter one yesterday as I was digging out the truck. He offered help, which I expected, and I politely declined since I thought I had things under control. When he asked where we were going, we responded with a vague “Up road X to road y where it meets” and he responded, “Oh, over near so-and-so’s place”. So, a bit of intereaction.
Spent 4 days in ice storm jn Louisiana. First 2.5 waiting it out then 50 miles of back roads avoiding chaos on Interstate. Finally came over hill to find a area of slick ice with another semi at the bottom mostly blocking road. Could not back up so managed to squeeze by only to lose momentum and slide to edge Crom willing it did not roll into ditch. Only 6 hour later wrecker winched me up hill, other truck was arguing about price to get out, didnt notice as he argued the price was going up. Chains would have gotten me through but none available between Texas and Atlanta. Carry sand tubes,salt can just melt through and just leave holes in thick ice, sand stays on top and gives traction and doesn’t interrupt water table or leave a salt lick on road to attract game. On a slick area windshield wash will melt a area big enough to get traction on thin ice allowing momentum to get moving. For a cheaper solution carry wood stove ashes (free) also good to acidify soil to promote evergreen growth or filter to make lye soap.
Fox is the best animal to see. Small enough that it still goes after the nuisance critters and skittish enough to leave you alone. Not to mention, it’s a nice looking animal on the cam with its winter coat.
You have earned your land, but I do envy you for it. May we each be able to acquire our own “β site” before it’s actually needed.
For a winter fox, that is a very healthy one. Obviously has plenty of food and definitely taking on his own dominance in the food chain.
It’s so easy to make a faulty decision in a moment. When you don’t have to pay more than the price of chains for it, that is a big win. Well done!
I’m in the same general area as Z.
Every year, I lose 4-5 chickens to foxes, and I kill 2-3. A fox that healthy looking in February is getting good meals somewhere. Likely a henhouse…or kindly people putting cat food out.
We had a fox family in our back yard over the summer/fall 2025. First the male and female took up residence under our deck. Male would perch on the fence or on the garage roof under the deck above it and provide surveillance. All caught on our backyard cameras.
In early fall, the kits emerged – five of them. It was fun to watch them come into the yard to play under the watchful eyes of mom fox and dad fox.
They grew, turned their play into foxly skills.
Now they are gone.
We hope they return next season.
“NHABITING”? Thank you, Montana Fsh, Wldlfe and Parks.
They used the same company that did the Somali Learing Center signs.
AHH, those fond memories of the truck sliding backwards down the driveway. Thinking that if it goes off the side the truck is going to roll. The only good news is that it won’t roll too far because the trees will stop it. It did finally stop with the ass end hanging over the drop. Glad to hear yours worked out as well.
I don’t know where this guy lives, but his channel just came up in my YT feed.
https://www.youtube.com/@MontanaOutlaw/videos
Seems relevant, somehow.
Kurt
Tractionaids(dot)com
They’re the real deal. UPS buys these by the metric ton for their drivers.