Called in a fischer, could it be something else?

[Jordanskylery]

First off I apologize as I don't have any pictures, sense I was predator calling after a failed elk stand.

This was is western washington, about 80 miles south of Mt St Helens near lewis river area.  Just an added note my hunting partner was calling a few miles away the day before and had a cougar sneak up behind him at 15 yards crouched in attack position before he let him have an arrow.  Had he not had the gut feeling to check his back when he did who knows if he would be here.

Anyways, I was calling for about an hour with a variety of calls ( elk calf, fawn, lightning jack, etc) before I saw this guy.   From about 40-50 min there were tons of black birds circling overhead making signal calls as well as other forest chatter and several small twig like snapping noises. Around 55 minutes into the stand everything went dead quiet, and the birds disappeared.  From past experiences and my friends encounter the day before I started thinking cougar.  I pulled out the pistol just in case and continued calling.  Around 65 minutes I heard some rustling in the bushes to my left and it continued for 5 to 10 minutes.  I shut the call and was on full alert.  All of a sudden 10 yards away on a log out pops this creature I have never seen before.....It had characteristics from house cat, bob cat, and a fox.  It was larger than a house cat but smaller than a average bob.  As well it had a full length tail and less bushy hair than a bob.  The face was also more slender and pointer such as that of a fox, but again it looked too small and the fur was not bushy enough in my opinion.  Finally and this was the kicker and of course I could be off but the fur appeared to by a maroon color almost purple and it was a solid color with no spots.  It could have been the light or whatever but deff not red like a fox and unlike any bob cat I have ever seen.

Of course sense I couldn't identify the animal I did not take a shot as well as just being curious to study it and figure out what it was.  After returning to camp and luckily having a washington wildlife book, the closest thing that had all the characteristics I spotted was a Fischer!  Apparently they are very rare, from what a friend told me they were non existent in washington as of 5 or so years ago until the state released only 4 of them back into the wild.  From what I read they are as rare if not more so to seeing a wolverine or such.

Sorry for the long story but ultimately I was just wondering if anyone has had a run in with one of these critters? 

From what I described is this most likely what I saw or could it be something else?

And finally they are not in the hunting regs are they legal to shoot (probably wouldn't want to if they are as rare as stated, and not much to mount or meat to eat)?





Would be great to hear any other stories or get any other info!!!

[boneaddict]

I figured Marten just for the fact of frequency of the critter versus a fisher, but the size you have described does fit the fishers profile.    THATS AWESOME.   That is one of the most elusive critters in Washington.  I think even more so than wolverines, if you can believe that.   NEAT!

[Jordanskylery]

Not sure what a marten is I will have to check that out and look at some pics!

Yeah it happened so fast I would have loved to get a pic or video but easier said than done making a stand.  Funny thing is it didn't even seem scared of me.  Since I thought it was a house cat at first before any logical thought took place I was moving around a good deal and making a fair amount of noise.  It jumped out of the brush onto a log about 10 yards away from me on my left, then proceeded to walk casually down the log towards me with no real care.  It hopped of the log on the side I was sitting and started right at me.  It walked in a diagonal line about 5 feet away from me then crossed directly behind my back only a foot or two away then disappeared into the bushes.  It was wild but none of this really sank in until doing all this research and finding out how rare they are.

Probably the only time I will ever see one but boy what an experience!!!

[pianoman9701]

I've seen a lot of pine martens in that area. Here's a pic.

[AWS]

Fisher looks like a overgrown Mink, including the tail about 30". I used to trap them in Northern MN.  The only pictures I have are on paper of the ones I've caught.

[BiggLuke]

Sounds like a Fischer to me....
all though, they are pretty rare.
You're right in thinking you would have seen a wolf sooner.
Because of the rarety, I wonder if it could have been something else?

Like a feral cat? or an odd colored fox?

Did you report your sighting to WDFW yet?
I bet they would be elated to here about your find.

[NW-GSP]

I have seen a few weasels before and they look really familiar

[pianoman9701]

Sounds like a Fischer to me....
all though, they are pretty rare.
You're right in thinking you would have seen a wolf sooner.
Because of the rarety, I wonder if it could have been something else?

Like a feral cat? or an odd colored fox?

Did you report your sighting to WDFW yet?
I bet they would be elated to here about your find.

Yeah, it was probably part of a fisher reintroduction program. They're shooting for 1,500 breeding pairs and the elimination of the spruce grouse!

[boneaddict]

Marten is the size of a housecat, fisher is the size of a bobcat.  They look extremely similiar, but a marten has more color.  (peach spot on the chest for instance)  Martens tend to be lighter compared to a fisher with darker guard hairs.  I might have mannikens of both to show you the difference in size.   That photo isn't the best represenative of a pine marten, at least the ones I have seen

[Jordanskylery]

thats the thing it was a little smaller than a bobcat and larger than a housecat, could have been a baby perhaps.  This animal also had dark fur and no lighter patches anywhere.

I'd like to see the mannequin if you have it.

I'll have to call WDFW and let them know what I saw!

[mkcj]

That's awesome Jordan! Now not to jack your thread but Bone on Saturday night I was driving into Winthrop from the cabin and what I think was a Marten ran across the road. Do they have them up there? It was about a mile out of town on the W. Chewuch

[boneaddict]

Yes there are lots of them, but thats pretty low for them.  They DO NOT like people for the most part.   More than likely a weasel, or mink if water nearby like at the golf course or whatever that little establishment is there. 

[mkcj]

OK was probably a weasel then. Seen my 1st skunk at the cabin last week also.

[ouchfoss]

The WDFW has actually released several fischers over in many different locations here on the penninsula. My buddy saw one on the Queets river back in May and I saw one in July cross the road right in front of me here in Amanda Park. At first I was thinking its a really big ass weasel and then I remembered seeing the flyers that are posted at most stores around here. It damn near got flattened by a semi as it crossed right in front of me on HWY 101.
The website actually shows where they were released and where the last GPS tracking signals came from on certain ones. I dont think there is any south of St. Helens but I could be wrong. I'll have to go check the website out again.

[ouchfoss]

And their size is big thing that makes them stand out. Almost like a coyote with short legs.