I was out with the dog a couple of days ago when he ran off the road and down the bank toward a small pond -- I assumed he was after a chipmunk or squirrel. That was what I thought until I saw a rather large animal scurrying up a tree. As soon as I recognized what it was, I called the dog off and was very glad the critter had chosen to run up a tree instead of challenging the dog. The animal in question was a fisher. These are large, weasel-like mammals that have a really bad attitude and will take-on just about anything.
Fortunately, I had a camera with me and on that particular day it was fitted with a tele-zoom. The fisher was under the forest canopy and not interested in staying still for long, but I did manage a couple of frames when it was still enough to not be blurred -- had quite a bunch of blurred ones I won't subject you to.
If you look closely, you can make out the claws. They do not look friendly.
After a final dirty look, he leaped to another tree, scampered down and hastened into the woods. The dog and I continued toward home, considering ourselves lucky to have had the encounter and only come away with a couple of pictures to prove it rather than wounds.
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