Just moved to the St. Maries area. Been spending every chance I can up in the woods and it looks like great cat and marten area. Does anyone have any experience with marten in this area? Thinking above Avery with a snowmachine.

thanks in advance!

Welcome to Idaho ! From Montana

Jack ( Gulo) on here can well answer this for you.

St Maries is a pretty area.

That's good country, thought the same should be good for marten.
I've rode wheeler alot by Avery .

Father in-law hunted there and st.Joe

Got family in the Kellogg and Mullan area.

Enjoy

There are several Tman members in your area. One or two in Post Falls and at least 1 in CDA. I’m in Moscow, which is kinda close

I've been down there once and it looked like a great yote area.

Welcome. Don’t forget if you have never trapped in Idaho you have to take the mandatory trapping class.

teacherman -

I'll give you my perspective. Forty years ago I left Idaho. Spent nearly 30 years in Alaska (Glennallen, McGrath, Sitka, Fairbanks; worked pretty much the entire state except the Aleutians). Fifteen years ago I retired from ADF&G and returned to Idaho. I trapped the country around St. Maries off and on in the 1970s. Since returning to Idaho, I've trapped wolves in summers pretty much everywhere in the upper Joe and the upper North Fork Clearwater. I've done a small bit of fur trapping in the NF St. Joe about 9 years ago.

I'm assuming you trapped out of Wasilla when you were up there. I did a bit of trapping around Talkeetna, over on the Susitna Flats near Beluga, and some on the northern Kenai Peninsula. A big difference between Alaska and Idaho, of course, is the access as well as the sheer number of people. Most of the Joe, as you probably know, is roaded. Drive the upper elevations (the marten country) and you will find recent trapping activity (marten boxes) pretty much everywhere. Its relatively decent marten country for Idaho, but the density of furbearers is not like Alaska. I'm certainly not trying to be negative, just realistic. Once the marten season is underway (November 1) and there is sufficient snow on the ground, spend some time traveling in the high elevations, and, most areas, you will find other trappers. There are places, however, that are vacant (for whatever reason). Another worthwhile thing is to become active with the trapper organization in north Idaho (Intermountain Fur Harvesters). There are several real fine people (trappers) that are active members, and their perspectives will be invaluable.

If I can help with further questions, PM me, or simply ask on open forum if you think others might be interested. I currently live and trap 150 miles south of you, and I'm ancient enough that I'll probably never trap that far north again.

Jack

Jack, lots of your explanation raced in my mind when I first saw this thread ....and , like a spontaneous wee lass, I happily jumped up and down, shouting " Oh I know who is perfect for this response....pick me ! Pick me !"

Given that spontaneity, I feel though, I probably owe you a heartfelt apology. Some folks, for their own reasons, may not choose to give out info , or may not simply be in the frame of mind to post . You may not have minded at all. But in retrospect, that was your choice to make , and not my happy improvisation to make. Like the wee child who is just reacting to happy remembrance. That's me at times.

My apologies , sir Jack.

That stated, the only addition I would offer to teacherman, is a couple points of interest...the stand of huge cedar trees in the Avery/Pritchard areas, and a fine meal dining at The Snakepit.

Wissmiss also serves a heck of a pot roast dinner on Sundays for all that stop by. Swing in and say "howdy".

Certainly not a problem whatsoever, Sharon. Over the past 11-12 years I've spent quite a bit of time in the upper Joe. Without question, however, there are trappers in that country that know it much better than I. Teacherman and I are both Alaska transplants. In many ways, I still feel that I'm the new kid on the block in Idaho (although I was born in Idaho and trapped many places as a wee ankle-biter).

No question teacherman, the big trees in the Pritchard area or the ones near the headwaters of Marble Creek (south of Calder) are a must-see. Look close at all the big, pre-1910 fire cedars and youi'll find one here-and-there that have triangle's cut into the bole, usually at 6-8' off the ground. These are old marten cubbies. Very cool. Too, follow Sharon's advice and treat yourself on a Friday or Saturday night to a meal at the Snakepit. Do it in the winter though, as the tourons are a bit thick in summer.

I did trap around Wasilla but also up around Lake Louise up the Glenn Hwy and Cantwell up the Parks Hwy. I focused mostly on lynx and fox in my area, marten were never of abundance. I did take a few over the years but mostly bi catch in my lynx cubbies. Thanks for the info, this season I'm going to put on the miles with just a notebook. I need to take the Idaho test still and I'm not a resident until January.