What animal is this? Lost Creek

[Cuda_12]

I was paddling out at Lost Creek this morning and had this little guy running on the rocks following me. Looks like a ferret. I am new to Utah so I don't know if these things run wild here or if maybe someone just let a pet go. Sorry for the poor picture quality.

[MisterCompletely]

Probably a mink. There are lots of mink farms around, and some escape and end up hanging around the lakes. Not really unusual.
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[Fin-S-Fish]

It is a naaasty vicious mink!! It will bite through your stringer and cut the fish right out! They kill everything from fish to waterfowl. I used to be naive enough to feel about fur coats…..until I found out what the animals are truly like……I couldn't care less now if they skinned them all lol.
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[SBennett]

Amen!
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[nkunz]

It's a mink, it is probably not from a farm. There are wild mink all over the state.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Lots of minks around most reservoirs and along some streams.

Here are some pics of a friendly little beggar that talked (squeeked) me out of a small perch at Jordanelle.
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[riverdog]

Funny the minks I run across are cute like that as well. I've never had a gang of nasty viscous minks threaten me yet.
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[Cuda_12]

Thanks for the answer. I could tell he was comfortable around people. He looked like he was waiting for me to throw him something.

[gstott]

I've run into many a mink in my fishing adventures. They're usually really curious and spend as much time watching me as I do watching them. I've never run into one quite as tame as the one in Tube Dude's pics though. I haven't dealt with any aggressive ones, but I've heard stories. My mom had one attack one of her pet rabbits and it latched onto the rabbit's nose. It wouldn't let go for anything until my step dad fired a couple of .22 rounds into it.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Minks definitely have the potential for being nasty. But they get worse when they are in a competitive environment...like a farm...or where there is an overpopulation. They ARE members of the weasel family...like wolverines.

But ferrets are also members of the weasel family and they are well know for making good pets.

I have encountered quite a few minks all over the western US. Some...in remote areas...were very shy and spooky. Especially where they are hunted or trapped. But where they encounter friendly folks on a regular basis and associate humans with free food they can be more sociable.

Can't say the same for weasels. I once had one launch at my face from inside a chicken coop. It had been killing chickens and I walked in to gather eggs at the wrong time. Only my Jedi senses prevented me from injury. Fast I was.


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[mtncat1]

they look so cute, you should go ahead and try to pet it i'll bet it's real friendly[]
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[ledhead]

This was a fun day of "fish sharing" a few years back. Hopefully you can view the link. At the time I thought it was an otter. What do I know.[]
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=101...9748538778
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[Fin-S-Fish]

+100 yeah pet it!!!! hahaha[]
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[GEEZER]

I've had many encounters with them at the roll gates by the pumphouse on Utah Lake. They can be cute as all get out. They're also very even tempered - crabby as he--.
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[riverdog]

[quote mtncat1]they look so cute, you should go ahead and try to pet it i'll bet it's real friendly[][/quote]
It's a wild animal. I wouldn't try to pet it any more than I would try to pet a moose, bear or deer I encounter fishing. The ones I run into usually just run away when they see me. Unfriendly to human attention doesn't equal viscous animal- more just stupid human.
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[mtncat1]

your right but like most wild animals their usually ok when left alone. my friend used to raise them and they are blood thirsty and very mean. I give them a wide birth. sorry I was just being a smart a**.
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[Theekillerbee]

When you find out their pelts are worth anywhere from 35-75 bucks, in their prime, you would have realized he could pay for your fishing trip!
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[riverdog]

I know. The only animals that even make me change stride in Utah are moose, rattlesnakes and in the SW corner of the state swarming bees ( they do have killer bees down there). The rest I don't worry at all and I don't adjust my fishing for their presence.
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[colby801]

My mink only averaged$17.00 at auction this year and they were all to lot prime mink. A mink trapped or caught this time of year would only be worth a couple of bucks.
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[gofish]

My brother and I were fly fishing the Weber River a couple years ago. When we came around a bend, there was a commotion in the water. We got closer and found it was a mink with a death grip on a full grown drake mallard ducks throat! The duck was splashing around in the water while the mink was patiently waiting for the duck to die. The duck was easily twice the size of the mink. It was rather morbid. Mean little buggers!!
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