Today I stalked the elusive Stoat. I got up early and trekked 10 miles up Henderson Mountain. It was treacherous and stormy. I had to climb up a sheer vertical cliff to get to the lair of this handsome beast. As I climbed through a field of wild flowers, I caught sight of my prey. Long, sleek and with a black tip on his tail. He darted and ran, I chased and did not give up. Then he… well, peeked out through the mag wheels on my Suburban this morning.
This little guy is also known as the Short Tailed Weasel or, in his winter coat, the Ermine. A native of Europe, he migrated to the U.S. about 500,000 years ago. I guess he liked it here. He is of the family Mustelidae. His relatives are the badger, otter, marten, mink, and wolverine, among others.