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SE AK marten health #7156796
01/27/21 01:30 AM
01/27/21 01:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
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waggler Offline OP
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waggler  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
I just started trapping last week, much later than I usually start (December 1).
I am wondering if other trappers in SE AK have noticed that their marten are unusually fat and healthy this winter?
I am running into what seem like good numbers of marten, and marten that are particularly fat. I assume this might be because the winter has been so warm and snow-free?? Anyone else notice anything similar?


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7156808
01/27/21 01:40 AM
01/27/21 01:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 188
Southeast, Alaska
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SE.Current Offline
trapper
SE.Current  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 188
Southeast, Alaska
Record rainfall for last summer but the marten didn’t care. Thick fat around the inner thighs on the males since December 12th, couldn’t get out earlier due to weather.

Last edited by SE.Current; 01/27/21 01:43 AM.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7156818
01/27/21 02:02 AM
01/27/21 02:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,583
The Panhandle of Alaska
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mad_mike Offline
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The Panhandle of Alaska
The overall from my take are few Yoy’s. Mostly big males carrying a good bit of fat on them. I had attributed it to the early winter storms we had, but it has remained the trend for this season.


Advice? Wise men don't need it. Fools won't heed it.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7156833
01/27/21 02:36 AM
01/27/21 02:36 AM
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 87
Alaska
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flowingwater72 Offline
trapper
flowingwater72  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 87
Alaska
last year i found one set of track. this year at the same places i trapped last year there was marten all over. most where fat but i have had alot of mites on just about all my marten.

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7156965
01/27/21 08:31 AM
01/27/21 08:31 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,583
The Panhandle of Alaska
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mad_mike Offline
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,583
The Panhandle of Alaska
I should add that they are unusually dense this year. Better than half my marten typically grade into the Semi lots. This year has the majority being heavy.


Advice? Wise men don't need it. Fools won't heed it.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157015
01/27/21 09:23 AM
01/27/21 09:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
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waggler Offline OP
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waggler  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Alaska and Washington State
^^^^^
I noticed that also, but I just figured it's because I'm trapping late in the season this year rather than in December.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157232
01/27/21 12:16 PM
01/27/21 12:16 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,264
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Offline
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james bay frontierOnt.
You ever notice a difference on the guardhair finish on your marten in certain years?
Some years here the marten will have a beautiful long dark shiny guard hair finish on the pelts.
Other years the guard hairs are shorter and dont cover the under fur the same,making the pelts look slightly more wooly.
Therese Demers confirmed this last time I spoke with her a few years ago,that the collection will change in fur character from year to year for some unknown reason.I believe it is probably feed related.

Last edited by Boco; 01/27/21 12:16 PM.

Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157248
01/27/21 12:32 PM
01/27/21 12:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,116
Manitoba
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Northof50 Offline
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Manitoba
Therese did point that out in the NAFA booklet about marten, that it took a few thousand to get the hang of it in the finish of the pelages.

Interesting is that they lost the first copies of the pictures and had to photo shoot the next reprint, and this comment may have been striken.

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157332
01/27/21 01:46 PM
01/27/21 01:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
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alaska viking Offline
"Made it two years not being censored"
alaska viking  Offline
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Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
What marten I caught this year were indeed nice. Numbers were down, but quality up. Most were dark, but with fur like this one.
[Linked Image]


Made it almost 3 years without censor!

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157346
01/27/21 01:53 PM
01/27/21 01:53 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,686
Alaska
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drasselt Offline
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drasselt  Offline
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Alaska
The big mature males seem to always grade hvy where the yoy typically grade semi. Also January marten are more consistently hvy than December though colors seem to fade.


you can vote your way into socialism, but you will have to shoot your way out.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: Boco] #7157360
01/27/21 02:03 PM
01/27/21 02:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,583
The Panhandle of Alaska
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mad_mike Offline
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mad_mike  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2008
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The Panhandle of Alaska
Originally Posted by Boco
You ever notice a difference on the guardhair finish on your marten in certain years?
Some years here the marten will have a beautiful long dark shiny guard hair finish on the pelts.
Other years the guard hairs are shorter and dont cover the under fur the same,making the pelts look slightly more wooly.
Therese Demers confirmed this last time I spoke with her a few years ago,that the collection will change in fur character from year to year for some unknown reason.I believe it is probably feed related.

