What animal did I just see in my yard? (summer, work)

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by BobTex

any wolverines up there? I wouldn't think they'd be in town for sure even if they do occur in Maine. One map I found did show their range occurring into Maine but wondering if they are really there.

I've never heard of any around here. I always thought they were more northern and western, NW Canada and Alaska...but I don't really know much about them except for a story I read when I was a kid (Jack London?) which portrayed them as nasty, vicious animals.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

The Hurons called it "gitchee manitou". It is the largest member of the weasel family which includes mink, pine martins and fisher. Nothing in the woods wants to confront a wolverine. It is just not worth the trouble. That's why the young folks in the classic movie. Red Dawn, called themselves the Wolverines. You just didn't want top mess with those patriots.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

If you have ever tried to remove quills from a dogs mouth you quickly learn that they have small barbs like a fish hook which makes them very hard to remove.

IMHO I thought your animal could be a couple of things until you mentioned it was 3 feet long.....not aware of anything that big. BTW a black bear can be brown or dark cinnamon color.

I've tied flies using porcupine quills. They are like ballons and full of air, which is why you have to cut the ends off before you pull them out of yourself or dogs. If you grab onto them with a pair of pliers, you compress the air and extend the barb that's in the skin (making them very hard to get out). If you cut the end off they come out much easier.

[Zarathu]

Originally Posted by Maineah

No Brown Bears in Maine there ace.

According to the Maine dept of wildlife(Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife - Black Bear)

There are black bears in Maine. And...."Black bears in Maine are normally black , but they are often various shades of brown to cream colored in western populations, and are even white, and blue-gray in color in coastal British Columbia and Alaska. They have a brown muzzle, and occasionally a white throat or chest patch or "blaze". "

Black bears are not always black and can be available in many shades.

While there may not be any real "brown bears" there could easily be black bears who to the uninitiatied about the bear populations are also quite brown or even heading into cream colored.

Since we don't have a close up look at the animal in this case, it could easily be a brown black bear cub.

So please be careful.

[Maineah]

I still think it was a fisher. Bushy tail etc. They are pretty good sized and this time of year they are losing the summer coat in favor of the winter coat so will look a bit tattered.
If your cat, chickens, or lap dog come up missing you can bet you have a family of fishers hanging around the area. I have seen two fishers work together to lug off a 20 pound turkey.

[KirkOst]

Hey, I just saw the same thing in my back yard in Greenville, SC. the description MacMaine used fits my animal perfectly. How far is Bangor Maine form my house, 1000 miles? My first guess was a beaver, but without the flat tail. It stopped long
enough to raise up on its haunches. Small head with short fore paws. Large back legs. Almost rodent like. It hobbled slowly away with a short front leg, big back leg gait. Maybe 18-24" tall (long). Kirk 5/5/16

[bigchuckie]

Possum?

[bigchuckie]

Nope none

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by KirkOst

Hey, I just saw the same thing in my back yard in Greenville, SC. the description MacMaine used fits my animal perfectly. How far is Bangor Maine form my house, 1000 miles? My first guess was a beaver, but without the flat tail. It stopped long
enough to raise up on its haunches. Small head with short fore paws. Large back legs. Almost rodent like. It hobbled slowly away with a short front leg, big back leg gait. Maybe 18-24" tall (long). Kirk 5/5/16

Nutria ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coypu

Not in Maine though even though some maps list their presence in Nova Scotia.

[TUMF]

Originally Posted by MacMaine

Yup!... looked at more images. It was much bigger... at least 3ft long and fatter and very messed up looking. I never pictured that would be a porcupine up in Maine... didn't look like quills like the kind you see in cartoons. THANK GOD I screamed when my husband opened the door and the dog started to run out!!!!

Maybe it was having a bad hair day?