Fisher

12/29/07 | #1CTYankee

[#1CTYankee]

My wife was letting our dogs ou in the backyard yesterday when she spotted someting starting to climp a tree, she called on me to come quick.

"What is that!

"I think it's a fisher Cat."

I ran in to grab my camera but it had climbed a tree before I could get a good shot, we watched for about 20 minutes and he stared his decent down. I sent my son out after having switched the digital to video mode.
What follows is footage from 100 ft away.
I've uploaded the video which can be found here:

http://uncutvideo.aol.com/users/custom65/67ae48e867e62e3db90e0bdaae813c0d?index=0

It's only visible for a few seconds.
Walking around in a foot of snow and never having used a recorder before it looks more like the Blair Witch Project more than anything.

Forward to the footage 58 seconds in.

Funny looking creature, face almost that of a bear cub and a tail longer than a Racoon.

[martin_fierro]

IS IT CAN BE LOLBEAR TIEM?

[tiger-one]

It is a Fisher, but most refer to it as a Fisher Cat. They hunt wild and domestic small game, as in your cat, dog etc. They have very sharp claws, can shred its capture in seconds. Saw one here in my NH drive last spring, took two tries to get the chipmunk for lunch.

I can say definitely it is not a bear cub. Too early for them and bears do not have long tails.

[digger48]

It doesn’t necessarily have to be native.

I’ve seen cat tracks in Indiana that were 5 inches across and 10 feet apart. (animal on the run) Ain’t nothing like that native to us.

A release or an escapee of a refuge was the conclusion by the ‘officials’

[digger48]

They ARE very similar, aren’t they?

[Tijeras_Slim]

I think it is a Fisher Cat, I found a website that reported a sighting in Groton... so they’re in your neck of the woods. Apparently pretty rare, and nocturnal.

[Daffynition]

You may indeed have a fisher. I understand from a CT hunter that the DEP reintroduced them to control the turkey population ... not sure how true that is.

[#1CTYankee]

Thanks, have a co-worker who spotted one last year in Burlington, (About 15 miles from here) pretty strange living out here in the hills and woods.

I've seen deer, raccoon, rabbit, bear (Full grown!) and our next door neighbor claims a mountain lion walled across the road a couple years ago.

The DEP has had reports of many sightings but claims it's very unlikely.

[#1CTYankee]

As always we need a little humor injected on a thread, not that I would expect you to let me down.

[#1CTYankee]

That Fisher looks awfully small compared to what I spotted yesterday, this thing looked to be three feet long weighing 35 lbs or more.

The wife said she has heard a strange noise couple times in the last week late at night, similar to a baby screeching.

[#1CTYankee]

Connecticut ping!

[grellis]

I know we have fishers in this general area but I haven't seen one yet. I've seen several martens, which are basically smaller versions of fishers. Martens have nicer looking pelts, too.

Very cool that you caught it on video.

[#1CTYankee]

"Very cool that you caught it on video."

Of sorts. ;-D

[Does so]

"...similar to a baby screeching..."

Definitely Fisher Cat. New Hampshire is loaded with 'em—even named a hockey team after them. Usually noctural.

[RaceBannon]

It’s a Jack-A-Lope!!

[#1CTYankee]

"It’s a Jack-A-Lope!!"

Huh?

[#1CTYankee]

[#1CTYankee]

Freaky looking dude. Seems it likes to hang out in the apple tree out back, got this shot yesterday.

Now I'm not so sure it's a Fisher.

[A knight without armor]

Funny! I rarely laugh this early!!

[A knight without armor]

” similar to a baby screeching.”

Please don’t take it to a restaurant.

[csvset]

a strange noise couple times in the last week late at night, similar to a baby screeching.

Fisher

From the Wiki article on Fishers

Fishers are also known for one of their calls, which is often said to sound like a child screaming, and can be mistaken for someone in dire need of help.