Saw a critter, not sure what it was...

[JohnVH]

I cant find it googling, so, NW Washington, whatcom county, yesterday I saw a weird little animal I cant figure out. 

Id guess about 6-10" long not counting tail, light tan/light brown color, trotting on all 4's, had a longer thin tail same body color, but at the end of the tail had a fuzzy thicker patch dark color, and when it was running the tail was up in the air kind of in an S shape..

Any ideas?

[7mmfan]

Weasel

[pianoman9701]

  or chupa cabra, one or the other.

[Samloffler]

Weasel, ferret, mink, muskrat...?

[JohnVH]

Weasel

Thats possible, Tail is different, but otherwise similar, wish I could have gotten a pic, didnt realize there was any of those up in ferndale area.

[gaddy]

I actually had a similar sighting this morning when I stepped out the front door. Caught it out of the corner of my eye as I stepped off the porch. It blasted up the tree in the front yard, blew past the cat sitting there on a branch, launched onto the roof of the house, sprinted to the end and leaped into the neighbors tree where I lost sight of it. It all happened so fast that I really didn't get a good look. Definitely had an -s- shape to the tail, light tan color and a lighter under belly. Now that I think about it, I have seen this critter squished on the road around here a few times.

[Doublelunger]

Ermine...for sure. AKA short-tailed weael aka stout aka some other names probably.

[nwwanderer]

Last one I encountered came bounding by with a mouse in its mouth, saw me dropped the mouse and was gone.  Stood still, trying to get another glimpse, shortly the little devil came back, got his mouse and was gone for good.

[7mmfan]

I had a really cool encounter with one a few years ago while elk hunting in the Rimrock unit. I was watching a clearing, and all hell breaks loose uphill of me. Sounds like two squirrels fighting. All of a sudden, what appears to be a juvenile Ermine comes blasting downhill full speed with a big squirrel right behind him. The Ermine zips right under my pack laying next me and hides there for a minute with the squirrel standing off a ways chattering at him. He then tried to bolt but the squirrel was hot on him again so he came back and this time he burrowed in under my orange, that I was wearing!    He hid out there for a couple minutes until the squirrel lost interest, and then peaked out, gave me a nod, and went about his day. Still one of my fondest memories.

[1851navycolt]

My guess is ermine. Found one in winter one time that was totally white color phased. Ermine are cool like that. Fur can change color to blend better in seasons. Summer n spring n most of fall tannish to brownish. Winter snowy time white with a black tipped tail sometimes pretty neat lookin little buggars.

[Scheindogg]

UCO
Unidentifiable crawling object
👀

[wapiti hunter2]

Pine martin

[KFhunter]

Weasel

Thats possible, Tail is different, but otherwise similar, wish I could have gotten a pic, didnt realize there was any of those up in ferndale area.

long tail weasel

[KFhunter]

Weasel

that's a short tail weasel, it'll turn white pretty soon and we'll call it ermine. 

[Bango skank]

Weasel

that's a short tail weasel, it'll turn white pretty soon and we'll call it ermine.