Never seen this before: I went on a walk in the woods near my home to see if I could find the deer I had come across a week before (this time I took my camera). Didn't find the deer...

LeeK Loc: Washington State

I went on a walk in the woods near my home to see if I could find the deer I had come across a week before (this time I took my camera). Didn't find the deer but I heard something rustling, looked, and saw this. Didn't know what it was. Had to come home and describe it to my husband who knew right off what it was. Looked like it was about 10" long. Anybody? Thought I'd post it cause he is kinda cute.

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Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

Groundhog.

BB4A

👍

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

LeeK Loc: Washington State

Thanks for looking. I'm going to wait a bit before I give you the answer though.

BB4A

LeeK wrote:

Thanks for looking. I'm going to wait a bit before I give you the answer though.

Well, as you live in Washington, you could have caught a glimpse of a young mountain beaver (which actually isn’t a beaver and doesn’t always live up mountains)?

I not sure, but the muzzle, ear, eye shape, and finally the whiskers, don’t look quite right though, when compared to the few mountain beaver photographs I’ve seen.

LeeK Loc: Washington State

BB4A wrote:

Well, as you live in Washington, you could have caught a glimpse of a young mountain beaver (which actually isn’t a beaver and doesn’t always live up mountains)?

I not sure, but the muzzle, ear, eye shape, and finally the whiskers, don’t look quite right though, when compared to the few mountain beaver photographs I’ve seen.

You've got it - a mountain beaver. After my husband told me what it was, I also looked it up on line. Pictures I saw definitely looked like it. It's size was larger than I thought it was though. My husband grew up in this area and saw them all the time when growing up in the same neighborhood. I grew up in NH. Never saw one there. I always think it is fun to see and learn new things, no matter how small.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Good catch, Lee!

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

LeeK wrote:

I went on a walk in the woods near my home to see if I could find the deer I had come across a week before (this time I took my camera). Didn't find the deer but I heard something rustling, looked, and saw this. Didn't know what it was. Had to come home and describe it to my husband who knew right off what it was. Looked like it was about 10" long. Anybody? Thought I'd post it cause he is kinda cute.

Nice shot.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

Were you near water??? Could it be an otter?? They are longer than 10" though

FrankR Loc: NYC

Just a guess, is it a nutria?

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice shot--if you live on a farm, they’ll wreak havoc with your soybeans or like crop.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

At first I thought could be a Vole but they are small and after a trip Wikipedia....it' s a Mountain Beaver most likely. And several people have likewise made similar comments to that effect.

2Dragons Loc: The Back of Beyond

Looks like a muskrat to me.

LeeK Loc: Washington State

Thanks every for looking in and giving your input. It is a mountain beaver 😄

angler Loc: StHelens England

Nice capture.