Thinking Fisher
Contributors to this thread:Small Game
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
My neighbors dog brought this up out of the river bottom I am thinking baby fisher what do you guys think?
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
Or maybe mink just not sure.
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
Or maybe mink just not sure.
From: t-roy
28-Apr-19
I’d guess a fisher vs a mink. Do you have a pic that is not as close?
Are fishers native to ND?
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
Yes I get them on Camera in there we do have a five day fisher season in North Dakota
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
Not a great pic but he does have a white tip on his tail
From: Treefarm
28-Apr-19
I posted this to WI site. Some of them know what it is for sure, and based on geography, may be part of original reintroduction.
From: jmiller
28-Apr-19
I would bet fisher.
From: Tweed
28-Apr-19
Thanks TreeFarm.
That real-time does resemble a upper Midwest/great lakes Firle. I could be mistaken but I believe firle firsts (baby firles) have remenants of their 3rd eye still visible for the first few weeks.
From: Tweed
28-Apr-19
Also.....I wouldn't call what happened here a "reintroduction " . Our current firle population was planted by rogue Cannucks hoping to devastate Wisconsin's landscape but our land has proven to be too resilient.
From: MF
28-Apr-19
Yup just confirmed....baby firle You guys are lucky to have them.
From: bowbender77
28-Apr-19
Not sure what it is, but I worked on a mink ranch one Spring and I will say that it is not a mink.
From: Panther Bone
28-Apr-19
What is a firle? Y’all mean fisher, I’m guessing.
From: Treefarm
28-Apr-19
Panther, a Bowsitter was the landowner the USF&WS worked with to release the native Firle back into WI due to his property being remote and protected from traffic on National forest lands. I!ll see if he can explains it. He doesn’t do computers well so doesn’ t post a lot.
From: Jeff in MN
28-Apr-19
My dad had a mink ranch when I was a kid and consequently I had to work there. I really doubt that is a mink in that pic. Probably not a Wisconsin Firle either.
From: Elite 1
28-Apr-19
The dog brought another one up to the house now they have two. They are drinking milk out of an eye dropper would any of you know what else they can give them to eat. There calling the game warden maybe there’s a shelter they can take them too.
From: Tweed
28-Apr-19
Definitely not a firle if its drinking milk. Baby firles only drink blood.
From: keepemsharp
28-Apr-19
Have tried to look up firle and cannot find it. Is this an urban legend?
From: Brian M.
28-Apr-19
^^^ This. Anyone have a definition of a firle? Or is it a local name for another animal?
From: orionsbrother
28-Apr-19
A Firle is an imaginary creature that got it’s start on the Wisconsin Bowsite Forum years ago... the Wisconsin version of a Chupacabra.
Pretty sure you’ve got a juvenile Fisher there. I’ve come across several fishers, but only adults. The white tip on the tail is a detail that makes me question my potential identification.
From: t-roy
28-Apr-19
Definitely not a wold, either. Where’s Rancid Crabtree when we need him....or Bowriter for that matter.
From: Tweed
28-Apr-19
Tweed's Link
Dang it Orion....we were having fun....
From: Duke
28-Apr-19
From what I’ve read, as mountain lions have been moving into Wisconsin from the western states firles have been relocating west. Probably some type of evolution?
From: orionsbrother
28-Apr-19
I apologize Casey.
From: Ambush
28-Apr-19
Not say’n any fellers are being liberal with the truth but; how’s come all the pics and video is always kinda blurry and out’a focus all the time? Only ever see the back of the Firle just going into the thick stuff. Not accusing, just say’n
From: Ambush
28-Apr-19
And again, not accusing. But about the only good picture of what could represent a Firle was the trophy shot of Ted Nuggent and his whopper. But that was exposed as high fence and not wild at all.
From: Jeff in MN
29-Apr-19
Dang you Orionsbrother, now you went and made me provide proof of the firle with this rare picture of their poop. Found this in swamp in the NE corner of Sawyer county Wisconsin.
From: Elite 1
29-Apr-19
Here’s another pic
From: Brotsky
29-Apr-19
Kind of looks like a miniature Don King.
From: Elite 1
29-Apr-19
Here’s another pic
From: Elite 1
29-Apr-19
Lol Justin I don’t think it’s a fisher either fishers have 6 toes and that white tip tail what’s up with that?
From: Nick Muche
29-Apr-19
Ermine?
From: Boreal
29-Apr-19
It's a fox pup.
From: orionsbrother
29-Apr-19
Nick - That's about the size of an adult ermine and I've never seen an ermine that dark. The ones that I've seen in summer coat are a lighter, warmer brown and the tip of their tail is darker/blacker, not white-tipped. Is there a different strain of ermine?
Maybe some type of lesser weasel?
