The weasels of Oregon

The article in last week's Nugget about the elusive wolverines found scampering about northeastern Oregon and other parts of the West brought back memories of Fred Painter, Sisters lawman from the '50s - and that in turn brought to mind his wolverine.

The wolverine, AKA "Glutton" named for its scientific name, Gulo gulo, and eating habits, is the largest member of the mammalian family scientifically known as the mustelids (mustelidae, from Latin 'mustela,' weasel) - mammals with enlarged scent glands.

Fred comes into the picture because I believe he was (he went out among the stars in 1993 at a grand old 91 years of age) the last person to see what may have been the last wild wolverine in Sisters Country.

In order to make ends meet - or perhaps because he loved being out in the upper Cascades in winter - Fred had a trap line up near Linton Lake, south and a little west of South Sister. It was from this area that he came back to Sisters one winter day, showing off what was probably the catch-of-a-lifetime, an adult wolverine.

There may be other "gluttons" still running around, trying to keep out of the way of the thousands of hikers, horseback riders, and bikers running all over the Cascades these days. If so, they're staying out of sight.

Two years ago while traveling on the state highway through the upper part of the Umpqua National Forest, my wife, Sue, spotted a wolverine-like animal scoot across the road ahead of us.

"Jim! Look!" she shouted. I was busy writing a Nugget piece on my MacBook as she was taking us down the highway at 50 miles an hour or so, and looked up just in time to see what I still think was the back-end of an adult wolverine scooting off the highway alongside us.

There are hundreds of weasel species recognized throughout the world. The tiny least weasel weighs in from 3-1/2 to 7 ounces (the males larger than females). In size, the males are from about 10 inches, and females an average of 7-1/2. Even at that diminutive size, however, the least weasel can bring down and devour a cottontail rabbit, weighing a little over a pound.

In Sisters Country we have the ermine, mustela erminea, and the long-tailed weasel, mustela frenata, both of which are only a few ounces and inches more than their cousin, the least.

In the "Field Book of North American Mammals," by H.E. Anthony, compiled in the '20s, there are the Minnesota, Missouri, Florida, New York, etc. - weasels, named for just about every state in the Union.

Be warned; in Oregon, all mustelids - the long-tailed weasel and the wolverine; marten; fisher (imported); mink; badger; river otter; spotted skunk; and striped skunk - can all be very stinky.

The entire mustelid family has large muscular glands just under the surface of the anus, which, when fired can emit a powerful, blinding, evil-smelling stench.

When I was the manager of Ramsey Canyon Preserve in Southeast Arizona - known in those days as "The Hummingbird Capitol of the World" - we had a Western spotted skunk living in our home. It was occupying the house when we moved in, so it had first-occupancy rights, and we left well enough alone.

It was absolutely delightful to head for the bathroom in the middle of the night and suddenly come full awake by the gentle toe-tapping of the resident skunk reminding me I was close enough. I could often make her out in the darkness, standing on her front feet facing me, with her tail over her head aimed right at me, stomping on the floor to warn me. Many were the moments of sheer terror on both our parts: the skunk that I meant it harm, and mine that I'd never be allowed back in bed for at least a week - should she fire her deadly Big Guns.

Because neither of us enjoyed the spectacle of being "skunked," the armistice I hoped she understood was still in force when we moved back to Oregon three years later.

Just remember that every member of the weasel family is capable of causing you to suddenly become extremely uncomfortable, no matter what size, if you become aggressive. The larger mustelids, in addition to being stinky, can chew your arm off.

A reminder that it's always best to be polite when playing with Mother Nature.