# Fishers



## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Had a friend get a trailcam pic of a fisher last week. Interesting creature. My wife and I saw one cross the road in front of our jeep 3 years ago near Boyne/Chx. Anyone else seeing/hearing these?


----------



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Perferator said:


> Anyone else seeing/hearing these?


This was from a few years ago, same area you mention in the OP. I've read that fishers specialize in preying on porcupines.











I wasn't 100% certain that the above pic was that of a fisher though.


----------



## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

PunyTrout said:


> This was from a few years ago, same area you mention in the OP. I've read that fishers specialize in preying on porcupines.
> 
> 
> View attachment 344699
> ...


We saw ours cross near Argonne Club and we both said “wolverine!!” Because it was larger but really can only settle on the Fisher. Incredible animal. Pine Martens are seen in that area now and then as well. Great pic, by the way!


----------



## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I saw a fisher between M-55 and the Pine River many years ago on M-37. It was standing in the two track that goes east on the top of the hill. I never said any thing about it until I went to Call of the Wild the next year to see the one they have mounted.

This was shortly after they planted pine martin in the area. I guess pine martin were not the only animal they planted. It was not a pine martin as it did not have the orangish patch on it's throat


----------



## Spardon (Oct 13, 2005)

I posted in the trapping forum about tracks I'm finding on our property near Wellston that I think are from a fisher. I found some more when I was up gun hunting last week.

I need to put some cameras a little lower and see if I can get one on the cameras to confirm.


----------



## Ford 800 (Jan 5, 2010)

There’s quite a few Fischer’s in Wellston. A couple moved in on the north side of Kaleva. They own a propane company.


----------



## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Ford 800 said:


> There’s quite a few Fischer’s in Wellston. A couple moved in on the north side of Kaleva. They own a propane company.


Trailcam pics?


----------



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

PunyTrout said:


> I wasn't 100% certain that the above pic was that of a fisher though.


Too big to be a mink IMO. Could also be a pine marten. Thoughts?



Perferator said:


> We saw ours cross near Argonne Club and we both said “wolverine!!” Because it was larger but really can only settle on the Fisher. Incredible animal. Pine Martens are seen in that area now and then as well. Great pic, by the way!


----------



## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

PunyTrout said:


> This was from a few years ago, same area you mention in the OP. I've read that fishers specialize in preying on porcupines.
> 
> 
> View attachment 344699
> ...


I've seen a few porcupine remains that a fisher has left. Quills spread in a circle on the ground with the middle of the circle somewhat bare. The first time I saw that I learned that they were reintroduced near our deer camp.


----------



## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

PunyTrout said:


> This was from a few years ago, same area you mention in the OP. I've read that fishers specialize in preying on porcupines.
> 
> 
> View attachment 344699
> ...


I would say it was .I have seen Martens a couple times near my house and tracks in the snow .They are lighter and have shorter tails .


----------



## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Thirty pointer said:


> I would say it was .I have seen Martens a couple times near my house and tracks in the snow .They are lighter and have shorter tails .


I’ve seen martens up close, the one I saw wasnt much bigger than a weasel.


----------



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Thirty pointer said:


> I would say it was .I have seen Martens a couple times near my house and tracks in the snow .They are lighter and have shorter tails .


That's an astute observation on the length of the tail BTW.


----------



## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

From Wikepedia 
American marten is a long, slender-bodied weasel about the size of a mink with relatively large rounded ears, short limbs, and a bushy tail. American marten have a roughly triangular head and sharp nose. Their long, silky fur ranges in color from pale yellowish buff to tawny brown to almost black. Their head is usually lighter than the rest of their body, while the tail and legs are darker. American marten usually have a characteristic throat and chest bib ranging in color from pale straw to vivid orange.[6] Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with males averaging about 15% larger than females in length and as much as 65% larger in body weight.[6]

Total length ranges from 1.5 to 2.2 feet (0.5–0.7 m),[27][5] with tail length of 5.4 to 6.4 inches (135–160 mm),[27] Adult weight ranges from 1.1 to 3.1 pounds (0.5–1.4 kg)[27][5] and varies by age and location. Other than size, sexes are similar in appearance.[5] American marten have limited body-fat reserves, experience high mass-specific heat loss, and have a limited fasting endurance


----------



## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Martens love hemlock forests because their favorite food the red squirrel is in abundance there. You can see their tracks in fresh snow, tracks stopping at the base of the tree. That is, tracks going up but none coming down. Martens are incredibly agile and will go down a tree trunk head first running down a red squirrel. I have watched them on stand. Very entertaining.


----------



## Blaze (Oct 13, 2005)

I am posting on my dad's account. That is definatly a pine Martin . I have trapped them accidentally in the UP prior to there being an open season. Note the Auburn color of the body and light coloring on face and ears. Also look at the length of tail, longer legs and the hare like hind legs. Pine Martin are larger than a mink . A Fisher would be darker and a bit more stocky. Ears on a martin are smaller in proportion to the head. There is a pretty good population of martin in areas of the northern lower there are very few Fisher the only confirmed Fisher sightings have been in the areas just south of the bridge and those can be counted on one hand . Nice trail cam catch in either case.


----------



## turkeytamer41 (Mar 13, 2006)

Got these pictures from trail cam. over bear bait in 2016 In the U P I'm pretty sure it's a fisher


----------



## turkeytamer41 (Mar 13, 2006)

A few night time pics.


----------



## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

The long tail gives the fisher away the marten is shorter and bushier .


----------



## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

Great pics. I got to see one this year while bear hunting. It was hunting the red squirrels at my bait. Fascinating to watch.


----------