Yes I have noticed that. This season the guard hair are amazingly long and dark as you describe.


Advice? Wise men don't need it. Fools won't heed it.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157397
01/27/21 02:25 PM
01/27/21 02:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,264
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Offline
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james bay frontierOnt.
[Linked Image]
Last couple years they have had a nice finish on the guardhairs.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157409
01/27/21 02:40 PM
01/27/21 02:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,135
Armpit, ak
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Dirt Offline
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Dirt  Offline
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Armpit, ak
Last I looked marten prime in November.


Who is John Galt?
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7157469
01/27/21 03:22 PM
01/27/21 03:22 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Another neat marten educational thread....to add to the other one here !

Very nice info and photos.

Im waiting for input from another SE AK guy , if he wants to add his observations ....

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7158282
01/28/21 02:53 AM
01/28/21 02:53 AM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
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trapped4ever Offline
trapper
trapped4ever  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
Waggler,
There have been fat marten in every area I've trapped this year. Overall, vole numbers are below average, but Keen's Deer mice are at EXTREME abundance, and the marten seem to be capitalizing.......

As to marten priming, and HVY vs. SEMI, it all depends upon where you are trapping. In SE, marten definitely prime later than more interior regions, and have a higher percentage of SEMI in the mix. Up in the interior, and just North of the Arctic Circle, when I trapped up there, around 90% of the catch would grade HVY by November 1st, when the season opened. It was only an occasional YOY or female that would grade SEMI. Like drasselt mentioned, the YOY are commonly the bulk of the SEMI grades, in your harvest, with most of the adults, and almost all adult males being HVY. This is for interior regions. Down in the Toklat/ Teklanika area, it was around 80% HVY's, and in the SW/ Upper Kuskokwim area, I saw around 70-75% HVY's. Down in SE, there seems to be a lot more variation, with early Fall cold weather seeming to "promote" better fur growth, and diet certainly must play a part as well. I haven't been looking over the fur to close yet this season, since I've just been skinning them, and filling up the freezers, but I have finished 4 or 5 bundles. So far, my January marten are looking much nicer furred than my December marten did..... Some years here will see 50-60% HVY's, and others only 30-40%. Overall, SE marten are just generally a little more likely to fall down to the SEMI grade, with many of them right on the margin of being able to go either way. Much of the mainland in SE has better marten overall, than the islands, and areas like up Lynn Canal from Gustavus to Haines/ Skagway, and down the East side of Stephens Passage to Fredrick Sound, produces some really nice marten. Not always very easy to access them though..

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7158283
01/28/21 02:55 AM
01/28/21 02:55 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 446
Southeast, AK
R
rosscoak Offline
trapper
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 446
Southeast, AK
[Linked Image]

I have seen some 2xl males that were so fat we brought out the 2inch pvc pipe. Very healthy in most areas, very few females getting caught.
The hot areas seem to have an overabundance of them. I moved some line to a new area and usually take the cream of the crop in 1st and 2nd check.

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7158610
01/28/21 11:23 AM
01/28/21 11:23 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 188
Southeast, Alaska
S
SE.Current Offline
trapper
SE.Current  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 188
Southeast, Alaska
Last year I had an increase of stellar jays. This year the deer mice are very abundant and the red squirrels are down.
Their bellies are full of mice and shrimp tentacles (from what I can see)
Also caught two marten now with mice in their mouths on blind trail sets for mink

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7158756
01/28/21 01:07 PM
01/28/21 01:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Such good educational info, I like to see how regions are different .

Re: SE AK marten health [Re: waggler] #7160428
01/29/21 12:47 PM
01/29/21 12:47 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,264
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Offline
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Boco  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,264
james bay frontierOnt.
Marten can put on a lot of fat very quickly.
This is noticeable when you trap a marten that has been living in your jackpot sets for a couple days.
On the other hand,I think they will use up a fat reserve quickly if no other food is available due to their high metabolic rate.

[Linked Image]

Last edited by Boco; 01/29/21 12:53 PM.

Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: SE AK marten health [Re: Boco] #7160519
01/29/21 01:36 PM
01/29/21 01:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Seak
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Fishinak Offline
trapper
Fishinak  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 20
Seak
Holy smokes! I have never seen such a fatty!

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