Watch Out For One of These Fierce Creatures Hiding In Wisconsin and Illinois

If you're ever taking a walk in the woods of Wisconsin or Illinois and see a brown furry animal with a long body and tail that resembles a big weasel in your path, turn around and run!

What is this animal spotted in the Wisconsin woods?

The other day I saw this picture pop up in one of the Wisconsin groups I follow on Facebook, and I, as well as the person who posted it, didn't know what the creature is...

Is it a huge beaver or squirrel?!? Is it a weasel or an otter?!? After scrolling through the comments on the post many people replied that it is a Fisher Cat...but what the heck is that?!?

While it may look large in that picture, Fisher Cats are actually pretty small, quite cute, and incredibly fierce, so don't let this sweet face fool you!

What is a Fisher Cat?

Because I need to know if this animal is going to kill me the next time I am at our family cabin in Wisconsin, I Googled "What is a Fisher Cat", and I'm not sure that was a good idea.

Most of the results that came up said something like "one of the fiercest animals", "elusive", "ball of fury" and other worrisome statements similar to that.

Here's how Wikipedia describes a Fisher Cat;

The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a small carnivorous mammal native to North America, a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest in Canada to the northern United States. It is a member of the mustelid family (commonly referred to as the weasel family), and is in the monospecific genus Pekania. It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as a fisher cat, even though it is not a cat.

Truthfully, is a Fisher Cat going to kill us? No, but the only real predators it has are humans, and they don't mess around.

I will also admit that my previous statement telling you to run away if you see a Fisher Cat was a tad dramatic as well, but this creature doesn't like to be seen, so if you spot one that could be a sign of trouble. It's always better to air on the side of caution, right?