Monsters in our woods? Or something explainable?

[I*Eat*Chickens*Yum]

Justed wanted to point at that they are not "Fisher Cats". They are simply Fishers. The Fisher isn't a member of the Cat family but in fact a member of the Marten family.

Fishers can be very aggressive and will certainly kill anything it can get its hands on whether it be domestic or wild.

Fishers have been known to get quite large in the Maine woods !

Just my two cents. Not meant to offend anyone. I know that especially in the New England area they are sometimes referred to as 'fisher cats" but it is somewhat of a misnomer.

Here's a link on more info on Fisher's;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal)

 

[brandywine]

I think you have more than one predator around. Maybe more than two.

Bear for the claw marks and broken branches.

Something smaller for the chicken and the mighta-been muskrat. Weasel + scavengers?

I believe you are outside the range of fishers. Certainly no badgers, wolverines, or pine martens in central Ohio.

Big cat with bunny ears = bobcat?

Of course, sometimes you do the right thing and think of a horse, and it really is a zebra.

Someone in Beaver County PA found one of these on her front porch one morning:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Binturong_in_Overloon.jpg

I mean, really, what is that about?

No one could figure out what it was for quite some time -- just, it sure did not belong there, and it was ill-tempered.

It had been sold illegally as a pet, and escaped.

 

[chicknmania]

Yes, I know that they are fishers, although they can be called fisher cats, according to google. My son, who works at the zoo, is irritated that people call them fisher cats. Yes, I know they don't live in Ohio, and that they have a musky smell. It would be highly unusual for us to have a mountain lion. Bobcat, maybe at one time, a little too populated now. I think that the same predator killed both animals because of the similarity of the kill, but as I said earlier, of course it could be more than one; we have tons of wildlife in the approximate 60 acres of woods and wetlands behind us. And yes, minks and weasels do kill during the day...we have had first hand experience with weasels and skunks and foxes all killing during the day. I just said, after studying everything, mink is the most likely, in my opinion. I'm just mystified about the claw marks and broken branches. Anyway, that's what I think. Normally here in this part of Ohio we only have boring common stuff like coons, possums, foxes, coyotes, mink, weasels. There are bear in southeastern Ohio, but not usually here, again, too much people population. So far, we have not had any more strange occurences (knock on wood)...

 

[nautical_bouy]

Quote:
When was that found???? I live in Beaver Co. and never heard of it.

 

[brandywine]

Quote:
When was that found???? I live in Beaver Co. and never heard of it.

I'm thinking about four or five years ago. The Game Commission took possession of it, and it was eventually sent to a sanctuary near Harrisburg. "Hidden Treasures" wild animal park up off Route 422 had sold it illegally. I can't remember which town in Beaver County it was.

When I saw the first news reports on television, nobody knew what it was, and I was very smug -- "Show me the pictures, I was raised on Wild Kingdom, I'll know what it is!" Then -- notsomuch.

Oh -- there was one article that came up: http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_west/20020422critter0422p2.asp

2002, Economy Borough

 

[DTchickens]

may have been suggested by now. but i didn't read all the posts as theres too many and most are saying the same thing

.. I would say, PUT UP A VIDEO CAMERA. Take pictures of whatever that thing is, OR get a gun, and wait... all night.. i'd go with video camera though cause im a "scaredy cat" when it comes to predators

 

[mainchick]

I am still going with the paranormal!

 

[nautical_bouy]

I'm suprised I don't remember that.

 

[AnthonyT]

Just because the fisher hasn't been documented in OH for some time does not mean they are not coming back. WV reintroduced them a few years back and I have heard 2 credible accounts from experienced trappers of sightings in eastern KY. After spending some time in south east OH I would say fishers being there is not out of the realm of possiblity. Given time most critters with a decent reproductive rate will make a comeback. Fishers are fearless and are known for snatching cats off people's porches in the North East. They are the only animal that routinely eats porcupines if that gives you any idea of how tenacious they are. By far one of the coolest critters in the woods, unless of course it is eating all of your chickens.
I would say the muskrat got killed by a mink, they are superb muskrat hunters.

 

[chickenfanatic]

wow what mystery here its almost like a good novel so far hahaha i wish i could offer some insite here but im in the middle of the desert hahaha no woods for a long ways. keep us posted if anything should become apparent.