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Thread: Maine Animals

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Eustis, Maine
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    378

    Default Maine Animals

    Is anyone here an expert on Maine wildlife (the woods kind, not the beer and pizza kind). I've been hearing this animal at night for maybe four years now but only two or three times a year. The first time was just before dawn and I thought it was an animal that had been badly injured. It makes a very loud and scary sound. Last night it passed by around 10:30. I could hear it in the distance coming down the woods road out back. Then it crossed into the woods near our house and I could follow it's progress by the howls. It seems to howl loudly with every breath. Takes a deep breath, lets it all out with a hiss-like sound at the end, another breath, another howl, step by step. I could tell when it crossed the end of our property and a bit after that it fell silent (probably going to get a Canada goose for dinner). This morning I went out and found the tracks for the first time, got a digital photo. The first track was 5" long but that may have been a bit large because it came down off a bank and landed hard. The second track was 4" from heel to end of claws. It looks like it may have 5 claws. It sounds really nasty. I've heard bobcats (they scream), even had one of those dying on my porch this winter. And I know the sound raccoons make when they're fighting, and coyotes howling. But this is different from anything I've ever heard. And I'd love to know what it is. I'm currently trying to find a tape recorder so I can tape it the next time it goes by, which will probably be months from now. Any ideas? I've asked everyone around here and they don't know...
    "There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats". Wind In the Willows

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Bangor, ME
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    3,968

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kayaking loon View Post
    Is anyone here an expert on Maine wildlife (the woods kind, not the beer and pizza kind). I've been hearing this animal at night for maybe four years now but only two or three times a year. The first time was just before dawn and I thought it was an animal that had been badly injured. It makes a very loud and scary sound. Last night it passed by around 10:30. I could hear it in the distance coming down the woods road out back. Then it crossed into the woods near our house and I could follow it's progress by the howls. It seems to howl loudly with every breath. Takes a deep breath, lets it all out with a hiss-like sound at the end, another breath, another howl, step by step. I could tell when it crossed the end of our property and a bit after that it fell silent (probably going to get a Canada goose for dinner). This morning I went out and found the tracks for the first time, got a digital photo. The first track was 5" long but that may have been a bit large because it came down off a bank and landed hard. The second track was 4" from heel to end of claws. It looks like it may have 5 claws. It sounds really nasty. I've heard bobcats (they scream), even had one of those dying on my porch this winter. And I know the sound raccoons make when they're fighting, and coyotes howling. But this is different from anything I've ever heard. And I'd love to know what it is. I'm currently trying to find a tape recorder so I can tape it the next time it goes by, which will probably be months from now. Any ideas? I've asked everyone around here and they don't know...
    a Fisher maybe? Did it look anything like these guys... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal)

    and here's a link with some fisher tracks... http://home.mcn.net/~wtu/tracking.html
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    So. China Maine
    Posts
    1,597

    Default I agree

    Sounds exactly like a fisher. A very clever animal and they can also make a whine like a tomcat in an effort to lure house cats, one of their favorite things to eat. Do you have cats that go outside?
    Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Gainesville, Georgia
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    3,893

    Default

    This one had me wondering so I found this site that might help identify it.

    http://fishercatscreech.com/
    Just smile it won't crack your face

    The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
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    Default

    I agree with the above. We often have fishers around our house, and once you've heard one screeching at night, you'll never forget it. LOL!

    Once it was light enough at night, and the fisher was in the road right in front of the house, so I was definitely able to identify it as a fisher.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Eustis, Maine
    Posts
    378

    Default Probably A Fisher

    I've been thinking it might be a fisher. I just turned on the audio to one of the links somebody sent and that sounds exactly like what I hear. The audio also scared all the chipmunks that were just dining on sunflower seeds on the porch, so I had to turn the audio off..

    Vic and Cheryl were just here so I showed Vic the photos of the tracks. He didn't know what it was but agreed it had big feet. Usually I'll chase after any animal I hear or see but that one makes me want to hide under the bed.

    No, we have no cats, no pets and no neighbors..... But I feed anything that moves! But maybe not a fisher....

    Thanks, guys. I think I know what it is now.
    "There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats". Wind In the Willows

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Hampden, ME
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    911

    Default

    At first, a lynx came to mind based on your description of the track. They have really large paws compared to the rest of the leg or body. I think it's a fisher as well.
    Everyone has the right to be an idiot at times. Just don't abuse the privilege.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
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    Default

    Sheesh! I really jumped to conclusions on this one, and we may all be totally wrong!

    Has anyone asked Hiram if he's been in the Eustis area lately?


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Litchfield, Maine
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    3,592

    Default

    Porcupines and Raccoons do the same thing.
    Blazing Troll

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Eustis, Maine
    Posts
    378

    Default Fisher

    Quote Originally Posted by attroll View Post
    Porcupines and Raccoons do the same thing.
    I still think it's a fisher. It's not a feline track, I spent one winter tracking bobcats all over the woods around here (just for fun, I like to track animals, especially in the snow). And it moves too fast for a porky and doesn't sound at all like a raccoon. But the audio that was in Haffy's link sounds exactly like it. However..... I haven't checked out Hiram's footprints yet. Could someone send me a photo of one?

    And Charron can apparently tell stories about a "lugaroo", or at least her father did.... so maybe she'll tell us campfire stories at the Eustis event? Maybe we'll have a best scary story competition!
    "There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats". Wind In the Willows

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