the mink family specimens in my backyard. The first is my sighting from May, and the second I saw crossing the road in July. The second is most likely a mink.

wow, I don't want to run into any 4 foot mink. the most largest a male North American mink reaches is about 24 inches with another 10 inches for a tail. females are smaller. Although as a state lic'd wildlife rehabilitator, I've been called to a home where the lady said a giant woodchuck was trying to gain acces to her house....turned out to be a fat chipmunk. Unless you're used to seeing these things all the time, your brain can play tricks on you.

haha