I took a quick look while grabbing some lunch, but couldn't find anything in a short search.
From: akbow
29-Apr-19
I'm going with newborn fox as well. Eyes haven't opened yet--probably less than a week old.
From: Elite 1
29-Apr-19
Another pic
From: N2BUX
29-Apr-19
It's a fox pup
From: wilbur
29-Apr-19
wilbur's Link
Kenny Loggins knows what it is.
From: Elite 1
29-Apr-19
I could be reaching but those pups were no further then 50 yds from house they have a chocolate lab that’s not fixed he brought one back to the house. Almost the same color as him just sayin.
From: GF
29-Apr-19
Not a chance.
From: Nick Muche
29-Apr-19
Slick Willie, how does it feel to be the newest guide know it all on the forum? You think you'll last as long as the last pompous guide who no longer posts here cause he knew everything?
From: Mad Trapper
30-Apr-19
Not a fisher. Looks like fox pup. Picture of its white tipped tail confirms.
From: scentman
30-Apr-19
Heat Miser...?
From: Elite 1
30-Apr-19
It’s a fox pup most likely red I will send another pic as they grow.
From: TrapperKayak
30-Apr-19
It looks like a troll doll. (There's proof here that trolls do exist).. ;) Brotsky, Don King!! Funny! Nick, I had an all white ermine run up to me several times while I was standing in white camo at the edge of a corn lot last fall. It would peer at me, and grumble some noises, run off, and come back. Did it for several minutes, then finally ran off 'barking' like a red squirrel. It looked like a pure white foot long piece of 1" PVC (except with eyes and a black tip on its tail).
From: Pete In Fairbanks
30-Apr-19
Fisher (and all mustelids) have 5 toes. Your mystery creatures have just 4 toes. That means it is in the canine family.
My guess is fox or perhaps a coyote or coyote/dog hybrid.
Pete
From: Zbone
30-Apr-19
Yep, red fox pup (I used to raise them)… Unique color phase though... Cholate color pretty rare in the wild, although they breed them from pure white to jet black and every color in between in fox farms... Curious is local fox farm around in area?
From: Elite 1
30-Apr-19
Nope no fox farm just a chocolate lab
From: Tradman and Huntress
30-Apr-19
I'm a little late in seeing this, but did your friend get help in feeding them? Esbilac, puppy milk replacer can be found at any pet shop.
From: Elite 1
01-May-19
Ok thanks Matt I will let him know.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
01-May-19
I'd vote fox pup but I'll still give Brotsky credit for the win!
From: DL
01-May-19
Better watch out!! Firles are on the Endangered Species List. I remember hearing AOC talking about firle protection being high on her Green Deal list of must Do’s.
From: DL
01-May-19
When I was 12 I had a baby fox. I found out too late that when they start eating meat they need the bones of small critters to develop their bones and nervous system not just meat. They will get paralysis and die. Mine was trained real early to be on a leash. Then his back legs became paralyzed.
From: The last savage
01-May-19
But we all know the lil animal,what the heck ever it is,,,is far more intelligent than Don... Every fox kit I've ever seen as in my pic,,,near our chicken coop,,.has blue eyes,which of course change color....
From: Zbone
02-May-19
Dirk Diggler - Yeah, they are greyish/brownish when very young like in The last savage photo posted, but not chocolate like this pup... Elite 1 pup is a unique color phase...
Red fox pups do change colors from the den period to the wondering period, when the red/orange fur gradually emerge...
The more I look at Elite 1's photos, it's looks like its going to turn into the Cross Fox color phase...
From: Genesis
02-May-19
Groot vs Hedgehog
From: Elite 1
02-May-19
I agree zbone there is something mixed in there. We’re looking for a zoo to take them with no luck yet. If anyone’s looking for a couple new pets let me know.
From: 35-Acre
06-May-19
I was hoping for any updated pic.
From: Elite 1
06-May-19
Not a good ending to this story they called every zoo in the state to find a home for them. No one would take them. They told them to go out and put them back where they found them and let nature take it’s course. They made it two days found one dead the other is mia here is the last pic I have of them. Depressed in N.D.
From: Elite 1
06-May-19
Thanks scoot my wife and I both have full time jobs if I still had kids at home I would have took them. I just don’t understand why those little dudes were out of there den in the first place unless she was moving them.
From: GF
06-May-19
The thing to remember (despite our good intentions) is that their best chance is if you leave them alone from the start.
It’s like the “rehabilitation” of injured wildlife - a lot more good would be done by putting the resources into growing a habitat fund, rather than sinking it all into a single individual...
From: Zbone
20-May-19
Elite 1 - Any update what that pup looks like now?
From: Elite 1
21-May-19
No Z read my Second thread up ended bad.
From: Zbone
21-May-19
Oh, missed that post, sorry to hear... Take care...
