You're most likely to spot red fox on old "Sanford and Son" reruns...wait, that's Redd Foxx. The red fox we're talking about is a red-coated creature with a long, bushy tail (in fact, the tail is often nearly as long as the entire body). Red foxes are found throughout Montana, and can feel right at home in many different habitats; often, they're associated with crop lands. Since they dine on small mammals and rodents, they can make their home wherever they can find this food source. And since you can find rodents just about anywhere, you can find the red fox just about anywhere, as well.

Area of Distribution   Unpopulated Area

The red fox doesn't rely on speed while hunting; rather, it uses its nose to find prey, then quickly pounces much like a house cat. During breeding season (in the late winter) foxes will sometimes hunt in pairs, but usually they hunt on their own. The babies, known as kits, are born in early spring; both mother and father participate in parenting. The parents will bring live prey to the den to help the kits to learn to hunt. By the end of the summer, the kits are ready to set off on their own. Spotting a red fox in Montana is never difficult if you look carefully--just keep a close watch for the bushy tail.