New species in the woods

[onondaga]

I have fished and hunted Western New York's eight counties from the Great Lakes to the PA border since 1955. I am stumped. Took my Grandson Turkey Hunting today on my own camp in Lyndon, NY and he starts poking me saying, "What is that animal climbing that tree?" I am looking and cannot say. It was golden brown about 35 Plus pounds, It's head was a little darker than the body. It turned it's face toward us and the face was very much without a snout like a coon, porky or bear. My grandson said it kind of looked like a monkey face. It was pudgy and slow moving. The forelegs were awkwardly very thick and paws were awkwardly broad with long visible claws. I said it looked like a Sloth on the wrong continent! Here is the most odd part, the tail had no rings of color. The topside of the tail was very dark and the underside was the same golden brown as the body.THE SHAPE of the tail was startling. It was very broad at the base, perhaps 5 inches across and the tail was easily over a foot long and had a straight taper to a point. The tail looked heavy and not fluffy and dragged straight down behind the animal as it climbed upward. I don't know what this flat faced animal was. It came down the tree backwards slowly when we stood up and waddled away in the brush.

My woods there is hardwood only, mostly Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Ash, Hornbeam and Hawthorne. Altitude 2200 Ft. A visibly rocky forest floor with Juniper, May Apples, Trillium, Wild Leeks, Strawberry and Ivy

This animal had a strange way of climbing with all 4 legs stretched as wide as they would go and just moving one broad claw at a time, very slowly like Sloths I have seen in Zoos. It was not 3 toes to a paw like a sloth, It had five toes per paw and long visible claws.

Sure wish I had a picture. Does anybody know what this animal is?

Gary

[6.5 mike]

Sounds like one of my x mother- in- laws.

[9.3X62AL]

Chupacabra. No doubt about it.

[kyswede]

Sounds like one of my x mother- in- laws.

That was hilarious.
kyswede

[geargnasher]

No help here, Gary. The tail shape, five long claws per foot, and flat face are what really puzzles me. The only flat-faced critters I can think of offhand out there are primates of some variety.

Did it have opposable thumbs?

Gear

[MtGun44]

How about sokmebody's pet kinkajou escaped? Claws don't look right and sloths don't
have tails, IIRC.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3843

Nothing native to this continent fits that description. Gotta be an escapee. Wonder if
it can find food in those woods. Get a havahart trap and put it out there with dog food
and some honey and see what you get.

Bill

[waksupi]

Medical marijuana? Bad moonshine? No idea what that type of critter would be. I'd go back and look for it. Could be an alien.

[onondaga]

The tail looked about half as long as the tail on the kinkajou, legs were much fatter, claws much longer and face flatter. The thumbs stuck out a little but not like a primate. I saw it close its claws into the tree with every reach climbing. I didn't want to get near this critter. We were about 30 yards from it watching / I used an 8X monocular and Colin uses 10X binoculars. We Had it in view at least 4 to 5 minutes.

I also looked up photos of the Brown Badger. Badgers have very striped faces, and long snouts not like this flat faced critter we saw.. It wasn't a brown badger. and a badger would be as rare as a chupacabra in Cattaragus County, NY.

I am not joking or trying to pull a prank. My grandson and I both want to know what this was, right on my own property. The general area is very hilly , high altitude with scarce hunting camps and some dairy farms in the valleys.

Gary

[MtGun44]

OK, a few more possibilities. The lemurs and tamarins sound close, not sure about the
exact coloration but that often is highly variable between individuals.

golden bamboo lemur
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3844

golden lion tamarin

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3846

golde lion tamarin - face

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3845

Whatever it is, it is probably going to freeze to death or starve eventually, so live trapping
it and getting it to a zoo would be doing the poor guy a favor. Probably an exotic (maybe illegal) pet
that escaped. You might ask around any town folks that might know of a person with a weird
pet, reported missing or not.

Bill

[onondaga]

The color of the tamarin is close but the whole body was very different and the face was fur covered on the critter we saw.

