# What the hell was that



## livingafield (Jul 4, 2011)

Hello everyone. I have one that may stump the most seasoned of you; I have been an outdoorsman for at least 40 years. I saw something from my window at 0839 this morning that defies description. Before I begin, I am not nuts, I have bever seen bigfoot, or the Loch Ness monster.

I live in Bay City, in a residential neighborhood. The only plot of wooded land within 4 miles of my house is a relatively narrow patch of trees perhaps 3 acres in area. As I looked out of my window this morning, I saw, loping across the street what appeared to be, based upon color, size, and body density, a Marten or Fisher. In relation to the car it walked behind, I estimated its body length to be perhaps 30". I first thought weasel, or mink, but the body girth appeared to be far to great for either. The only thing that seemed out of character for anything in the Weasel family was that the tail appeared to be very small, or non-existant. It was small enough that it was not apparent as it moved. As it ran across the street, it did not move like a squirrel, or rabbit, but rather loped like a mink or an otter.

I would appreciate any ideas as to what in the hell you think I saw.


----------



## boomer_x7 (Dec 19, 2008)

could have been a small otter?


----------



## MEL (Jul 17, 2005)

In my expert opinion, cougar!


----------



## frzngfshr (Jan 22, 2003)

Short tail,loping, no real woods sounds like a ground hog.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## JBooth (Sep 21, 2009)

Otter or badger? I saw a pretty solid colored pair of badgers a couple weekends ago. Go look for a big hole in your yard.


----------



## Cornellbill13 (Sep 17, 2011)

Sounds like a groundhog to me.:SHOCKED:


----------



## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

Cornellbill13 said:


> Sounds like a groundhog to me.:SHOCKED:


Agreed


----------



## fish_AK (Nov 10, 2009)

Woodchuck

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## man vs. fish (Sep 6, 2010)

badger or groundhog


----------



## Team Bell's (Dec 22, 2007)

I saw something similar in Essexville (close to Bay City) a few weeks back. This animal was running along the hedge row between the neighbor's yard and a bean field. From about 80 yards away I thought it was a mink loping along.

About 30 minutes later I walked that edge and peeked into a clump of weeds that I last saw the "mink" run by and there was a woodchuck staring back at me.

So, my vote is woodchuck. This one seemed a lot sleeker than I think of a woodchuck being, thus my mink assumption when I first saw it.


----------



## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

I too think it may likely have been a woodchuck, maybe a juvenile or skinny one. They definitely have a loping type gait. I once saw what I thought was a fisher get hit by a car in northern gladwin co. but my buddies told me I was crazy. It was too big for a mink or weasel.


----------



## DIYsportsman (Dec 21, 2010)

Look for tracks



_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


----------



## jbck109 (Jan 24, 2012)

Ferret on the lose? You are in a residential area, and it would be the length described and move as described, and the tail length can very.


----------

