Mink on the Zealand Tr.??

[TDawg]

I saw what I thought to be either a Mink, Martin, or Fisher on the Zealand Tr. this past Saturday. He was too fast to get a picture but was small, thin, all brown, real cute, and maybe 3 feet max in length including the tail. He disappeared down the bank into the Zealand River or his hole.

After doing some research I think I have ruled out a Fisher b/c it wasn't that big.

Am I likely to have seen a Mink on the Zealand Tr.? Or was it likely something else. Martin or Weasel?

 

[sardog1]

EDIT (AGAIN!): Mink is back in the picture, along with fisher and otter. Records of mink males to 700 mm (about 27.5") in length are described on the U. of Michigan site noted below. Your references to slimness and "cute" now suggest to me either mink or young otter, either of which might have been present at that location.

FWIW for those who don't know -- fisher, marten, mink, otter and their near relatives (including wolverine and badger, BTW) are all members of the weasel family, aka mustelids. A few members of the family bear "weasel" as part of their common names.

Here's a good source for info, the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web Mustelidae page.

 

[TJ aka Teej]

Squirts of poop?

I saw what I thought to be either a Mink, Martin, or Fisher on the Zealand Tr. this past Saturday.

See any dried toothpaste portion size squirts of poop on top of rocks in the middle of the trail? Pine Martens do that.

 

[mtnpa]

A few years ago while camping at the Perch with Mtnmama I awoke very early. I didn't want to disturb anyone, so I did a little exploring. Near the spring I came across a small creature that was very cute and sounds much like what you describe. I was quiet and still. It looked at me briefly then went about its business for a couple of minutes before scurrying off. I had a good view of it and am fairly certain that it was a martin. Of course the camera was in the tent

 

[sapblatt]

I have seen a Pine Marten on the Isolation Trail near the Davis Path - I would say that it was no where near three feet long - at the most it was the size of a medium racoon.

 

[Jim lombard]

I've encountered Pine Martens twice, once at Thoreau falls in the Whites and once closer to home, a dead one. They're not very big at all, much smaller than a fisher and no way 3-ft long. They have cute rounded ears, brownish body with a creamy light tan patch under their chin. NH dept of fish and game says they are becoming more abundant. The mink I've seen are thinner than fisher and longer than marten. If it went in a hole rather than a tree, I would say mink.

 

[TDawg]

Upon further research and a Google picture search, I most definatly saw a Mink, he looked me twice, eye to eye kind of like this. Pretty cool to see one inthe wild.

Thanks for your comments.