Algonquin Adventures / What is it?

**Posted by Treater** 5/30/2016 4:04 pm

Saw this swimming across Queer Lk while fishing on the long weekend.
It ended up swimming right up to us, then under the canoe!

It was about two feet long. You can see it has a mouse or squirrel in it's mouth and seemed like it was going to hop right into the canoe. I wish we had a video or a few better pictures. We're thinking either a small or female fisher or, more likely a mink.
Can anyone confirm?

**Posted by ShawnD** 5/30/2016 4:50 pm

Pine Marten?

**Posted by Andy W** 5/30/2016 4:59 pm

otter?

**Posted by DanPM** 5/30/2016 6:09 pm

My guess would be fisher, second guess mink. The shape of the head, thickness of the tail and something about the fur just isn't right for an otter. And two feet long is too big for a marten. Although minks are more likely to be seen swimming than fishers, I don't think they tend to swim with their head up like that, and something about that thick head and neck says fisher to me... I can't totally rule out mink but my leaning is fisher.

**Posted by My Self Reliance** 5/30/2016 8:04 pm

Almost definitely a mink, unless it's bigger than it looks to me. It's hard to tell the size without perspective. I uploaded my day 6 video yesterday and in the last couple of minutes, I have footage of a mink that almost swam under my canoe as well, on Daisy Lake.

**Posted by Treater** 6/01/2016 12:16 pm

Thanks guys. I'm leaning towards mink too. Although I've never seen a fisher or a mink before. I have seen a marten before, up real close while shore fishing on Cat Lk. It poked its head out of a tree about a foot from my face. So I know what they look like!

**Posted by Lenny** 6/23/2016 4:30 pm

Agreed with Mink. They are also not very shy whereas fishers are incredibly elusive. Great shots! Sounds like a great memory.

**Posted by Peek** 6/29/2016 7:36 am

Definitely a Mink.

Last weekend on Lavieille I came across a mother mink and her two kits - they were moving (I assume) from one den to another (possibly birthing den to more permanent den?). The kits were very young and made a lot of noise on the journey between homes. When mum grabbed one of the kits to take up a tree, I kept my distance and used my zoom lens to get a real cute shot of the other one. I then vacated the area to ensure mum's return for her little one - which she did!

So cute:

**Posted by Roman_K2** 3/09/2020 10:07 pm

Rare picture of a fisher: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/content/dam/animals/2020/02/fisher-reintroduction/01-fisher-reintroduction-nps021-cnw.jpg

"Photograph by Paul Bannick, Conservation Northwest"

Last edited by Roman_K2 (3/09/2020 10:08 pm)

**Posted by Roman_K2** 3/26/2020 10:04 pm

Friend got a picture of one yesterday with his cell phone. This was in northern N.Y. state.

Years ago I recorded a video clip of one on TVO if I remember correctly - https://stelex.net/misc/fisher.avi