Furbearers

Mink (Neovison vison): The mink is a semi-aquatic furbearer common throughout Wisconsin. These carnivores have short, dense, chocolate-colored fur and may have white patches on their chest and belly. Mink generally weigh 1.5-2 pounds with males being larger than females. They eat muskrats, fish, reptiles, amphibians, waterfowl, eggs and small mammals like mice. While they prefer to hunt around water bodies, they will travel and forage for food in upland habitats as well. Like all members of the weasel family, mink have delayed implantation, meaning the fertilized egg doesn't implant to the uterine wall immediately. Mink give birth in late spring to 5-6 young. Mink may be harvested during a limited, regulated season with the appropriate license.

Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata): The long-tailed weasel is the largest weasel found in Wisconsin, though they are only slightly larger than the more common short-tailed weasel. They are usually 13-18 inches long with a black-tipped, 4-6 inch tail. They are brown on top with white or cream-colored throats or bellies, but like all three species of weasels in Wisconsin, their fur may turn completely white in the winter. Like all mustelids, the long-tailed weasel has delayed implantation, so they breed in July but don't give birth until the next spring. Weasels den in hollow stumps, tree roots, rock piles or under buildings and have an average of six young. Small mammals, rabbits and birds are the common prey items. All three species of weasel may be trapped year-round with a trapping license.

Short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea): The short-tailed weasel is the most abundant weasel in Wisconsin. At around a foot long, the short-tailed weasel is smaller than the long-tailed weasel and has a 2-4 inch tail with a black tip. They are similar in color to the long-tailed and, like the long-tailed, their fur may turn white in the winter. Long-tailed and short-tailed weasels can be difficult to tell apart, but in most parts of the state the short-tailed weasel is the most likely to be seen. Tail length is the only good way to distinguish between the two, but it can be challenging to tell in the wild. Like most members of the weasel family, they are nocturnal, and they consume similar prey to the long-tailed weasel. Weasels may be trapped year-round by those possessing a valid trapping license.

Least weasel (Mustela nivalis): The smallest of the weasels found in Wisconsin, the least weasel is about 6 inches long, with a short tail. They are the smallest living carnivore in the world. Unlike the other two weasels in Wisconsin, least weasels don't have black tips on their tails, though they may have a few black hairs. Least weasels, like all Wisconsin weasels, may turn completely white in winter. Their reproduction is similar to other weasels, as they have six young in spring and den in hollow stumps, tree roots or rock piles. They also have similar diets to the other two species of weasel, preying primarily on small mammals and birds. Their small size means they are difficult to trap and their fur does not have much commercial value, though the pelts are used for education. Least weasels may be harvested year-round with a valid trapping license.

Beaver (Castor canadensis): Wisconsin was settled by traders looking to purchase beaver pelts from Native Americans. Beaver fur was used to make high-quality hats popular at the time. The beaver is the second-largest rodent in the world and can weigh up to 80 pounds, though the average weight is 40-50 pounds. They are aquatic rodents and have large, flat, scaled tails that are very distinctive. Beavers live in family groups and are known for being habitat engineers. They build dams to block flowing water to form wetlands and ponds and live in large houses they construct. They give birth to 2-5 kits in May or June and young disperse after 2 years with their parents. Beaver may be trapped during a regulated season with a valid trapping license and taken by landowners when damage is occurring.

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus): Muskrats are one of the most valuable furbearers in Wisconsin in present day. They are small, brown-furred aquatic rodents with scaly tails. Muskrats build feed beds, or loose rafts of vegetation, that they sit on in order to eat the aquatic vegetation they prefer. They build "houses" that they live and raise their young in, which are piles of mud, sticks, grass, cattails and other aquatic vegetation with chambers inside, or they live in dens dug into banks. In a good habitat with excellent food resources, they can breed up to four times a year and can have anywhere between 1-11 young per litter. Young muskrats are on their own in 3-4 weeks and can be sexually mature at six months of age. Muskrats may be harvested during a regulated season in the winter with the appropriate license.

