What’s Behind the Eerie Screams in New York’s Night?

Fisher, friend or foe? before we get into the friendliness of this furry creature sneaking around the woods of New York we need to be clear. It's not 'fisher cat' it is simply fisher. I used to make this mistake often and I don't want you to feel as dopey as I did.

In recent weeks New Yorkers claim to have heard fisher screaming in the woods at night. Considering their nasty reputation as a cruel dude, what should you do if you encounter one?

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According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the fisher is a member of the weasel family with semi-retractable claws on each foot. This makes it easy for the fisher to killing prey but what do they eat? Humans? Dogs? Cats? What?

The diet of the fisher cat include rabbits, squirrels, mice, and the meat of a dead white-tailed deer. They have even been known to be the only North American mammal that can kill and consume porcupines, leaving only the quills behind. Now, what about that screaming?

According to the DEC, fisher are quiet and shy and would prefer not be around humans. These 'cats' have a bad reputation but the fisher is NOT harmful to humans. That doesn't mean you should try to pet one. Keep an eye out for your pets as fisher have been known to hunt smaller mammals. If you are hearing screaming at night, you are most likely hearing a red fox.

New York State DEC conducted a study in the Adirondacks. Fisher were fitted with VHF or GPS transmitters. Wildlife staff were then able to track them throughout the spring and summer to determine survival rates and den tree selection, along with reproductive success of the females. Not 1 human was harmed in the study.

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