I've been looking around the archives and can't seem to find any info about how far apart fisher sets should be located. Is it similar to Mink trapping, where you must cover lots of ground? Or is it not as critical to spread your sets out so much? Also, I notice that there are four common types of sets that involve conibears. The horizontal box on a running pole, the vertical box on a small tree, the 45-degree angle box on a pole, and finally, the box on the ground. What type of box position/set do you prefer, and why? I have limited traps and would like to use them as efficiently as possible. Thanks

Here are a couple of pics of two fisher (tracks) running together. One side of my wheeler shows them running the same path through eight or ten inches of snow and they split just the other side of the road. This is the fourth or fifth time they've come through the area near my cabin where I have sets out but they haven't come through in the same spot twice. Usually separated by a couple hundred yards this way or that. One danced on the pan of a MB550 that wasn't tended to fast enough after a freezing rain and I missed another in a Bridger 1.75 seventy-five yards away. One was a dirt hole and the other a cubby set. They come through about every four or five days. I need to plug more holes in the area.

In my area I would set fisher traps about 1/2 to 3/4 mile apart within suitable habitat. The habitat here generally being of heavily treed mixed coniferous forest areas with lots of dead fall (heavy woody debris) along or near riparian areas. They prefer to travel and hunt under a well closed forest canopy. My preferred set is a box on a leaning tree or pole at about 45 degrees. Elevated catches are less prone to damage from rodents and squirrels and set at an angle will fall from the box easier than a horizontal set.

Thanks for the responses guys, i've got about 15 fisher traps to use for our short five day season, so I will likely spread them out over a bit of an area. Will probably do mostly 45-degree angle sets and maybe throw some of the other types in there just to try them. I'm new to this kind of trapping so it should be interesting to see how it goes.

I trap them in the mountains. Fisher seem to hunt areas that have low understory. They are not as fond of open areas with high canopies. I can only assume they do not want to be hunted by avian predators as they themselves hunt.
What I did was look at my trapping area on Google Earth. I was fortunate the pics were taken when the leaves were off. This allowed me to see the areas of the mountainside with rhodedendrum which keep their leaves in winter. This low understory holds lots of food for fisher and protection from avian predators. I then set up these areas. I make one set on the upper edge and one on the lower to take advantage of wind directions. I place these two sets every 1/2 mile or so if the area is long. Other shorter areas I just make the 2 sets High and low.
Maybe you could adapt this research to your area?
I use chunks of meat for bait (mostly deer or beaver). I use 2 lures at each set. 1 at ground level. 1 as high as I can reach. I use canine lures mostly at ground level. Up high I use a strong skunk lure like Dunlap’s - F
ire.
I use only conibears on the ground. I set them in cubbies I made from corrugated plastic. I made them with no bottoms. Easier to bait that way. I just pick them up and place bait where the rear of the cubbie goes. I place the cubbie in ground cover which blocks the rear and sides to help guide them to the opening with the trap. In early season I have issues with bear. With these bears just flip the cubbie and trap out of the way. If they had a bottom bear will destroy them getting at the bait.
I use corrugated plastic on the trigger wires turning them into trap pans. To modify I first bend each trigger wire outward 90 degrees. Then 1/2 inch out from the base I bend each wire straight up 90 degrees. I then grab each wire at the base and bend them to the inside of the trap 90 degrees. I now have the wires bent horizontal to the ground with the ends one inch apart. I slide my corrugated plastic onto them making a pan.
When setting I place the trap with the trigger on the outside jaw. This way the wires with the corrugated pan are pointing inside the cubbie.
This setup results in double suitcase strikes. Chest and neck. I believe the pan lookes like a perfect place for the fiher to place both front feet when it lunges to enter. Just picture how fisher lope as they move.
Originally I set with wires facing down and up. I only got neck catches. I believe they were pushing to enter.
Hope this helps.
Good luck!!

I have The Best Luck with wooden Coni boxs on the ground, and either a 160 or 220 Belisle set back in 7 inches . Wire mesh back with beaver meat and gusto In the back. Gusto on a rag hanging outside near or right above.

