Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Otter, mink, weasel...?

We had a new visitor this past weekend...or at least this was the first time we got a look at it.
I did not get a pic. I can only provide a verbal description. the body was long and flat or slender. Short legs, deep auburn red fur color, about 22" of body plus about 10 or 12" of tail. It was on a log at the edge of the pond in the wetland area, rubbing and scratching against the log and a couple of branches. It's tail was bushy, about 2" or 3" diameter of medium density fur. What I do remember was the end tip was black. What could it be?

Only three things it can be near water: A mink, an otter, or believe it or not a woodchuck. The auburn red fur color tells me it's probably a mink though. I killed one of that color this time of year last year. I could be wrong but I don't think weasels get this big.

But did you know woodchucks swim? I shot one that swam across one of my ponds and walked into the neighboring field last summer. So they are quite a versatile species. They can dig holes in the ground, climb trees, or swim.

My money is on it being a mink...

While woodchucks do get reddish, they have very short tails. Weasels don't get that size, and Female Mink usually don't get that big, but a large Male Mink will be that size. I've never seen one in that color phase tho, only chocolate brown. Otters are larger than what you describe, and brown as well.

The color and tail suggests a Red Fox, but they have longer legs, and the tail usually has a white tip on it, although they seem to be more prone to different color phases. But their tail is 4"-6" dia.

Did you see it in the water as well, or just on land? My guess is a weird color phase large Male Mink.

Nah, the red fox visited last weekend. Different critter.
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He was on a log right at the edge of water. It looked like it had a fish in it's mouth (or part of a fish).
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When I say deep auburn red, I might be misleading. It was a dark red, bordering on the color brown. I knew it could be a mink and couldn't help but think the color was close to a mink coat.

Check out "marten." We have lots of them in Michigan, and I see more of them than minks. They are a little smaller, but have a bushy tail.

They have very similar traits to mink.

The tail description does not fit mink, way to long and thik even for a big one.

I may be a bit over the top on the overall length at 22" + 10", but not by alot.
I've been googlin' around and everything I read says mink. This one description really rings for me:

I was deer hunting a couple years back near some corn and heard the scream of a rabbit. I thought it must be a coyote that had it, but to my surprize, the rabbit came out dragging a large mink clamped onto a hind leg. The rabbit freed itself and ran, but within 15 yards the mink overtook it and dispatched it. Two things surprised me, the mink's size and speed, but it was not 33 inches long, more like two feet.

I think the tail might be the key. From the pictures, a marten has a bit of a bushier tail. They both are about the same size (a marten is a couple of inches bigger(I was wrong on my first post)) and have the same behaviors. In the end, it probably doesn't matter, but I vote for the marten based on the tail. It also seems that the marten is a little lighter in color.

Minks tend to relate to water where as martens don't.

Donna-ski was my co-sighter on this viewing. She just came up with this pic that really comes close to what we saw (less the blue plate special)
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It appears you saw a mink... They are neat animals and unless you're making a living raising fish, I doubt they take enough fish to make anyone overly angry. They certainly aren't in the category of otters. Sounds like your place is really shaping into a wildlife haven... Congrats!

Thats a mink. they like being around water. Lots food.

Otters can be 6' and are very stocky.

Coach,

Do they have Martens in Illinois? I didn't think so. I'm pretty sure we don't have them in northern Indiana. Scot?

I'd bet anything it was a mink. The one I killed was big enough to be a male but was kind of a reddish brown.

Pine Martins are usually creatures of the big woods, with adults having a home range of 2-4 sq. miles. They feed on smaller rodents, squirrels and birds, with some fruits and nuts when in season. I've yet to see one in the woods, even in Northern Wi., although I have seen Fishers there. From what I remember, they are in Northern Minn, N. Wi., the U.P. of Mi., in the Northernmost New England States, and in the most northernly Western States. I don't remember any being reported South of Tomahawk, Wi., or Duluth, Minn. They are in the weasel family, and along with the Fisher (which is the only natural predator of the Porcupine) are the only weasels that are very comfortable climbing around in trees. Pine Martins prey on squirrels, so they gotta be pretty quick running around in the branches.

You should see the size of the canine teeth on them critters. I still trap a few mink each year and it still makes me marvel when I finish skining them and git to the nose/mouth area and see the size of a minks canine teeth.

My vote goes towards a Mink as well!
We have his Northern twin up here driving me nuts this week as well.
I trapped one a couple of years ago and didn't see one again until last week-end.

The bad news is that this one is smarter than I am. The good news is that he is also smarter than my Wife!!! LOL If not, I would be looking pretty silly about now!

This guy won't go in the trap baited with tuna like the last one did. He just swims back and forth across the pond eating my fish and taunting me! The movie "Caddyshack" comes to mind, except this time it ain't a gopher.

If this isn't bad enough, I also have a Beaver dropping trees like crazy! Never a dull moment around here!

Oh, and I'm also still trying to discourage the Canada Geese from nesting here too every morning! They are just wearing me out! sheesh!

I can remember Mink from my friends Dad's Mink Farm, they were all Black, and I was only a little tyke. Never seen one since, and they are still illusive:

I've seen 2 mink around here. One I was deer hunting by a creek and it just stroled by. The other was next door. Came from a bunch of junk cars. Figure it's eating the mice there. Yet to see it at the pond.