My explanation is similar to Phades. I have just been blessed with opportunity, I guess. For instance, Phade mentions the three legged buck. Well, I raise whitetails here as well as do the taxidermy (I also do some writing, like Phade) and I had a three legged buck hang around...for three years! He was a wild buck, and used to actually go into my barn and some outbuildings. In time I could approach within a few yards of him. Last winter he finally broke his other hind leg in the deep snow, and I found him dead that spring.

See, I dont mean to try to out-do Phades experience, or anyone elses. I often worry that Ill be read as a "one-up" kind of guy, no matter what you say, I did one better. Its just that like you guys, Ive been fortunate to see what I do. Jhoffman, actually, I come from the south side of Buffalo as a kid originally, and became a country boy over the years. In fact I can still remember as a boy visiting the Kinsua Dam with my grandparents. Small world, huh? Lol!

The DEC wouldnt fine anyone for shooting a silver fox...its still a red fox, just a color phase. My personal hunch would be a ranch fox released into the wild, or even a second generation of one. I could tell by looking at its size, though. I seldom see the color phases of reds occuring in the wild this far east. Go northwest and youll see as many black, silver and cross fox variants as you will reds. Same holds true for bears. Out west the color phases are the norm, here its the exception. Wanna see something cool about color phases? Almost any species that shows color phases includes a black or melanistic phase, but often a red phase too. Can you think of some? How about...coyote, raccoon, ruffed grouse, screech owl, black bear, mink, polyphemus moth and bobcat. Heres a really neat one. Can you name the only north american mammal thats pelage or coat is different colors in males than females? Not adults and juveniles, but the boys being different colored than the girls. Theres a name for that principle, but I forget what its called. Its common in birds. For instance, Blue Jays and Canada geese are the same, Baltimore Orioles and Rose breasted Grosbeaks are different. Can you guess the mammal example?

Funny what we pick up off the street corners, eh?