I did the telephone/computer research on this issue and Bob was gracious
enough to visit with our contacts on the island.  Here is the story -
 
I spoke with past and present county agents, sheriff dept, library,
newspaper, biologist, dept of ag, and several others on this issue.
 
Years ago in the 70's hunters came to the island with their ferrets to hunt
the rabbits.  Some ferrets were left behind probably because they didn't
come back up from the rabbit dens and the hunters got tired of waiting or
because the ferrets wandered off or whatever so the ferrets were left to
fend on their own.  This info came from the county extension agent of that
time and a biologist.
 
The wildlife rehab center on the island says they receive injured ferrets
from time to time and that they rehab them and place them in homes.  When
pressured on this issue, it was admitted that these could possibly be
ferrets that were escapees.....
 
There is one vet on the island that swears ferrets are viscious biting
creatures and she is very outspoken.  She recounts her experience of 20
years ago when she was working on a dead cow in the woods and 3 ferrets
came up to eat off the rotting carcass.  These ferrets were not afraid of
her, made no attempt to harm her, and she had to chase them off 3 times
before they would leave the cow alone.  Of course they weren't afraid of
her - they were starving abandonded domestic ferrets!  (grrrrr)
 
The other vet clinic, which at the time I did the research had three
veterinarians, had never seen or treated a 'feral' ferret.  The police dept
didn't have any reports of 'feral' ferrets either, nor did the camp
grounds.  Bob didn't find any traces of feral ferrets on his recent visit.
 
When I called the Washington Agriculture Dept my contact stated that yes
feral ferrets existed on San Juan Island.  His say so wasn't good enough
for me so I pressured him to find the proof.  His return call was that
apparently there were feral ferrets at one time years ago but they no
longer existed.  His first response was from what he had been told by
someone else and after researching the issue he found that information was
incorrect.  I work for the Dept of Ag in our state and I was offended that
he took the word of someone else on this issue without doing the research.
Thankfully he found the truth but he is only 1 in many many employees of
the state.
 
Earlier this year I was contacted by a grad student from Washington State.
He was to write a report on the feral ferrets on San Juan Island.  He was
referred to me by one of my previous contacts on the island and I was able
to send him the info he needed for his report - afterall Bob and I had
already done the research he might as well use it.  Maybe that will help to
set the record straight.
 
So the answer to the feral ferret San Juan issue is that there are NO feral
ferrets on the Island.
 
Hugs to all. tle
[Posted in FML issue 2392]