[fatnhappy]

next time kill the darn thing and get some pictues.

[onondaga]

I couldn't shoot it. It was so oddly cute and I was actually talking Turkey with my calls when Colin spotted it. I really didn't want to stand as there was a turkey responding from out of sight but likely about 100 yards from us....We didn't get that either and the turkey was silent after we stood.

Gary

[MtGun44]

Tree kangaroo? Wrong color, but color is the biggest variable, see if we can find a body
type fit and then start seeing what variations might exist.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3847

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3851

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3849

Does the paw/claw seem similar?

Bill

[edsmith]

find some photos of martens and fishers, it may be one of them. some people call them fisher cats, not a cat, member of the weasel family.

[onondaga]

The body proportions were very different than the roo. Forelegs were much thicker, claws were about 3/4 as long as paws were wide and could not have been retractable due to length. Head was much broader and ears didn't stick up. The roo tail is much longer also... Thanks for trying.

Gary

[c3d4b2]

did it look something like this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Woodchuck_up_a_tree.jpg/800px-Woodchuck_up_a_tree.jpg

[onondaga]

I have Fisher Martins in the area and occasional Mink. This animal was not long and slinky like them and was easily 4x the weight of a large Fisher Martin. It waddled side to side like a possum or porky waddles on the ground with a much different gait than a Martin or Mink

Gary

[onondaga]

Not like that, the hair was not rhone tipped and was like the color of the Tamarin. That looks like a rodent, maybe a crucified marmot! or an odd angle of a squirrel? What is that??? It looks pretty small too.

Gary

[Bullwolf]

Not trying to Hijack your thread here onondaga, but I have a small Ranch in the unincorporated area of the California coast. It also happens to be close by a famous Rock Star's place. (Neil Young)

Apparently my neighbor has quite the exotic zoo at his place. While I never got a confirmation if any of these things came from his place or not, we always just assumed that was the case.

I recall in the 80's a bunch of white deer apparently had gotten loose and suddenly appeared in the area. They were one of the strangest things I had ever seen in my back yard.

Every time I saw one, I mentally would try to convince myself it was something else, like a white pony, or a goat, but the more you looked at it, it was obvious it was an all white deer. They eventually dispersed over the years. Maybe they were poached, or migrated out of the area slowly, or perhaps the local predators enjoyed their lack of camouflage. Heck for all I know they could have just been bred out by other deer, I really don't know for sure. They just slowly vanished from sight, until one day they just weren't around anymore. They sure were interesting to see for a few years though.

Another memorable critter that I spotted in the back 40 one day was an Ostrich, or perhaps it was an Emu, I never found out for sure. It was trying to drink out of the horse's water trough. As far as I knew, no one in the area was raising them at the time. That was definitely something I had not expected to see in the horse pasture! It was so strange looking, and it definitely did not belong there any more than the white deer did. It was the biggest bird I had ever encountered, and a real head scratch-er at the time.

And my favorite odd sighting did not happen to me personally. It was a large Buffalo found in my neighbors front yard. It was easily as tall, if not taller than his Ford F150, and definitely not native to the area. He had an amazing photograph of it standing in front of his truck that really put the size of the thing into perspective. I wish I had the picture around today, so I could scan it.

Other than coyotes, bobcats, the rare big cat (mountain lion, cougar or whatever you want to call it) and a few packs of stray dogs that I have spotted in the area, the rest of the stuff I have seen is pretty tame. Still it's no surprise that I walk around the property wearing at least a pistol, and often a shotgun, or a rifle is no farther away than my truck.

So, I have had a couple of surprises over the years myself. A few animals that definitely were not native, and typically did not belong in my location

I am not sure what you have spotted there onondaga, I can't really place it from the description. It is possible that someone just let something exotic loose, and it went native. Maybe that is an explanation for what you have seen, or perhaps it is just some species that we all aren't really familiar with.

