Mink: Have You Ever Seen One in the Wild?

Mink

Mink seen yesterday near the Humboldt/Mendocino County Line. [Photo by Talia Rose]

Who’s seen a mink running wild in our area? Many old-timers, including myself, have never even caught a glimpse mainly because the lithe brown animals are usually nocturnal. Talia Rose, who runs County Line Wild, a Facebook page devoted to images of wildlife she encounters near the border of Humboldt and Mendocino, captured this beauty yesterday with her camera.

She described her encounter to her readers:

Boy was I surprised when it came out of the rocks just thirty feet in front of me, disappeared, and reappeared just ten feet in front of me! All of my six Mink encounters before this, the Mink has been traveling fast along the river’s edge on the opposite side of the river. Today it was fishing off the rocks right in front of me, diving over and over into the water and swimming deep. We spent several hours together, with twenty minute lulls, as it hid in the rocks, only to reappear again and dive in. This MInk was so tiny!!! So cute! What an amazing and magical encounter!

Have you snapped a photo of rarely seen local wildlife? Upload it into the comment section to share with us please and, if you have another minute, tell us roughly where you saw it and when.

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Tim hunt
Guest
Tim hunt
6 years ago

Seen a family group of about 4or5 in hoopa bluffs

Jayne Dough
Guest
Jayne Dough
6 years ago

So cool, haven’t see one. Did see ring tail cat on Hwy 36 in middle of night. Driving so no pic

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Jayne Dough

I don’t have a photo either, but I saw a road runner about two miles up the north fork of the Eel in the mid seventies. It was doing the run fast and glide thing. Never seen another one.

Big 'ol jar of pickles
Guest
Big 'ol jar of pickles
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

My husband swears he saw one in Honeydew in the 80’s

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago

Good deal I was told I was crazy,no road runners here… Vindication !!!

Ice
Guest
Ice
6 years ago

Saw one up on tbw Salmon River near Somes Bar once… Moving fast, chocolate brown..

anny
Guest
anny
6 years ago

Seen one crossing Glendale just east of Fieldbrook Rd. some years ago. Have also seen Fishers in that same vicinity more recently.

Jungle Girl
Guest
Jungle Girl
6 years ago

I think this is a juvenile coastal giant salamander at Mad River, but I’m not entirely sure.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I’ve seen many of them. Flip wood in the forest.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Is it the same critter or a newt?

Awesome
Guest
Awesome
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Ive seen them a bunch but only in/near redwood forests. I have one that lives in my wood pile, its good to pay attention when getting your wood from ur pile so you dont accidenally squish one!

moocow
Guest
moocow
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

So cool! Have seen Miner’s cats, maybe a glimpse of a Fisher, but never a mink. My partner may have seen one near Honeydew….

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
6 years ago
Reply to  Jungle Girl

I saw a full grown one a few years ago. It scared the crap outa me. Blue spots, huge eyes, at least a foot long. Boo!

ralph
Guest
ralph
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Last year in my yard I was also surprised by a foot long salamander in my yard at Shelter Cove, it pranced at a leisurely pace in front of me checking me out with his large buggy eyes. I went for my camera but when I returned it was gone. The next day I found a smaller one (~8 inches) under some leaves.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Adorable

Mark
Guest
Mark
6 years ago

We saw a mink at the Arcata Marsh a couple of weeks ago.

Tim
Guest
Tim
6 years ago

I love them, and they look much better fishing then on someone shoulder!

Donna Lynn Dale
Guest
Donna Lynn Dale
6 years ago

There is one that hangs out at fish lake. I got to hang out with it all summer. Nezt summer i will snap a pic

Westside Pratt
Guest
Westside Pratt
6 years ago

This giant Pacific salamander (7inches long) was crossing our driveway in a rain storm last October. It was very near a year-round stream. I have seen one years ago in our spring box and when I looked it up in my amphibian guide there was a warning that they have razor sharp teeth!

Awesome
Guest
Awesome
6 years ago
Reply to  Westside Pratt

They get much bigger,found one over a foot and standing about 5 inches tall trapped in an old caved in culvert

Grim Reaper
Guest
Grim Reaper
6 years ago

I found a ring tail cat roadkill more than 25 years ago. I was with my girlfriend at the time who stopped for all roadkill to take them off the road and/or to offer prayers, which is amazing experience. We thought it would be a raccoon. But no, it was a ringtail. Wow.

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
6 years ago

I have never seen a mink here but i have seen a weasel once. I saw a kangaroo mouse one night in indian
valley ( long tail with a fluff of fur on the end ) I didn’t think they were this far north.

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  River Rat

Saw them in the 60’s Mattole valley

BonnieBlueSky
Guest
BonnieBlueSky
6 years ago

Incredible! Thank you for sharing.

Krispy Kritter
Guest
Krispy Kritter
6 years ago

Years ago, I saw a family of Mink along the river bank out at Sandy Bar on the South Fork of the Trinity while working at a Fish Weir (Trap) for then the California Dept. Of Fish and Game.

