Attack of the body snatchers!!!

[Coyote Chris]

You guys are the smartest people I know.
I have a grave yard for gophers I have killed every year. Planted poppies...markers....the works...
Something came by last night and took 7 gopher bodies.
It was almost surgically done. Just enough work to remove the bodies. I see absolutely no tracks in the loose dirt.
I think the critter is not a coyote. Maybe cat sized. But no tracks. gophers arre burried about 6 inches deep and then a mound of dirt placed on top.
Any ideas? I did see a small black squirrel sized animal....not much bigger than a huge chipmunk, running about the property this morning.

 

[junglejim]

Weasel?

 

[Coyote Chris]

Weasel?

It can not be ruled out.
Eastern Washington is home to three native weasel species: the long-tailed weasel, the short-tailed weasel (ermine), and the least weasel. They are strictly carnivorous mustelids known for their aggressive hunting, slender bodies, and metabolisms. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
These species can be found throughout the shrub-steppe, farmlands, and alpine forests of the region: [1, 2, 3]

• Long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata): The most common weasel in the region's lowlands and agricultural areas. They have a very long body, a tail that is half their body length with a distinct black tip, and typically feature a yellowish-white belly. In northern/higher elevations, they may turn white in the winter. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]