Posted: 11/5/2009 3:26:02 PM EDT
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MD has a population of fisher in the NWesternmost mountains, tight to PA and WVa. Record harvest was 50 couple last year, and state just bumped season limit from one to two. One of my sons thought it would be fun to get after them, so we loaded up the truck earlier this week, and made to 200+ mile trip.
Got a late start, so got less than a dozen sets in before it got dark (and COLD- about froze sleeping in the truck bed, low 20s) Next morning, first few canine sets were empty. Moved on to an area we thought looked "fishery-ish) and first trap empty, second sprung by a deer. Moved on to the next site, and what was there to greet us? 
Our first fisher, female! To say were ecstatic would be an understatement! 
Checked the next set,nothing, then drove on a 1/2 mile or so to the next pair.Sent my son down to check them.He comes up and nonchalantly says "got another." 
Male, and what he was doing there, I have NO idea! But I ain't complaining! So, caught our season limit in 15 minutes. I've always said, I'd rather be lucky than good. And you all know the one about the blind hog and acorns! 
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Quoted:
What are your plains for these two - mount one, wall rug, skull mount??? Yes,yes,and yes. 
I cased skinned the smaller female, and will have her tanned. I have most other native furbearers done already. We also do outreach events for our State trapping association, and only have one fisher pelt at present,so it'd be nice to be able to loan one for times when we have more than one event. I'm mounting the larger male. I dabble in taxidermy-my brother calls my efforts "10 Yard Taxidermy", cause it don't look bad- from 30 feet! I save a lot of skulls and preserve them, so I DEFINATELY doing these! |
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Quoted:
Interesting, I didn't know we had Fishers in Maryland. What do you do with them? Also, it looks like they are alive in the traps - how do you dispatch them, handgun, shotgun...? Most canines, I just give a quick rap on the head, then a chest compression, but am starting to use the throat whack. Looks like it's quickly gaining favor among biologists, vets ,etc as the most humane method for some species. Since I had never dealt with, or even SEEN, a live fisher before, I wasn't sure, PLUS, I wanted to save the skulls, so a .22 thru the lungs. Went down FAST! Afterwards, talked with a biologist who said the throat works great on them. |
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Maryland is full of fishers Restocked them in 1969 Were you on public lands? I wouldn't say MD was full of fishers. Less than 10% of the State has any, by area
I think there were two taken in Alleghany county and the balance in Garrett co. ('07 data, haven't seen '08 yet) And out of the 50 couple reported taken last year, 1/2 were trapped, the balance were shot by bow or gun, which is about the average split. Ran into a local guy who had yet to catch one, but keeps catching bobcats. 10-4 on the public land. Thre's a fair bit of it. |
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Hey Dave would a fisher respond to calls? I suspect they would, as they're BOLD and always hungry, but low densities and large home ranges may make for a lot of fisher-less hours. But hey, it's ALWAYS better than working, and SOMETHING is bound to come in. |
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To say were ecstatic would be an understatement!
Good Grief your boy is salty  cause if thats his ecstatic face remind me never to piss him off 
ETA- Just realized if read this wrong you might take offense, I assure you none intended. It was the combination of your obvious excitement by your words and your boys stern visage that combined to create my lulz.
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Well, I was thinking about heading out that way myself but since it's so easy to get Fishers I think I'll pass Just kidding! Good job!
Up in PA last Nov, I walked up on the first porcupine I've ever seen in the wild. That was pretty cool. The reason I mention it is that I've heard that Fishers are making a comeback up there and from what I'm told, porcupines are a preferred food source. Every hear that? |
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Quoted: Up in PA last Nov, I walked up on the first porcupine I've ever seen in the wild. That was pretty cool. The reason I mention it is that I've heard that Fishers are making a comeback up there and from what I'm told, porcupines are a preferred food source. Every hear that? Absolutely true. Though I have not verified the source, I've heard that fisher cats were trapped and released into areas with a high porcupine population to reduce the porcupines. After they killed/ate just about all of the porcupines in the Adirondacks, they turned to game birds and small domestic animals. |
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They can,will, and DO eat porkies.
Some of the guys tell me they've caught some fisher with quills stuck in their faces. Even NAFA mentions it in their fur handling guide. I've always heard a good portion of their diet is squirrels. As requested by a biologist up there, I have saved the stomachs from these two and will get them back up to them for a diet study the local college is doing. Will ask for a copy of their results as well. I believe they will at anything/everthing. Supposedly a study in NY found a button, a piece of flannel, and some human DNA in one.
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