RonL
Guest
RonL
6 years ago

Beautiful photo and great mink story. A few others mentioned ring tail cats – one slept behind an upright sheet of plywood on my porch every day for a couple of weeks. Also, thirty or forty years ago, late at night, I saw a badger walking down Lower Thomas road – Salmon Creek; the only one I’ve ever seen.

Slamson
Guest
Slamson
6 years ago

I recently saw a badger running away from me through a field up by bridgeville. I never knew they lived around here: crazy! Also saw a huge mountain lion crossing the road in carlotta a few weeks ago. On my game camera I’ve seen an elk, a mountain lion, bear, and lots of turkey, deer, and fox up hwy 36.

Rumbustious
Guest
Rumbustious
6 years ago

About 5 yr ago Saw a mink during daytime climbing up onto the bridge leading to the fishing access road on the north side of Redwood Creek west of Orick. Was really surprised, didn’t know we had mink here.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Saw a beaver once in Dos Rios.

Cabin in the woods
Guest
Cabin in the woods
6 years ago

This was at least 35 years ago……
I grew up out near the Freshwater area where the forest was my backyard. My friends & I were tromping up a flooded creek wash one rainy Humboldt afternoon when we spotted an animal caught in a trapper’s snare.
My friend threw his sweatshirt over the animal & I was able to set it free from the snare. It’s rear leg had been badly injured from the trap, but it was much too wild to treat. We were happy that it ran off back into the ferns. Animals are very tough. We at least gave it a fighting chance.
We later found out the identity of the trapper. It wasn’t a secret when you have a yard full of hounds.
Piece of trash wasn’t even trapping for food. He just wanted the pelt. Asshole!

I’m pretty sure it was a mink & not an otter. It was the only time I’ve ever seen one.

local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago

Eureka had a mink farm at one point.

Helllbilly
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Helllbilly
6 years ago

Never seen one. Been hunting and hiking my whole life. Seen many giant salamanders, mountain lions,bobcats,etc. Minks are Extremely rare around here

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago

Another excellent Talia Rose photo. Never have seen a wild mink. Weasels, otters, cougar, bobcat but no mink. Ringtail, maybe.

HDD
Guest
HDD
6 years ago

Had two ringtails move into an old cabin and set up house. They were Really annoid with me disturbing them.
It took me four days to live trap both of them so I could relocate them together someplace other then the cabin. Really special little creatures with thumbs and very intelligent eyes. I still see them every now and then. I’ve also seen little weasels while rafting on the Trinity river 2yr ago and a beaver about 15 yr ago out towards southern Trinity

Katy Gray
Guest
6 years ago

I thought it was a fisher cat I’ve seen one twice this year by my compose pile

Thebigdeal
Guest
Thebigdeal
6 years ago

I saw bigfoot rhree times up indian creek

lorrie neuenfeldt
Guest
lorrie neuenfeldt
6 years ago

I believe they are called fishers and are of the mink family. Rare to see them. I have seen them about 3 times in lifetime.

Ice
Guest
Ice
6 years ago

There are all 3 in Humboldt County, Mink, Fishers, and Pine Marten, as well as Weasel…

Milt
Guest
Milt
6 years ago

Kym share this photo A king snake eating a gardener snake under the porch in Willow creek

N Judah
Guest
N Judah
6 years ago

In the eighties, I lived in rural Mckinleyville. Some of my eggs and baby chicks were getting eaten by an unknown critter. I waited up for many nights with my 22 to catch the unknown night marauders. I shot the two mink as they entered the coop. I was not sure what they were. I consulted my elderly ,rancher neighbors . Mink!To my surprise they told me that in the 1940’s there was a mink ranch on Dows Prairie Road. Some escaped or were turned loose when they shut down the operation. Their pelts were beautiful, but alas, not enough to make a stole.

unbridled phillistine
Guest
unbridled phillistine
6 years ago

Seen a Fisher in Ferndale awhile back.

Bunsley Rubber
Guest
Bunsley Rubber
6 years ago

I live on the upper Sacramento River below Dunsmuir,I have seen one twice over the years along the river,a few ring tails also

Rudolph's Mom
Guest
Rudolph's Mom
6 years ago

Seen: ringtail in a tree. Kangaroo mouse hopping up the road ahead of the car. Flying squirrels (yes, we have ’em, they’re nocturnal). Porcupine, otter, scorpion. I like those little blue-tailed skinks….Phoenix Moth-comes out in the day, hovers like a hummingbird and has a super long tongue for nectar extraction….never saw a mink, though.

VHDA
Guest
VHDA
2 years ago

I saw a little brown mink on a canoe trip on the Eel past Myers Flat a few years ago. A few years we also saw one of the hummingbird moths zooming around in our garden in Piercy. Late one night I saw a huge mountain lion while coming down Bear Butte Rd in Miranda. I’ve really enjoyed reading all the interesting post on Red Headed Blackbelt this morning! Thanks Kym for hosting your wonderful news site!!

kgj
Guest
kgj
18 days ago

fiance captured a possible sighting near tomkai on camera at 5 am but too blurry to see