Mammals of Mount Shasta Carnivores

Coyote (specimen from College of the Siskiyous)
Photographed by Debbie Harton

Canis ochropus. Valley Coyote. [Canis latrans Coyote]

Common in Shasta Valley and also at Sisson. R.T. Fisher heard them nearly every night during his stay at Sisson, from the end of August until the middle of September; and about the end of September Vernon Bailey and W.H. Osgood heard them howl at night in the south end of Shasta valley. A little farther north, in the flat valley near Montague, I saw a highly colored one at close quarters in the day time August 31. In July, 1899, Walter K. Fisher secured one in Shasta Valley.

Red Fox
Photographed by Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences

Common on the upper slopes above timberline, where fresh tracks were seen nearly every day; but the animals were very wary and refused to enter our traps.

Mountain Lion (specimen from College of the Siskiyous)
Photographed by Debbie Harton

Rather rare, but formerly common on Shasta. In July Bailey saw fresh tracks among the Shasta firs a little below Red Butte. C.H. Townsend obtained seven specimens in Shasta County in 1883 and 1884, several of which were killed near the fish hatchery on the McCloud. He states, "It is practically impossible to raise colts in the Shasta County hills on account of these pests. They destroy many hogs and young cattle also, but do not present so serious an impediment to the keeping of these animals as in the case of horses. Mr. J.B. Campbell, who trapped two panthers for me in 1883, told me that he had actually never seen more than two or three of the numerous colts born on his stock range, as they had been killed and devoured by panthers soon after birth."

Striped Skunk (specimen from College of the Siskiyous)
Photographed by Debbie Harton

Common in the low country around Shasta. On 'Horse Trail,' leading up the mountain from Sisson, Bailey saw their tracks as high as the wet meadows and thickets, where in September T.T. Fisher caught two along Cold Creek. In Shasta Valley they are also common and several were caught by W.H. Osgood and R.T. Fisher.

Mink
Drawing by Ernest S. Thompson

Common along the streams at Sisson, where R.T. Fisher caught two, one on Cold Creek, the other on the upper Sacramento River.

Mink (specimen from College of the Siskiyous)
Photographed by Debbie Harton

Mustela caurina. Pacific Marten. [Martes americana Sierra Nevada Pine Marten, American Marten, Pine Marten, American Sable]

Marten
Drawing by Ernest S. Thompson

Common in parts of the dense forests of Shasta, particularly on the east side, where many are caught every winter by trappers. We did not succeed in obtaining a specimen, although a line of 'meat traps' was kept out fully a month. Still, fresh tracks were seen in the mud along Squaw creek a short distance below camp by Vernon Bailey.

Mustela pennanti. Fisher. [Martes pennanti]

Said to occur in the dense forest on the east side of Shasta, whence skins are brought to Sisson for sale nearly every winter. C.H. Townsend obtained tow on McCloud River, about halfway between the mouth of the river and Mount Shasta, in February, 1884.

Black Bear (specimen from College of the Siskiyous)
Photographed by Debbie Harton

Abundant. When we reached Shasta the middle of July, black bears were exceedingly common throughout the Shasta fir forest. On July 17, in going from Wagon Camp to timberline, we saw fresh tracks of a dozen along Panther Creek, and on the way down, three hours later, saw where four had crossed our trail after we had gone up. Their well-worn trails abounded along Panther Creek and were traversed daily until about the end of July, when, after our collectors had been shooting for nearly two weeks, the bears became alarmed and moved down into the manzanita chaparral below the Shasta firs, where they remained the rest of the season.

Ursus horribilis. Grizzly or Grisly Bear. [Ursus arctos Grizzly Bear]

Formerly abundant in the Shasta region; now exceedingly rare or absent. W.H. Osgood was told when in Shasta Valley that a few years ago a huge grizzly known as 'Old Clubfoot,' which had been shot at repeatedly, was killed near Goose Nest Mountain, just north of Shasta.