Either way, I bet you wish you had a camera with you, so you could have taken a picture of it now. I hope you manage to figure out what it is, as my curiosity has been piqued.

- Bullwolf

[docone31]

Perhaps, by chance, it might be Sasquatch, or a young version of the same thing.
We have Swamp Apes down here, lots of sightings that match yours. Also without photos as the sightings happen so quickly.
Don't abandon hope,
They are out there!

[RugerFan]

Sounds like a Hodag.

[troy_mclure]

Not like that, the hair was not rhone tipped and was like the color of the Tamarin. That looks like a rodent, maybe a crucified marmot! or an odd angle of a squirrel? What is that??? It looks pretty small too.

Gary

ground hog. lol

[troy_mclure]

http://www.broadswordsnbunnies.co.uk/ny/d3/d3b.jpg

sometimes a porcupine will get sick and loose its quills.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I lived in Panama as a teenager.
There are several species of Tree Sloth, older ones in nature even get a slight greenish tint to their fur from algae growing in it. Your description sure sounds a bit like a tree sloth. Look up some pictures of them & see if it is a sloth.
It would have to be an escapee or released pet. It would also die in the cold.:Fire::Fire:

[9.3X62AL]

I lean toward an "escaped exotic pet" as an explanation. Assuming it's NOT a chupacabra, of course. Or, an anteater.......ZOT!! :)

[waksupi]

I have Fisher Martins in the area and occasional Mink. This animal was not long and slinky like them and was easily 4x the weight of a large Fisher Martin. It waddled side to side like a possum or porky waddles on the ground with a much different gait than a Martin or Mink

Gary

Thyroid condition?

[ElDorado]

Could it have been a wolverine?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wolverine,_Kristiansand_Zoo.jpg

[MtGun44]

I know color is wrong, but I am going to tend to ignore color since that is typically widely
variable in subspecies and individuals. How about general body and head shape? Possible
that the weird long skinny fingers could have been mistake for claws? Trying to see what
approximate genus we may be talking about here.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3852

What an easter egg hunt. If I find out you are pulling our legs, I'm going to be irritated. ;-)


Bill

[nouseforaname1246]

Its Man-Bear-Pig!!!

[Shepherd2]

I don't have any idea what it might be other than someone's exotic pet that got loose. It's probably used to being around humans. I'd bait up a live trap and see what happens.

[82nd airborne]

Not gunna lie, I would have smoked it then thought about why I did later.

[fatnhappy]

I couldn't shoot it. It was so oddly cute and I was actually talking Turkey with my calls when Colin spotted it. I really didn't want to stand as there was a turkey responding from out of sight but likely about 100 yards from us....We didn't get that either and the turkey was silent after we stood.

Gary

If you don't mind Gary, where were you hunting? You mention Cattaragus County but you're all the way up in N. Tonowanda. I hunt down to Little Valley all the time.

[Armorer]

Not gunna lie, I would have smoked it then thought about why I did later.

+1 on smoke check! I always tell my wife that if I ever see a sasquatch that I'm gonna drop it if for no other reason than proof that I saw it. Of course she thinks I'm a lunatic, but I can live with that.

Armorer

[Thumbcocker]

I think you did right leavign the critter be. If it wasn't hurting anything what the heck live and let live.

[Jal5]

Since its your property why not put a trail cam there and hope for a picture of the animal? Maybe some food as bait too for the picture.

[dragonrider]

Here are a few photos of a Fischer, he was in my backyard and on my deck, some pics where taken through the screen door so quality suffered.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Fisher%20cat/deckwork013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Fisher%20cat/Fishercat007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Fisher%20cat/Fishercat008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Fisher%20cat/Fishercat010.jpg

I think the color you described is wrong for any North American animal and so I agree with what shepard2 said about it being and escaped exotic pet.

[songdog53]

+1 Jal5...put out trail cams and bait it and maybe will have picture to compare with other species. I have to agree with some's pet loose but then I never been that far north. Maybe baby Windago?

