Any idea what would cause these tiny irregular holes in this marten?

I've had holes similar to those on marten. I used to think it was owls. Seems like I saw on here that it could be territorial biting from other marten.

Through the years, I've seen that in lots of marten. Back then, and still now, I attribute it to owls. I see the same thing in winter down here in Idaho with red foxes, although the puncture holes are somewhat bigger. I use deer stops on my snares, and about half the foxes are alive because the deer stops (at 7.5 inches) don't allow the snare to tighten down enough to kill the foxes. Often, foxes that are alive in the snares will show these holes. From the sign in the snow, these holes are from golden eagles that attack the snared foxes. Quite commonly, the foxes will be dead and partially consumed by the eagles. Basically, same thing I used to see on marten, although on a larger scale with the red foxes, suggesting to me that the "pinholes" in marten are indeed from owls. However, I don't deny that territorial biting may be responsible in some cases.

Jack

I have seen that a lot too and have seen multiple chickadees actually pecking on a dead marten...........especially if there is blood in the fur

Territorial biting is usually the legs and the neck.

Distance between the bite marks look like the canine teeth from another marten.
Did up 30 marten that was seized by DNR because of not approved traps one time. 110 conibears old style, the bulk look even worse than the picture. Back in the day when the averages were 200$++ and that lot, not one cleared 50$. When you looked at that individuals prior sales he was always 50-60% below average. Some guys just dont learn or care.
( the marten have time to reach back and bite themselves especially with poor clamping traps)

Small birds like chicadees or whiskeychans pecking on the frozen marten.

Ya the small birds pecking seems pretty plausible. There wasn’t really any obvious trauma to the carcass. Which I would expect if the holes were marten bites (self or territorial).
Thank you all for the thoughts.

Yes have seen and bloodshot or not might be an important part it. No DEAD animal will show bloodshot if bitten, hit or shot. Bloodshot ONLY occurs w live animals. Dead animals do not bleed.

Have explained to many big game hunters that "cut the throat" first thing of a downed animal means nothing if dead. Dead animals do not bleed. The assumption being that bled animals make better eating. E.g. shot beaver better than trapped beaver or snared vs. shot rabbits.

"Cut the throat" comes from back in the day of small farm raised animals when kill them came. They were stunned w a maul (or what ever) and throats cut right away while still "technically alive" and heart pumping. Blood was collected from the cut throat and saved for things like blood pudding. Nothing was wasted back in the day.

Point is whether those bit marks on marten are blood shot or not.

Could be different things. My first thought is jays. I think they will pick at a marten - or whatever - dead or alive as long as they think safe to do so.

Can not prove and just my thought on it.

Easy to tell the difference between post mortem and pre mortem bites on a beaver. Especially when trapping in spring and using lure.if smaller beaver dont get into the water before expiring they can look like someone shot them with buckshot.
Post mortem-no blood stained leather around the bite.Same with any animal.

If you look really closely when just coming off the animal, if it is a Ixodes tick attached you can see the tooth mouth parts that get under the skin in their bite. As black spots you can actually feel them. Only have pics of coyotes,as the Ixodes that have been on my marten are ear and ruff areas