|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172 |
How many of you have seen, hunted, or trapped a Fisher. My buddy John was bow hunting my place in WV last weekend and saw one. DNR and the Forestry Dept are working up a plan for my property for reintroduction of Roughed Grouse. We have a few, but not really a huntable population. While talking to them I asked the girl is she’s ever seen a Fisher? She said in 23 years she has only seen one, on the Potomac. She said seeing one in the mountains is a real treat. Now I want to see it. I’m hoping if there is one, and if there is one, there will be two, and so on.
I'm not greedy, I just want one of each.
Remember Ira Hayes
JoeMartin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,056
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,056 |
Trapped one about 20 years ago running a trapline with my uncle. Sorta look like a giant black weasel. They were protected in MN at the time, so he ended up calling the DNR and they came out and took it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,564
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,564 |
Saw one at the end of the driveway less than a month ago. First one for me but the neighbors have seen them before.
This space for rent
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 9,334 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 9,334 Likes: 1 |
I have never seen one in the wild but have seen their tracks in the snow many times. They have a very distinctive track.
"You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass" ~Admiral Yamamoto~
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. ~Thomas Jefferson~
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172 |
They have a side by side, two by two foot print. Both front feet go forward at the same time. WV has a trapping season for them, but you are only allowed one.
I'm not greedy, I just want one of each.
Remember Ira Hayes
JoeMartin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,708
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,708 |
I see them occasionally. Neat animals.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101 |
Tastes like ermine, or city park weasel.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 778
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 778 |
They were reintroduced in Wisconsin in 1970s (?) and eventually really took off. I've trapped them for fur and for putting telemetry collars on them for research. They are in weasel family and have usual weasel bad attitude. The biggest males are 18 pounds, so a real handfull. Cool critters.
Bruce
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,319 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,319 Likes: 9 |
Just saw one two weekends ago. Sat down with my daughter to call for bear and as soon as I lit up that fawn bleat he came down the giant fir tree right in front of us. Didn't know what it was until we got home and looked it up.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,577
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,577 |
I've never thought about fishers as prey animals, because they're so unique/sparse, but You definitely don't want one as a neighbor. I've had three close encounters where I could have shot one, .., in a life-time of being around the woods. They seem to be very smart, and able to adapt to life near humans, like raccoons and foxes and coyotes, barns and chicken coops are easy pickings. Your dogs are not likely to tangle with one, more than once at least.
Fisher-cat den holes, road-side sightings, and road-kill are not hard to come by around here if You're looking. If they move in, they become the alpha predator in the neighborhood, and even the coyotes move out.
Chicken coop raids look like war zones, "killing frenzy" is the phrase that comes to mind.., they're into it for more than just food, and killing them is the only way to proceed.
I would not want to be in close quarters with a frightened or angry one, their claws are long and sharp.., and that's before you get to their teeth! ..., oh, and they're FAST!
All weasels are vicious beasts, fishers are just bigger!
stories of Wolverines, in the wild way-north country... I hope I never see a wolverine in the wild..
Last edited by JeffG; 11/02/22.
"...One Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All"
JeffG
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,056
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,056 |
I've not seen a live one, but as vicious as little weasels can be, I'd imagine an encounter with a fisher could turn nasty in a hurry.
We don't have them around here, so I'm unlikely to ever see another.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 78
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 78 |
Iam from pa. These things are no good hard on turkey grouse just a bad predator here . Very hard on the turkey population around these parts .
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 6,520
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 6,520 |
Never seen one. I don't think we have them here. We do have weasels and badgers. There are a helluva lot of badger holes where I hunt. Run through them with the truck all the time but they haven't been big enough to get stuck in so far. I carry a handy man jack and a 3' piece of 2X12 to get me out if I do get stuck in one.
wyo1895 With Savage never say never. For a copy of my book on engraved Savage lever actions rifles send a check for $80 to; David Royal, p.o. box 1271, Pinedale, Wy., 82941. I will sign and inscribe the book for you. [email protected]
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 142
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 142 |
Seen one about 5 years ago run across the road in hardy county wv. Had to look it up to see what it was. As far as grouse I seen one the first Saturday of deer seven. Used to be a good number of them. I think like everything else coyotes put a hurting on them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,101 |
Wolves. I blame it on the wolves around here. Maybe the bears too. Could be the murdering thieving deers too, for all I know.
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Pogo
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 254
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 254 |
I had a couple of them in view while field dressing my buck on the PA opening day. My son had one of them run up within 5 feet of him the same day.
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,172 |
Seen one about 5 years ago run across the road in hardy county wv. Had to look it up to see what it was. As far as grouse I seen one the first Saturday of deer seven. Used to be a good number of them. I think like everything else coyotes put a hurting on them. I'm in Hardy county, Mathias, about a half mile from Paradise City on 259. My friend saw another one on opening day of deer season. He said it was closer and he got a little better look. Thought it may have been a different one or female, it looked smaller. I would like to see one, but we have a pretty good population of Turkey and I don't want to see them wiped out.
I'm not greedy, I just want one of each.
Remember Ira Hayes
JoeMartin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 142
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 142 |
Mathias here also mainly hunt on off of crab run on my grandparents farm and also on the road by the big wooden parrot right off 259 headed to Virginia. Seen the Fisher cross 259 down in lost city. Close to where you head up to trout pond.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,564
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,564 |
I talked to a friend today. Her husband, son, and father in law each trapped one this week. Not far from my house so there must be a pretty good population around.
Dale
This space for rent
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 268
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 268 |
have trapped them in the adds /lower NY and PA one of my favorite species to trap other than otter deer hunting in the ADKS end of October I had the pleasure of watching one for close to a half hour was cool to see it go about its business
|
|
|
|
548 members (1minute, 10gaugemag, 16penny, 06hunter59, 01Foreman400, 222Sako, 64 invisible),
2,407
guests, and
1,240
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,192,546
Posts18,491,649
Members73,972
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|