[Hardcast416taylor]

Have you given any thought to phoning a zoo or a vet and giving them a description of what you saw? A zoo may be a better bet for identifying it and perhaps helping to capture it.Robert

[montana_charlie]

I think you did right leavign the critter be. If it wasn't hurting anything what the heck live and let live.
We have (probably) thousands of species of non-native plants and animal life that have spread and ravaged parts of our country and our economy.

If you see something, weed, flower, or animal, that you know doesn't belong here you should take whatever means are at your disposal to eliminate it from the ecology.

DON'T let it go to seed ... DON'T let it breed.

CM

[Baron von Trollwhack]

MOONBAT ! Not related genetically to wombats, an Australian animal. NY is noted for its large population of MOONBATS.

Several other states also have large populations, and all states have some. Listen for their calls such as : Vote & then find out what you voted on; Hundreds of thousands of people come to that little town to hear cowboy poetry; the volt is exactly what America needs for the future(under ubama);Gun control is good for you, us polititions already gots our carry licenses fixed; 30 millions of hard working illegals NEED you working to provide their health insurance.

The varieties of impossible sounding calls is endless..........The calls are regional and unearthly, like something usually not heard. Panthers scream; moonbats whine.

BvT

[Duckiller]

You were turkey hunting and had a turkey answering you. This is a turkey in camo. acting as a lookout for other turkeys. Worked didn't it.

[troy_mclure]

Its Man-Bear-Pig!!!

man-pig bear? lol

[RugerFan]

Not gunna lie, I would have smoked it then thought about why I did later.

HA, TOO funny!!!! :mrgreen:

[RobS]

Sounds like one of my x mother- in- laws.


Medical marijuana? Bad moonshine? No idea what that type of critter would be. I'd go back and look for it. Could be an alien.


next time kill the darn thing and get some pictues.


Sounds like a Hodag.


Its Man-Bear-Pig!!!


Not gunna lie, I would have smoked it then thought about why I did later.


We have (probably) thousands of species of non-native plants and animal life that have spread and ravaged parts of our country and our economy.

If you see something, weed, flower, or animal, that you know doesn't belong here you should take whatever means are at your disposal to eliminate it from the ecology.

DON'T let it go to seed ... DON'T let it breed.

CM


MOONBAT ! Not related genetically to wombats, an Australian animal. NY is noted for its large population of MOONBATS.

Several other states also have large populations, and all states have some. Listen for their calls such as : Vote & then find out what you voted on; Hundreds of thousands of people come to that little town to hear cowboy poetry; the volt is exactly what America needs for the future(under ubama);Gun control is good for you, us polititions already gots our carry licenses fixed; 30 millions of hard working illegals NEED you working to provide their health insurance.

The varieties of impossible sounding calls is endless..........The calls are regional and unearthly, like something usually not heard. Panthers scream; moonbats whine.

BvT


You were turkey hunting and had a turkey answering you. This is a turkey in camo. acting as a lookout for other turkeys. Worked didn't it.

Very funny responses even if they didn't narrow down the description of the N.Y. country side creature waddling aloof.

[onondaga]

Thanks for the link to the wolverine picture. The body proportions look very right but the color was much different.

Gary

[troy_mclure]

wolverines have a very color scheme. from dead black to silver, to mottled.

[onondaga]

My hunt camp is in Lyndon, NY, the first township east of Franklinville, NY on a non maintained road near the highest elevation west from Rt. 7A.

This is about 70 miles South of my residence In N. Tonawanda, NY.

Gary

[Roundnoser]

Have you tried contacting the NY Fish & Game (or similar)? If its not a native critter, its possible that someone had it in captivity and released it or it got away.

Many years ago while archery hunting (overlapping with small game season), I spotted a pheasant that was not a Ringneck. I did some reseach and found out it was a Golden Pheasant. It wasn't stocked, and no one in the area raised them! It was a mystery. The next week it came back around my stand, and...well...now its mounted in my family room!

[woody1]

The first thing I thought of when I read your post was Wolverine. Unless you are very wrong about the size, if it's any kind of native critter, I'm still thinking Wolverine. They can vary widely in color. However, that said, I don't know why a Wolverine would be there either. Try putting out some bait and a trail cam and see what you get. They do travel widely though. Regards, Woody

[onondaga]

I just left a message with DEC officer Hansen for that area and described the siting. I will let you know what his reply is when I hear back from the officer.

Gary

[waksupi]

A wolverine is anything but slow. They can be to the top of a tree, snatch a grouse, and be back on the ground fast as a blink. I've only watched a couple over the years, but they are VERY active.

[roberto mervicini]

Hi Gary, the description of your animal fit with the shape and form of a wolverine. Once I had the occasion to observe one on the hills of Matapedia, where the Gaspe peninsula meet with New Brunswick province, very wild and remoted area, mix forest of birch, maple and evergreen.
The one I had the opportunity to observe was about 30-35 lb. dark brown/black coat with flanks almost bleached blond, walking slow with a stride like a bear.
_______
roberto

[Hardcast416taylor]

Our Michigan Wolverines are colored maize and blue and wear football helmets. You can find them primarily in Ann Arbor on the U of M campus in the "big house".Robert

[waksupi]

Hundreds of thousands of people come to that little town to hear cowboy poetry;
BvT

That statement was so much ****. I have attended the Elko Cowboy Poetry gathering, and played music there. Definetly not that many. Maybe a few thousand show up, at tops.

[roberto mervicini]

Gary here 2 pictures of wolverine similar to the one I seeing.
________
roberto

[JIMinPHX]

The first thing that came to my mind from the original description was a sloth of some sort. Parts of this world play host to a wide variety of those things. An escaped pet might explain it's appearance in the "wrong place".

The closest thing to what you described that I have actually seen myself in the north east was a blond raccoon that was a little on the plump side. That was in Morris County NJ about 8 or 10 years ago. Odd ball critters do pop up in nature now & then.

I'll assume that you'll be bringing a camera the next time you go hunting in that area.

[MtGun44]

Hmmm. I'm confused. You said "the face was very much without a snout like a coon, porky
or bear. My grandson said it kind of looked like a monkey face." Now you say it could be
a wolverine. To my eye, the wolverine has a definite snout just like a coon or a bear. The flat
monkeylike face seems to be WAY different than all the indiginous species which are all
sort of like various versions of bears and weasels (bear, wolverine, marten, fisher,
minks, otters, weasels, ferrets, etc) with pretty 'non-flat' faces, definite snouts.

If you have a trail cam, you should put up some dog food and honey and set the cam up
to watch it for a week. Like the old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words".

Bill

[onondaga]

Yes, the face was flattish like a Pug dog and broad jawed, the body proportions were very wolverine like with the thick fore legs and long claws. Also there were no raccoon eyes with the light color around the eyes and no face stripes. The face and head were a little darker golden brown and my grandson and I both noted the tail had no rings of color but was black on top and the golden brown on the underside. Those color differences on the tail had a straight line of color change lengthwise seen on the sides of the tail.

I believe the animal was 35-40 pounds in weight, visibly bigger than a typical raccoon or porky in my area. We walked over to the tree on our way out, there was claw marks on the tree and judging by the size of the tree the animal was about 40-45 inches in length from head top to tail tip.

Gary

[Thumbcocker]

If you see something, weed, flower, or animal, that you know doesn't belong here you should take whatever means are at your disposal to eliminate it from the ecology.

DON'T let it go to seed ... DON'T let it breed.


I was all set to give Montan Charlie a smarty boots come back about how unlikely it would be for a mutant looking lonely critter to find anything willing to breed with it. Then I walked past a mirror......... :holysheep

[woody1]

Ric is correct of course about the Wolverine being quick. I'll bet you you saw a large, undisturbed porcupine. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! i know, I know, all porky's are darker and, and,... I'll bet you...

Take a look at this one......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ZQTG-p4ts&feature=related
Regards, Woody

[ElDorado]

Thanks for the link to the wolverine picture. The body proportions look very right but the color was much different.

Gary

You're quite welcome. I hope it helps us get a little closer to the answer.

The color of a wolverine varies, although I don't think they get as orange as a tamarin. We have a zoo nearby that has a cage full of the Golden Lion Tamarin. They're small, about the size of a squirrel. I think you can eliminate that on size alone.

You've piqued my curiosity on this one. Keep us informed if you find out anything.

[c3d4b2]

Not like that, the hair was not rhone tipped and was like the color of the Tamarin. That looks like a rodent, maybe a crucified marmot! or an odd angle of a squirrel? What is that??? It looks pretty small too.

It is a wood chuck.

I had an experience when hunting once and was surprised that woodchucks climbed trees.

[MtGun44]

OK, how about a yellow bellied marmot, mostly western but maybe they are heading downhill
a bit.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3858

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3859

Marmots are slow and lumbering, and can be pretty fat. If it was actually 40+ inches
long that would be 1.5-2X normal size, not impossible but a really, really big one. Also,
they are diggers so bulky front shoulders and significant claws, esp if it had been in
hibernation so not wearing down claws due to digging for food, may make sense.

Bill

[watkibe]

My advice: carry a camera at all times, and keep looking up for the mother ship.

But seriously, you sound like a credible observer, and your description, at MtGun44 says, sounds like an escaped exotic.

I love a mystery ! Keep us updated on what you learn please !

[Fishman]

I was thinking porcupine and saw someone else suggested it too. They get that size and sure are slow.

[Piedmont]

I think porcupine without quills might be it, too. This guy lives in NY state. He knows all about what marmots look like.

[Southern Son]

What a crazy country, so many animals up trees. Here in Australia if it is up a tree it is a Possum, a Koala or a Drop Bear. If har a big tail, it's a Possum, if it has big cute ears, it is a Koala, and if it has dropped onto the head of a Back Packer and is sucking his brains out, it is a Drop Bear. EASY.

[JIMinPHX]

if it has dropped onto the head of a Back Packer and is sucking his brains out, it is a Drop Bear. EASY.

A former Himalayan jungle scout once told me that it was advisable to carry a long pointy stick (pointed up) when walking through the jungle in his area to avoid problems with monkeys. Are you telling us that the pointy stick trick is a good idea in your neck of the woods too? Or are you just joshing with us?

[peterthevet]

Ahhhhhh - the deadly drop bear. Luckily I didn't have adrink in my hand or I would have spilt it all over the computer!!! This is sort of an " in joke" for Aussies....ie we are in on it and veryove else isn't really sure if it is true....or partially true. There was a series of bourbon adds on Ozzie TV that even played on this. The short version is a group of young bucks are in the local watering hole when they spy three Swedish backpackers (yep all fair haired)...they get talking and when the locals find out that the girls are camping next to them they "warn" the lovely young tourists to be careful of the drop bears.....one of the boys dress in a bear outfit (the logo of the bourbon) climbs atree and growls at the girls.....the terrified ladies rush into the arms of the nearby lads......and everyone ends up happy.......you fill in the blankls. Very funny add. Save your sharpened sticks for the big O and his leftie mates....you are safe from drop bears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steg]

Last year my Grandson called me and said he saw a monkey in a tree, but it wasn't a monkey, near his home that abuts forest lands, my Grandson at the time was maybe 4 1/2 years old, he was so excited about it when he called (first time he ever called me and hasn't since) I figgured he saw something but I just let it go, now I'm wondering about it.......steg

[firefly1957]

You said you examined the tracks did they look like porcupine tracks? I have seen a very large porcupine in Michigan's Keewanaw county in the seventies. The movement makes it sound like that more than anything else I can think of .
Good luck with your search I have seen pine martins and fishers in the woods and their movement is not slow.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

That statement was so much ****. I have attended the Elko Cowboy Poetry gathering, and played music there. Definetly not that many. Maybe a few thousand show up, at tops.


