Oregon Hikers

I saw four or five of them in the North Fork Nehalem river back in May. They were headed upstream, and had to climb up onto the bank to get past one of the falls. Highlight of the hike.

In all my hikes at Deschutes I've never seen a river critter, which only means I've not spotted them. I've seen a few in the John Day at Cottonwood Canyon, also in the Crooked River at Smith Rock State Park. A few years back, maybe five?, I believe there was an article about introducing, or re-introducing, fishers to the Deschutes. Shortly after that article, I talked with a couple along the upper trail who thought they'd spotted a weasel crossing the road heading down to the river.
It made sense to me that they'd likely spotted a fisher as what they described didn't suggest "weasel" to me. Anyone know?

I saw one in Rogue River a couple weeks ago

Otters are quite common in Oregon and I've seen them in the Deschutes, Columbia, Willamette, Imnaha, coastal rivers and bays, etc. People who live on houseboats in Portland get their outside stuff regularly tampered with by otters. I do seem to be seeing them more often these days.

arieshiker wrote: ↑

December 19th, 2020, 7:18 am

A few years back, maybe five?, I believe there was an article about introducing, or re-introducing, fishers to the Deschutes.

Fishers are rare and they're arboreal forest creatures; they eat porcupines. There have been various reintroduction plans into old-growth forest areas. Weasels are very small and don't usually swim. In the water, the dark creatures with long tails are going to be otters or (much smaller) mink. Both are common.

I saw some great blue herons on the Deschutes Today. I've seen otters in unlikely places: Swale Canyon and even once in Wahtum Lake. They really do get around.

This discussion really otter be split off into its own thread.


(I swear to god, I did NOT come here to make a pun. I started to type "ought to" and things just went downhill from there. )

Perhaps we otter create a skiing post for things that go downhill - no end in sight.

adamschneider wrote: ↑

December 19th, 2020, 7:54 pm

This discussion really otter be split off into its own thread.


(I swear to god, I did NOT come here to make a pun. I started to type "ought to" and things just went downhill from there. )

Yes! That's exactly what the last critter looked like. Case closed, I saw otters.
Kelly