Little Furry Critters

We have many small fury friends in the fields, forests and sometimes in our homes or cottages. How many times have you found your cat has left you a present of a dead “mouse” on your door step. Is it a mouse, a mole, a vole or shrew? Here’s how to identify them.
Deer mouse and white footed mouse: Big ears and eyes and a tail as long as it’s body.
Star-nosed mole or hairy-tailed mole: Big shoulders, funny nose, claws for digging and a short tail.
Meadow Vole: Chunky body, blunt nose , beady black eyes and a short tail.
Short-tailed Shrew: Pinpoint eyes, sharp nose, stubby legs with claws and a short tail.
In the North Country you will find red squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks and a few gray squirrels.

Bigger Furry Critters

Fisherman encounter mink, marten, muskrat, otter and beaver on the river and streams and on the lakes and ponds. It’s great to see a family of otter playing in the water.
Raccoons, skunks, red fox, snowshoe hare and woodchuck are plentiful. Porcupine are around, but rarely seen, much like the weasel, ermine, fisher, bobcat, and coyote. There have been several mountain lion sightings through the years, but none confirmed.
Winter hibernators are the beaver, black bear, woodchuck, skunk, raccoon and chipmunk.

Slippery and Creepy Critters

We have garter snakes (there are no poisonous snakes in Pittsburg), salamanders, frogs, toads, turtles and bats.

For more information read the book “The Outside Story” edited by Chuck Wooster, Northern Woodlands magazine.