The Mink Whisperer

So...finally getting that last post up about the fox catch reminded me, as I sifted through my 'iphoto' library, that I have been stockpiling stuff for a while now, and haven't been doing much writing.  So here's the first of events I've left out from the last month or so...

On a preseason (trapping season) scouting trip, on which we hoped to secure some bait, I headed up a dry creek - hah!, that's actually the name by the way - and while we were walking up, pushing for grouse and rabbits, we came across a mink.  One of the students wanted to shoot, and the rest of us begged him to wait - after all, we could trap it later and actually be able to salvage the fur.  Thankfully, he held back - and as it turned out we were all glad he did.  The mink came out of his rootwad hiding place, where he had been presumably chasing mice - and entered the creek channel.  I declared, "He's going to come right at me, take a picture!"...  And he then proceeded to make his way about 12 feet STRAIGHT TO ME before jumping onto my boot and checking me out.  He must not have liked the smell of me, cause after a moments or two he hightailed it out of there - but now I carry the name "The Mink Whisperer"...  here's a photo sequence of the whole circus.  Surely a first for me, and probably the last as well.

He's in there..brown furry lump in the cluster of spruce at center...



body and tail visible here...barely below and right of the puddle...


head and body


Here he comes...he HAD to see me...just didn't care...








Was waiting for him to smell something he didn't like and take a bite out of my leg... :)