How to identify it
Typical weasel form: long body, short legs, triangular head, round ears, long whiskers. [1][2]
Summer: chocolate-brown back with yellowish-white belly. [1][2]
Winter: white coat in northern animals, with a black tail tip. [1][2]
Tail about 35% of body length; males roughly twice the mass of females (ADW page for pre-split M. erminea). [1][2]
Compared with the beringian ermine: Same look; Alaska and western Yukon to Arctic Canada animals are M. erminea per NatureServe. [1][2]
Compared with the least weasel: Much smaller with no black tail tip. [1][2]
Compared with the long-tailed weasel: Larger, with a tail about half the body length. [1][2]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Ermine · Mustela erminea
- Least weasel · Mustela nivalis
- Long-tailed weasel · Neogale frenata
Where it lives
Wooded areas with thick understory near watercourses; adapted to a wide variety of habitats and rarely in heavily forested regions. [1][2]
How it behaves
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — trapping · Alberta Guide to Trapping Regulations 2026-2027
- British Columbia — trapping · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — trapping · Trapping of Wild Animals Regulation, M.R. 245/90, Schedule A
- New Brunswick — trapping · Hunt & Trap Regulations Summary 2026–2027
- Newfoundland and Labrador — trapping · 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide
- Northwest Territories — trapping · NWT Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, July 1 2022 - June 30 2023
- Nova Scotia — trapping · 2026 Hunting and Fur Harvesting Summary of Regulations
- Ontario — hunting, trapping · O. Reg. 670/98 Open Seasons — Wildlife (read via e-Laws .doc export)
- Prince Edward Island — trapping · Wildlife Conservation Act — Hunting and Trapping Seasons Regulations (consolidated to 2022-09-03)
- Québec — trapping · Périodes de piégeage
- Saskatchewan — trapping · 2026-27 Trappers Guide
- Arizona — hunting, trapping · 2026-2027 Arizona Hunting Regulations
- California — hunting, nuisance or unprotected take · 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations (updated July 1, 2026)
- Colorado — hunting, trapping · 2 CCR 406-3 Chapter W-3 Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds (07/16/2026; eff. 2026-09-01)
- Connecticut — trapping · 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide
- Idaho — hunting, trapping · Upland Game, Turkey & Furbearer 2026 & 2027 Seasons & Rules
- Iowa — hunting, trapping · 2026-27 Iowa Hunting, Trapping & Migratory Game Bird Regulations (DNR PDF; page numbers cited)
- Maine — trapping · 2026-27 Maine Trapping Lawbook
- Massachusetts — hunting, other regulated take · M.G.L. c.131 s.5 Open seasons; rules and regulations
- Montana — hunting, trapping · Predator Shooting (FWP web page)
- Nevada — hunting, trapping · Nevada 2026-2027 Small Game Hunting Regulations & Seasons (NDOW official guide, eRegulations-hosted)
- New Hampshire — hunting, trapping · Fis 300 Wildlife Seasons and Rules
- New Mexico — hunting, trapping · 2026-2027 New Mexico Hunting Rules & Information (v08.11.26)
- North Dakota — hunting, trapping · 2026-2027 Small Game, Waterfowl and Furbearer Proclamation
- Ohio — hunting, trapping · Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026-27 (effective 1 Sep 2026-31 Aug 2027); PDF read from cached copy
- Oregon — hunting, trapping · Oregon Furbearer Trapping & Hunting Regulations, July 1 2026 - June 30 2028
- Pennsylvania — hunting, trapping · 2026-27 Seasons and Bag Limits
- Utah — hunting, trapping · 2026 Black Bear, Cougar and Furbearer Guidebook
- Vermont — hunting, trapping · 2026 Vermont Guide to Hunting & Trapping Laws (official lawbook, publisher-hosted)
- Washington — trapping · WAC 220-400-020 Classification of wild animals
- Wisconsin — hunting, nuisance or unprotected take, trapping · 2026 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping Seasons PUB-CS-076-2026 (updated 06/08/2026)
- Wyoming — hunting, trapping · WGFC Ch. 4 Furbearing Animal Hunting or Trapping Seasons (dated Jul 14 2021; matches 2026/27 brochure)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Across Canada and south through most of the northern US to central California, northern Arizona, northern New Mexico, Iowa, the Great Lakes region, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia. Most of Alaska now refers to M. erminea.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
NatureServe · reviewed 2026-09-30
NatureServe
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology