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Post by dinorocks on Feb 11, 2013 13:20:01 GMT -5
Colton and I caught our first ever weasel...don't want to embarrass myself as catching a weasel might be like catching a possum to some but we are very excited! I expected that they would be around but never seen one or had any issues with any eating our chickens...probably saw prints but assumed they were from a squirrel. We caught him in a hay set near my creek. I originally thought it was some type of exotic mink due to the color (very light brown)...it was not until I de-iced him that determined he was not a mink (furry feet)...I looked him up in my ID book but still a little unclear of what kind of weasel he is...any thoughts? He was caught in Lancaster. I found the glands when we skinned him...very strong odor...I can still smell it deep in my sinus cavity! Put him up on a female mink board. Probably will get him tanned. Just curious, what do weasel pelts bring these days. Below are some low-quality photos I took with my phone. Thanks, Dino (and Colton)
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Post by snoeblind on Feb 11, 2013 13:54:17 GMT -5
Hard to say. How long is the tail? Hard to tell all wet and matted. They are some stinky little buggers.
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 11, 2013 14:11:28 GMT -5
I will post some better picts tonight along with some measurements of body and tail length. The weasel was a male. I was surprised how long his neck was!
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Post by 2labs on Feb 11, 2013 14:12:20 GMT -5
Strange he is brown?You have snow there? I found a white one sat morning in the road on my way to work! Looks to be the same size,think it is a Least Weasel and the small ones are Ermine? Nice catch!
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 11, 2013 14:30:16 GMT -5
Thanks...no shortage of snow here! I figured he would have been white too.
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
Posts: 3,381
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Post by Woj on Feb 11, 2013 14:42:43 GMT -5
Interesting looking critter. Keep in mind that color of the fur has nothing to do with the amount of snow. Zane found a brown one in the middle of the road the other day in what appears to have been a snowstorm.
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Zagman
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,186
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Post by Zagman on Feb 11, 2013 14:50:44 GMT -5
based on the size of your hand or the hand in the pic, I'd say its a longtail.
Unless those are puny little hands?
MZ
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 11, 2013 15:12:27 GMT -5
If it was Colton holding the critter, they would be puny little hands ...hands are mine. I was thinking long-tail also...not sure why he didn't turn white.... I would have thought that the weasel would have turned white (snow or no snow) just like the fur-bears start to prime up (cold or no cold) following the length of the days.
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Post by broadhorizons on Feb 11, 2013 15:16:20 GMT -5
I was wondering about the coloration too. I caught one a week or two ago that looked the same and I think Ztbow posted one similar recently also.
Is this coloration normal for this time of the yeat?
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Post by trappermac on Feb 11, 2013 16:07:23 GMT -5
global warming?
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Post by rockintheocean on Feb 11, 2013 16:30:30 GMT -5
Could be they migrated from down south .According to the Audubon field guide .Somewhere in Penn. is the transition line from the southern variety to the northern. Southerns never turn white.They experimented with it.Saying the specimens that were brought up north from the south did not change ,and visa verse.
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oldeman
Fulton Montgomery Fur Harvesters Ass.
Posts: 581
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Post by oldeman on Feb 11, 2013 16:50:26 GMT -5
Thats a longtail
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Trapper Jack
life member nysta,alaska trappers assn,nta, foothill trappers
Posts: 523
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Post by Trapper Jack on Feb 11, 2013 17:26:22 GMT -5
X's 2 longtail. Got one with same coloration hanging around my place. He looks odd and out of place up here.
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Post by brushwolf64 on Feb 11, 2013 19:30:56 GMT -5
Longtail. I have seen them like that before even though its winter.
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Post by bearpaws on Feb 12, 2013 6:57:41 GMT -5
Caught one just like it in ulster county. IT was in a leaning pole set for fisher in a 220 !
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 12, 2013 8:13:31 GMT -5
Thanks for the weasel ID help!
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Post by mole on Feb 12, 2013 8:15:14 GMT -5
Always and never are two words that have a habit of being wrong. That weasel didnt change fully because ; there is no explanation. seen snow shoe rabbits do the same. seen weasels do the same. it happens.
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Post by bassd83 on Feb 12, 2013 8:53:09 GMT -5
I'll be able to tell ya if its long or short tail once I clean the skull for you Dino. Save the carcass, Ill do the bones up for you also!
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 12, 2013 12:09:04 GMT -5
Thanks Tom...I have the head as well as a bunch more for you...hope to drop them off on Wed. I have already removed the head from the rest of the weasel...plan to use the body for fox bait (per suggestion from someone else on the forum). I'm planning to attend the monthly Erie County trappers meeting tonight...if you will be there, I can bring the heads for you...shoot me a text.
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Post by dinorocks on Feb 14, 2013 12:37:32 GMT -5
My buddy sent me these weasel picts this week...taken at his brothers in Bliss...pretty cool but a little too close to home for me, no pun intended!!
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
Posts: 3,381
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Post by Woj on Feb 14, 2013 12:43:02 GMT -5
When my father was just starting out hunting as a teenager, he often sat on the ground during both bow and gun season as many hunters at the time did. One day while hunting he was sitting at the base of a tree with a log laying across it. It made a good seat. As he was sitting there, a weasel came across, ran up the log, looked at him, and jumped on his chest. He said he quickly grabbed it and threw it off of him but was so shook up, he couldn't calm down the rest of the day and just went home. A lot of grit in a little package.
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Post by Adirondack-Jim on Feb 14, 2013 14:23:28 GMT -5
There are three reported species of weasels in NY. The long-tailed weasel, the ermine (short tailed weasel) and least weasel. These are listed in order of decreasing size.
Dr. Sanders from SUNY ESF reports tail length can be used to distinguish the difference between the long tailed weasel and ermine. Measure the length of the tail and divide this number by combined length of the head and body. If the tail is greater than 44% of the head and body length it should be a long tailed weasel. If it’s less than 44% it should be an ermine (short tailed weasel).
An older report from Cornell University report says both the long tailed weasel and ermine will have the black tipped tails and the least weasel will not. This report also says the long tailed weasel will not have white feet.
We've caught occasional ones showing the same brown coloration during the winter.
Pretty cool pictures dinorocks!
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oldeman
Fulton Montgomery Fur Harvesters Ass.
Posts: 581
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Post by oldeman on Feb 14, 2013 17:30:25 GMT -5
Dear Mr Dinorocks ought to befriend that little white critter as with him around there will be no need for the mouse trap.We had one around the deer camp for a couple of years never had a rodent problem and never made a mess or got into anything,great little houseguest.
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Post by mole on Feb 15, 2013 4:47:37 GMT -5
Pretty big long tail weasel, his feet look pretty white to me.
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