So I'm trudging through the swamp the other day and floating in the water is the front arm of a mink from the shoulder on down. The flesh was knawed off of the shoulder leaving only the blade. The rest of the arm was un touched. This was fresh, I would say that evening since it was mid morning. I'm curious as to what would have taken this mink? I'm ruling out a bird of prey unless maybe an owl but even then, the location I found it at doesn't have anything in the way of perches. I can't see a rat doing it and it's to cold for snappers. Mink are tough critters and in 35+ years of trapping, I haven't seen this one. Coon or Possum? I suppose it's possible but I would think a mink would be a might craftier than that. Heck you never know, on my line he may have died of old age!

crayfish attack.

Vole perhaps?

bigger mink.

great horned owl perhaps?

Yep crawdads,lol.

X 2

Otter will tear-up a rat, maybe Mink too?

I never thought of an otter but around here that would make the papers. I did think of another mink but it would have to be a pretty big one. Judging by the front leg, this was a big buck.

otter.. you got a very large population of otter around you. shenango river system is polluted with them,alot came in from ohio. the Allegany river system is full of them also. and yet we have no season on them.we are the forgotten ones in pa!

Sounds like a bird of prey.

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/09/12/river-otter-attacks-fisherman-in-western-pennsylvania/
this one made the papers,look at the date!

Mink are to otter like a fox is to a coyote I believe.

I find it odd that a mink leg would be floating.Would think it would be on bottom.

Well, I believe you. I've only lived in this area about 7 years. However, I've floated down the Shenango from Kids Mill to Big Bend quite a few times in the summer in my canoe and I've never seen a track or any other sign like raised mussel fields or anything like it. Again, I believe you, just say'in though. By the way, what does otter scat look like. I did see some odd scat nearby and I know it wasn't mine.

Minkless, Good call. I just looked at some pictures of otter scat and it just might be an otter. It's very similar. Unfortunately, it was in the water at the crest of a small beaver dam so I won't be able to look at it again, closer. Well, I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for more otter sign. I don't want to accidently get it in a 330 during beaver season.

Here’s the pecking order....A Mink hates a Weasel....and an otter hates a Mink...also seen mink fighting before too..

horned hamster??

We definitely have otters,quite sure you do too Finster,
have seen them numerous times in Big Sandy and at Wilhelm.
The little Shenango river comes out of the ground at a friend of mines house
and you can see Wilhelm,1/4 mile at most,one of the tribs to Wilhelm is on the
other side of one of his fields . I've seen sign on Cool Spring so they're there,

the Oswayo and Honeoye behind the house are gettin polluted with them.

That must have been quite a mink to have arms.I know they have front and rear legs,but it must be from outer space if it had arms.
Tom

Well now I'm going to look around in the morning. I have never seen an otter in PA and I'm 50. I've been in the woods my entire life and have seen them in other states but never PA. Now I'm all excited, I want to see one, just not in my traps since it's illegal.

It had arms like Lou Ferrigno ……….. so there!

a lot of the releases were done in kinzua.caught my first here in 1990.were rare till 5 or 6 yrs ago and the population seems to have exploded.

Yea, like I said, the scat I saw caught my eye because it was unfamiliar. I was even wondering what it was from at the time. I'll be looking in the morning.

Must be a gator in that swamp watch yerself!

The only otters I've ever seen in PA were in Carbon County. They were swimming in Mud Run, a tributary of the Lehigh river.

Finster here is a photo form my trail camera fr0m 5 or 6 years ago in Lycoming county. Look carefully there are 6 otter in this photo. This photo has been on T-man before.I have many photos of them, we are polluted with them and no season for them here. for beaver I use mainly foot hold and to release an otter by yourself is dangerous!! Use a choke pole and choke them down till they don't move, you only get one shot at getting that loop on them, be careful they will bite.......jk

And i think another mink did the nasty deed. I have had several mink in traps killed by other mink as seen by the tracks in the snow.......jk

owl

at the forest county trapping day this year,4 came swimming up the stream we where on.
goldnut ran into some on the shenango last beaver season.

Had a family that stayed in a beaver pond behind the house
for a while, till they ate all the fish and moved down stream,
they're pretty established in the French Creek basin.
Have seen one fishing for catfish right in Oil City,
Big Sandy doesn't have the boat traffic so you should have a better chance.
Spend a couple of days in Raymilton either fishing or hunting
you're bound to see one.

I.would guess bigger mink. Seen mink killed by other mink several times

Release wouldn't be a problem for me. I only use 330's for beaver. So if I would catch one, I would have to call the warden.

He never told me that! I wonder what else he hasn't told me? Wait till I see him again.

Otter

We have otter. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I can show you otter tracks from last week. I caught one on Sandy Creek two years ago.