I too like the wooden boxes set on the ground with a 160 or 220. recessed in 7". This is important to avoid killing a dog. Should a dog get his nose that far into the box it would only hit him across the bridge of the nose (non fatal).You will get far more fisher hits on the ground than on a pole. If using a pole without a box the angle should be about 60 degrees. Be careful of pole location, because fisher have nasty habit of running up a nearby tree and leaping across and coming down on bait from above.Of course a box would avoid that, but
I'm not a fan of boxes on poles, just too darn heavy to lug around, much prefer using wire cages on vertical trees. Can be set where you want without looking for the perfect tree or pole.
Beaver is bait of choice, followed by deer liver or heart. Skunk is the attractant.I prefer 160's or 220's. I'm getting rid of my 155's. Too small in my opinion.

Driftlesstrapper thanks for asking this! Trying to find options for this myself. I have a 2 week season coming up and between us we have 3 fisher tags. would love to see one of get one for sure. Second year trapping. Sounds like great ideas so far but would you guys happen to have any pictures of these completed sets? i know not everyone takes pictures of their sets but hopefully someone can help us. I am a visual learner.. thanks!!

Pan trigger trap recessed into box close to the bait results in humane neck or suitcase catch every time. This happens because the animal is, oriented to and stable at the bait when it triggers the trap standing on the pan or bumping it with it's head while working the bait, not moving through the trap to get to the bait.

I'm partial to the Noonan Wire Cage Set, lightweight, sets up quick and everything needed fits right in it to carry in and out. I use #155's, largely due to local regulations. Body-gripping traps, in my area, measuring less than 5-1/2" may be set in any manner with or without the use of bait.

I have used the Wooden Cubbie Box on the ground... they are heavy.

Another good option I don't see mentioned is the Flower Pot Set. They are lightweight and don't get buried in snow as easily as the wooden cubbie.

After using wood boxes, running pole sets, plastic ice cream pails, and a few accidental methods, I have concluded there is not much in terms of actual set construction that won't kill a fisher.

And I find the best way to know where to set is to shotgun a bunch of sets. I have locations I am sure will be dynamite, and have never caught one, and sets that for no discernable reason catch three or four fisher a year.

Fisher live by searching out food with their noses and feet. Make it easy for them to find and you will catch fisher.

If time allows this method will catch fisher & marten quick. A week or so before you want to start trapping pre-bait. A beaver in a tree works well. Some fisher will hit and run others will stay near the bait until it's gone. I like to put two sets at each pre-bait location and for best results you need to set the traps before the bait is completely eaten. I have had good results with footholds and body-grips in boxes. This beaver was hung on Nov 30 & the fisher showed up 9 days later & 3 days after the fisher showed the beaver was gone. Something moved the cameral.

I use the Noonan wire mesh cages too ...light weight...set up quick...and 1 piece of beaver meat in the cage lasts all season,for me...The month of December. I weave pine/Hemlock bows into the cage to keep the birds off it and the snow off the bait...plus hide the set. And I put 2 running pole sets about 30 yards apart....just Incase a coon gets in one of them...or a weasel.

Great pictures. I have gone to cutting up those political signs and use them as a roof on my cages; keeps snoe, rain, and especially freezing rain off of the bait and trap.
Personally I don't care for the 155's. No marten in my area, only fisher. Had too many misses with them. Never a miss with a 160 or 220. I believe location is most crical.

you know fisher sometimes run together male female i make two sets next to each other,good luck

Bump

I always set 2 boxes near each other. Sometimes you can get a double and sometimes a trap will be put out of commission from a weasel or coon.

I always preferred 220 boxes made in accordance with Wisconsin regulations. Over time, you'll figure out their travel routes. On years when I had only 1 tag, I only set one, guaranteed spot. It was just a matter of time...usually during the first, light snowfall.

I haven't trapped fisher in years and won't until prices improve.

X2
On the ground here also. We're allowed to use up to a 6.5x6.5 size trap for boxes.
Muskrat carcass is great bait also