Bobcat (Lynx rufus): The bobcat is our most-seen member of the cat family, though it is still uncommon in some areas of Wisconsin. They average 20-30 pounds and have light brown fur with spots and a short tail with black bands on the top of the tail. Like all cats, bobcats can breed year-round, though they usually only have one litter of 2-4 kittens per year. Historically a northern Wisconsin species, in recent years sightings have increased in the central and southern portions of the state. Bobcats are solitary except when breeding. Common food items include rabbits, small mammals and deer. Research on bobcats is ongoing in Wisconsin. A special permit is required to harvest a bobcat.

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis): Canada lynx are very uncommon in Wisconsin and we usually only see rare visitors from Canada. Canada lynx are a federally threatened species and as such are protected in Wisconsin. Lynx resembles bobcats except that they have solid black on the top and bottom of their tail instead of bands on the top like bobcats. They also tend to have longer ear tufts and very large feet. Of the three cat species we occasionally see in Wisconsin (bobcat, lynx and cougar), lynx have the largest tracks. Their large, furred feet act as snowshoes to allow them to walk on top of snow. They primarily eat hares, though they will also eat rabbits and small mammals. Lynx are known for having cyclic populations (meaning populations increase to a peak over a few years and then decrease to a low over a few years) that correspond with snowshoe hare population cycles. Lynx may not be harvested in Wisconsin. If you are a trapper, learn how to avoid lynx [PDF]. If you see a lynx, please complete the rare wildlife reporting form.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor): Raccoons are a common and well-known furbearer in Wisconsin. They have distinctive black masks and ringed tails that are easily recognizable. As generalists, they can live almost anywhere and will eat almost anything. Raccoons may be trapped during a limited, regulated season with the proper license, though animals causing damage may be removed during other times of the year.

Opossum (Didelphis virginiana): The opossum is the only marsupial (or pouched mammal) in Wisconsin. They have hairless, prehensile tails which they can use to grasp tree branches. They have the most teeth, 50, of any North American mammal. Male opossums average 6-7 pounds, though females tend to be smaller. Opossums may have 5-13 young, though when they are born, the whole litter can weigh less than a penny. Opossum are omnivorous, meaning they will eat any plant or animal they come across. Historically a southern species, the range of the opossum is creeping northward, though opossum's ears in the north will often show signs of frostbite. Grinners, as opossums are sometimes called in the trapping world, may be harvested year-round in Wisconsin with the appropriate license.

Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis): The striped skunk is a very distinctive mammal. Once thought to be in the weasel family, they are now in their own family with the five other species of skunks [exit DNR] found in North America. They average four to six pounds in weight and have long, bushy tails. They are well-known for their black fur with white stripes and their strong musk they spray as a defense. This musk is actually used as a base in many high-quality perfumes. Averaging six young, striped skunks give birth in May. They are nocturnal, meaning active at night, like most of the furbearers of Wisconsin. Their preferred food is mice, insects, fruits, carrion, eggs, reptiles and amphibians. Skunks may be harvested year-round in Wisconsin with a valid license.

Spotted skunk (Spilogale putoris): Historic records have documented the spotted skunk in the southwestern corner of Wisconsin, but there have been no records of them in the state for several decades. They have the same black fur as striped skunks but have white blotches all over instead of the distinctive white back stripes of striped skunks. Formerly common to farmland areas of Wisconsin, they are now found in the western plains states and in the southern U.S. The spotted skunk is smaller than the striped skunk at 1-4 pounds It has the same strong musk smell as striped skunks and stands on its front feet and stamps its feet when it feels threatened. Diet and breeding are similar to the striped skunk. If you see a spotted skunk or document one on a trail camera, please report it to the assistant furbearer ecologist.

Woodchuck (Marmota monax) Woodchucks are a rodent and a member of the squirrel family that is found throughout the state of Wisconsin. They are a true hibernator that relies entirely on body fat reserves for energy throughout their winter sleep - late October through March or April. Woodchucks can be beneficial, as their abandoned burrows provide homes for small game such as rabbits, foxes, and weasels. Their benefits to other species may be a reason woodchucks were listed as protected in Wisconsin until 2017. Woodchucks can be damaging to gardens, pastures and lawns due to their interest in consuming plant material and can be damaging to foundations and other structures due to their ability to excavate numerous tunnels. Woodchucks are recognized by the state legislature as a furbearer species and can now be legally harvested without a permit.

Wolves and black bears, though their fur may be used for rugs or as taxidermy mounts, are commonly considered large carnivores. Cougars are a rare mammal in Wisconsin.