You are rignt about the actual attendance numbers.
Moonbat Harry Reid, claimed the numbers I quoted in a budget speech last fall on the floor of the US Senate as a reason for his part of the trillion dollar budget submission. He had a pork barrel rider in to fund the poetry contest at roughly equal $38,000 for every person who actually attended. I'm against Tea Pot Museums and B-ball community centers. All pure PORK for VOTES. And this in a time of great economic difficulty for Americans. Heck, I'm a flintlock shooter in KNICKERS and a big hat. How about Harry Reid sponsoring my next rondy at that level? BvT

[Lloyd Smale]

I know there must be at least a little bit to this climate change thing as in the last couple years were seeing baggers up here and never did before.

[onondaga]

I examined the claw marks on the tree, they looked like juvenile bear, but I could find no clear or partial ground tracks to ID the animal. The area has very little soil and is strewn with last years rotting leaves and rocks. Trail areas close by with soil show coon, deer, possum, turkey, coyote, bear, but porkies are very occasional. The area is wildlife rich, when I first purchased the plot in 1980 there was significant Timber Wolf, Grouse and Bear. The wolves and grouse are gone but the bears haven't given up and the turkey, black squirrel population has grown significantly.

Gary

[9.3X62AL]

I loved the marmot pic. The last one I saw up close got cartwheeled off the top of my backpack by a Walther PP x 22 LR. Camp-robbing SOBs. I've whacked a couple of them in Mazourka Canyon since moving up to Ridgecrest. They respond well to 60 grain Sierra hollowpoints, even at extended ranges. Sierra Clubbers are aghast that anyone would harm such a cute, cuddly creature. Of course, there are some real moonbats in Carlsbad that have a website dedicated to the cute little ground squirrels, too. Humaniac morons.

Locally, they're called rockchucks. Fred Huntington used that appellation for his wildcat cartridge and his later commercial ventures in the reloading business.

[MT Gianni]

All the Rockchucks I have seen have had smaller tails. They are a ground and rock loving beast, I can't imagine one climbing a tree. The only thing I could add is to go by shape as size can vary some and color will vary a lot.

[Simonpie]

[QUOTE=9.3X62AL;1264379]I loved the marmot pic. The last one I saw up close got cartwheeled off the top of my backpack by a Walther PP x 22 LR. Camp-robbing SOBs. QUOTE]

As a wee child my father woke while camping to see 2 squirrels frolicking in his backpack. He grabbed his heavy boots and wholloped them out of there. Only they weren't squirrels, they were skunks.

I guess that doesn't help solve the Chupakabra problem, but it needed to be told.

[Reg]

Do you make your own wine ? I do. I see things like that every now and then.


:kidding:


Reg

[scrapcan]

Reg,

That is just too funny!

I had some bannana wine that was like that. That lead to a very bad weekend for a few of us, probelm was I could not remember if I saw anything strange because of the hangover!

[montana_charlie]

I know there must be at least a little bit to this climate change thing as in the last couple years were seeing baggers up here and never did before.
Baggers? Must be 'economical climate change' forcing them to move.
Who handled your groceries before they started moving into your area?
CM

[firefly1957]

onondaga Thanks for the reply Maybe you will see it again. You look a lot like a guy who was working at truck& coach in Pontiac some years ago he was from the Tonawanda GM plant and got bumped around a bit.

