Independent Federal project might be a good guess. They like to do things on their own without input from the state.

I've trapped the exact same area above Steamboat Springs for marten since 1989 and my average size in December is XL with a few 2XL and a few LG, they mostly grade as a semi heavy brown and light brown 38 of 41 skins averaged a hair over $48 USD last year, 3 skins were nibbled on so I don't count those. How do October skins do price wise if I might ask? I'm curious to see if two months makes a difference in size as well.

Colorado no longer has a furbearer biologist to the best of my knowledge, otherwise I'd ask him about these tagged marten. They did away with that position when they banned trapping with legholds and conibears in this state.

Have info. request gone direct to a Colo. state contact.

Cathryn - looks like I have the right contact. Marten w left ear 167 and right ear 133 was tagged on Whiskey Creek along FR512.

He says second marten numbers not matching his database - pls. confirm numbers with Jerry on the second marten. Also please note original number you posted for first marten was "67" left and their records show "167". Please confirm left ear tag number of the first marten with Jerry also.

crosspatch (and Cathryn) - I've been intrigued by this whole episode. Thanks for posting it and keeping up with the sleuthing. That first marten identified from Whiskey Creek was captured and marked when? What was the study designed to tell the biologists?

Jack

Forgot to mention I have requested capture date and, if known, age by first premolar if it has been extracted and examined.

And yes will be asking for study details e.g. purpose, length of study and results as they may become available.

Thanks crosspatch. Watching with greatest interest.

First marten was captured Oct. 4 - just 16 days before Jerry got it. Purpose of study, without a bunch of complicated details, is to come up with a population estimate for marten in Colorado. For those purposes, extraction of first premolar for aging, is not necessary.

That pretty amazing that Colorado is doing any research into marten. I doubt they have made it public.

Wonder how far that one moved in 16 days from Whiskey Creek to where Jerry caught it?

TTT for Cathryn to double check tag numbers with Jerry.

We have the right biologist but tag numbers not a match for second marten. He thinks he knows which female marten the second one is but needs the numbers confirmed.

And looks like left ear for first marten should be "167" and not "67". Pls. check to be sure also.

Appreciate communications with Jerry are irregular.

Interesting thread. I did hear last year that they were planning on a Marten study in Colorado and the local District Manager for Parks & Wildlife did drop in to see me last spring and asked where I had been catching Marten in my area of the Roaring Fork but didn't put 2 and 2 together. Who knows, maybe I'll end up with some tags on my life this year.

Yes it was 167

He doesn't care if anyone else traps there
Hes confident he can hols his own and catch his fair share

087 in left ear of second marten 155 in right

167 left and 133 in right ear of first

Ty crosapatch
I will forward the info to Jerry

He has the carcass of #2 if they need it

Ken, that fire was last summer into fall, they shut off most of the hunting season in there because of it, typical fire, burned a lot of beetle kill dead and down, it needed to burn, but it missed a lot of patches too, wasn't half the snowys, but almost 200 thousand acres, it's the area I was telling you about where I was getting trail cam videos of the marten.

According to Jerry
Last year

Cathryn here is the direct contact for the biologist in Colorado. No need me in the process now - just an unnecessary step. Keep the thread informed as you can w info. from Jerry and the biologist.

jake.ivan@state.co.us