My wife Sheryl spotted three fox kits playing in a canyon at Starved Rock State Park. Jostling like puppies in the leaves, the three had boundless energy and endless curiosity. Over the course of three hours the kits came within a few feet of us and, when other hikes came through the canyon, the three would gather near us for protection. We always abide by the principle of gauging our distance to wildlife by determination if our presence impacted the behavior of animals in any way. In this case the three fox kits saw us as no threat. We never saw the mother, though we knew she was likely within site of the den.