[insanelupus]

onondaga,

You might think I'm nuts, but I wonder if what you saw was a groundhog/woodchuck. I learned just recently they can indeed climb trees. They are terrific diggere (thus the claws you saw and I think 5 toed), they have can have that orangish tint to them, they do not have flat faces but the nose is not as well defined and the tail is fairly large.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUIZnhGFI8nU0Tk3G8NA0zGb2Az9EY8 zAKKsDvoh7BrdVJqRX0

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1aMPFQ3sdod1GaEA1Yf2JxzuNt38Xd 9YPnmqRRrgoHtLx0gGtSY4d4bxG

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSYO6QLkvbQd4kHLf6WLnj-hOkYwUEd2gVX9HA70aYl1rAam958_A

[giz189]

I think it was a squirrel monkey. Unfortunately they are extremely rare and I don't have a picture of one to post.

[SciFiJim]

a picture of a squirrel monkey
http://www.wildland.com/trips/details/images/mfa_squirrel_monkey.jpg

It has fingers, but not claws to dig into bark

[swheeler]

Been hittin' the wildweed flowers? Really though coloration, long claws on fat front legs, climbing a tree, sure sounds like porkie having a bad hair day.

[onondaga]

No guys, I wasn't drunk or stoned, I was turkey hunting with my grandson and he pointed it out to me. His color perception is normal. Mine is a little impaired from lens implant surgery. My choice to name the color would have been Grizzly Bear in the sun color, but he said golden brown so that is what I used in my description.

I did survive Woodstock and gave that stuff up when I got home!!!!!!!

Gary

[swheeler]

No guys, I wasn't drunk or stoned, I was turkey hunting with my grandson and he pointed it out to me. His color perception is normal. Mine is a little impaired from lens implant surgery. My choice to name the color would have been Grizzly Bear in the sun color, but he said golden brown so that is what I used in my description.

I did survive Woodstock and gave that stuff up when I got home!!!!!!!

Gary

Far out man.

[gew98]

Oddly enough I saw my first beaver a couple weeks ago here in my part of KY... sadly it got run over on the hardball near my gravel road. Never thought I'd see a beaver in my area as there is no real river/stream for over 10 mile sin any direction.

[Southern Son]

JimInPhoenix, as was explained, it is a very long running down under joke. If you really want to wind someone up, you can tell them that the best Drop Bear Repellant is urine, preferably tiger urine. I have had one tourist ask me where he can get tiger urine.

On the original post, this is starting to drive me nuts. I really want to know what this thing was, native, feral, escaped pet, visiting aliens? WHAT ????

[firefly1957]

Southern Son The truth is out there it will be coming up on Xfiles rerun just keep watching and listening to coast to coast. Just pulling your leg I know some of "our" shows are DOWN UNDER but do not know which ones. SYFY was pretty big on filming in Australia I do not think they are doing any new programs now.

[giz189]

a picture of a squirrel monkey
http://www.wildland.com/trips/details/images/mfa_squirrel_monkey.jpg

It has fingers, but not claws to dig into bark

Jim those are all extinct in SW Arkansas now.[smilie=l:

[SciFiJim]

Jim those are all extinct in SW Arkansas now.

Unless someone's exotic pet escaped.

[Wayne Smith]

I don't think the monkeys would fit the description as "slow moving"!

[giz189]

Unless someone's exotic pet escaped.

Oh, we had an exotic dancer that escaped the county lock up once.:bigsmyl2:

[man.electric]

Pine Martin:
http://www.camusnagaul.com/stevecarter/pinemartin.jpg

Fisher:
http://www.extirpated.org/resources/fisher1.jpg


I have heard people use the phrase fisher martins before, but there are distinct differences between the two and they are often found in the same locations. The females of both species are larger then the males and have claws capable of matching your description.

[WildmanJack]

Well I think it was either Hillary Clinton or Pelosie after not having shaved for a few weeks.
Jack

[Phillip]

I wonder if it was a river otter that you saw.

[Bob Krack]

Could it have been a wolverine?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wolverine,_Kristiansand_Zoo.jpgMy thoughts exactly. In the early 1950's I was STALKED by a wolverine. Spooky still today. Never saw one in a tree, as a matter of fact I only saw one (above) in my entire life.

Bob