Moving from the Santa Cruz Mountains in California to Reno, NV one of the first animals I encounter were the Wild Horses or Mustangs. Hidden Valley is located on the western side of the Virginia Range, which forms the Washoe Valley with the Sierras to the west. There are a few herds in the area one being around Washoe Lake.

Mustang (Equus ferus) - Hidden Valley, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D800, Nikkor 600mm f/4.0 Taken: 12-26-2014 at 7:53
Settings: 600mm (35mm eqv), 1/640s, f/4.5, ISO1400, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Mustang (Equus ferus) - Little Washoe Lake, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 10-13-2016 at 10:27
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/4, ISO50, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

One of the last animals I photographed was at my home in Boulder Creek. I found this Dusky-footed Woodrat at my front door and it kept still just long enough.

Dusky-footed Woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) - Boulder Creek, SCZ (CA)
EQ: Nikon D800, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Taken: 11-14-2015 at 17:51
Settings: 35mm (35mm eqv), 1/50s, f/1.4, ISO360, +1 EV, Conditions: shady

I have had dogs since moving to California in 1988 and my first was an Alaskan Malamutes so its not a surprise that I like other family members (Canidae). The photo below was taken at my home in Reno, which is a sagebrush habitat and about 1/2 mile from the timberline leading to Mt Rose located on the east side of the Serrias. We also had a Coyote den in the wash behind our home and I was able to capture a pup playing with a Scrub Jay while the guys mother was off hunting with one of her larger pups. Also, when I looked closer I saw a ball and a stuffed bear.

Coyote (Canis latrans) - Mont Pelier, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 70-200mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor, 1.4x TC Taken: 11-22-2015 at 8:18
Settings: 193mm, 405mm (35mm eqv), 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO250, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

I took an expedition trip from Seoul Korea, around Vladivostok, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, which is located at the southeast end of the Kamchatka Pensenula before boarding the Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) for a cruse up the east coast of Russia. When we were in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy area we took a tour of the mountains and along the road we came across this Kamchatka Brown Bear. We saw many bears on the tour and a few cubs along the coast.

Kamchatka Brown Bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) - Vilyuchinskiy Pereval (Вилючинский Перевал), KAM (RU)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 6-26-2017 at 14:36
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/4, ISO640, +1/3EV, Conditions: shady

Kamchatka Brown Bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) - NW Cape Island, KAM (RU)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 7-2-2017 at 16:27
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/4, ISO640, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

I was out on a run through Whites Creek Canyon and came across a Black Bear walking towards me on the Forest Service Road. The Bear head north and I figured that was far enough and turned around. A couple days later on another run I heard dogs barking and then heard some very loud scatching sound and I turned to see this Black Bear climbing a conifer. I ran home got my camera and was pleasantly surprise that the Bear was still in the tree.

American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) - Whites Creek Canyon, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 9-26-2018 at 9:15
Settings: 450mm (35mm eqv), 1/640s, f/2.8, ISO1000, +1/3EV, Conditions: shady

Other members of the Canidae family are the Fox. I saw Arctic Fox on my Russia expedition and in Nome Alaska I had a Red Fox walk towards me then lie down just a few feet from me. I also saw a herd of Muskox in Nome, which was a first for me.

Arctic Blue Fox (Vulpes lagopus) - NW Cape Island, KAM (RU)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 6-29-2017 at 16:54
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/4, ISO320, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) - Cape Nome, NOM (AK)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/5.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 7-11-2017 at 9:14
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/6.3, ISO450, +1/3EV, Conditions: overcast

Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) - Nome-Teller Hwy, NOM (AK)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/5.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 7-11-2017 at 6:36
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/4, ISO1250, +1/3EV, Conditions: overcast

Another Equus species is the Donkey or Burro. I found these in the desert north of Reno in the Black Rock Desert and Sheldon NWR.

Donkey (Equus africanus asinus) - Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 Taken: 5-30-2018 at 8:23
Settings: 500mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/4, ISO800, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Burro (Equus asinus) - Sheldon NWR, HUM (NV)
EQ: Nikon D500, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 12-21-2018 at 12:59
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO320, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

I have Mule Deer around my home and this young buck was passing through our yard. In the Madera Canyon of southern Arizona I came across Coues Whitetail Deer, which are a smaller subspecies of white-tailed deer and are only found in southern Arizona, New Mexico and into Mexico.

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) - Mont Pelier, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 70-200mm f/4.0, 1.5x crop factor Taken: 11-13-2018 at 11:45
Settings: 200mm, 300mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO640, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Coues Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) - Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 Taken: 12-10-2019 at 6:29
Settings: 500mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO2000, +1/3EV, Conditions: dawn and canyon shade

One of my favorite squirrels is the Antelope Squirrel, which is very small and not much larger than a Chipmunk.

White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) - Pyramid Lake - Willows, WAS (NV)
EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0, 1.4x TC Taken: 1-15-2021 at 9:16
Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO360, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Your comments are welcomed and if you have any questions about these photos or any other leave me a message.

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