Camera Hunting for a Fisher

During gun season for deer I noticed some animal tracks in the snow that I didn't recognize. There were five distinct clawed toe marks. However, they were too big for mink tracks and I don't believe there are otters in this immediate area. I saw the same tracks again last Sunday.

Last week I received the NYS Conservationist magazine and, low and behold, they had a picture of a fisher on the front cover and a story inside telling how the fishers have expanded their range out of the Adirondacks and into other areas of NY state. The story included a photo of their tracks which perfectly matched the ones I had seen in the snow. A side bar to the story indicated that NYS DEC was conducting a study to determine the fisher's current range in NYS. They encouraged people to report sightings. I called them and had a nice discussion with a DEC person. He said they have already determined the locations of their study areas and camera traps.

He called me back this morning and wanted a more exact location of the tracks. He then encouraged me to set up my trail camera and try to get some photos of the fisher. He really wanted me to send him any photos that I obtained.

So, a camera hunt for a fisher is on!

They are curious little critters. They are common around here. Trappers take a fair number every year, but it hasn't hurt the population noticeably.

I trapped one in northern Michigan several years ago. Very beautiful pelts. They tend to be attracted to skunk spray if that helps?

I watched two fisher in my field one morning just as it was breaking daylight . I really wasn't sure what they were at first . when I watched them run they reminded me of how a ferret runs , hump back hop type of run . I googled them and got a few pics to look at , that confirmed it , they were fishers .

Very cool. They look real similar to marten... be sure to use something as a visual attractant suspended on a string- old CDs or grouse wings work well. A few drops of lure on an old piece of hide will drag them in from quite a ways off too.

We have a good population here but it takes 3-4 years for a tag to trap them. I called on to my bow stand one morning with lip squeaks. They are aggressive animals. I had one attack a spine shot deer one time that make a loud bleat noise when I hit it. If you want pictures, take a bucket and set it on it's side. From there, put some deer scraps/beaver scrap/or any other meat. Next take a pipe cleaner and twist it on a limb head high and dip it in a skunky trapping lure. Put your camera in front of the bucket and you will see a fisher. We see them on our bear baits all the time.

I used to see them fairly often in southern Quebec, on the NY border down near Sherbrooke, years ago.

I've seen the pine marten, but never a fisher. One marten was playing peek-a-boo with me while I was eating lunch on an elk hunt. Pretty cool.

Looking forward to your photos! Good luck!

Not sure I have seen a fisher, but several Pine Martin's and really unusual for the lower 48 a "wolverine".

The only Wolverine that I have ever seen was in Northern Quebec.

We do see wolverines from time-to-time here and farther south. I am told there is a reasonable population of wolverine in Montana.

Sorry readers. I have no fisher photos yet. Apparently, camera hunting is a lot like regular hunting. You know, forgeting to load the gun, neglecting to take the safety off, etc.

This afternoon, I went down to change out the memory card in my trail camera I am using for the Fisher camera hunt. As I approached the camera I got all excited. There were fisher tracks in the snow only two feet in front of the camera. I was so excited. Then I opened up the back of the camera only to find that I had never turned it back on the last time I had swapped out the memory cards.

However, I went up on the hill to check out the den tree I had seen earlier in the year. When I had discovered the den tree there was no snow on the ground and I couldn't tell what was using it - only that it was in use. I checked it today. The tracks weren't clear, but I am am pretty sure it is the fisher's den.

I will be moving the camera to cover the den tree tomorrow or Monday. :grin:

DrMike":2v5sdb4r said:

We do see wolverines from time-to-time here and farther south. I am told there is a reasonable population of wolverine in Montana.

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My dad and I were heading on an antelope and mule deer hunt one evening after he got off work and it was late at night. We were traveling near Wisdom Montana in the Big Hole Valley and we had a wolverine run across the highway in front of us. Pretty cool. Been lucky to also see a couple of fisher's but it's been a while.

Saw lots of fisher tracks today as we worked our way through the northern bush; also several wolverine tracks in the snow. Most fascinating.

Success in getting a photo of a fisher in Steuben County of New York.

Congratulations!

Yea! You did it, Dan. Congratulations.

Very nice!

Nice picture!!! They are cool animals.

Well, I finally laid eyes on a fisher yesterday. In fact I saw three of them. I was driving along a country road (only a short distance from where the photo above was taken) with a marshy area on the left and a steep wooded hill on the right. Way in front of me three fishers jumped down off the bank on the right and bounced down the road for a ways and then disappeared into the marsh area on the left. They appeared to be an adult and two 3/4 grown pups. They moved just like the videos I have seen of otters.

Also this summer, at the age of 66, I saw my first bobcat. Then I saw another just 10 days later. The amount and variety of wildlife in this area continues to amaze me. I love seeing the eagles almost every day.