I have two boys right now they're 9 and 15, we're going to rent a cabin in Michigans upper peninsula next year to see if we can get a fisher and a marten, maybe a bobcat too, I was looking at staying around Dickinson county. Fisher and marten is a new thing for me, any tips on location, what size traps, using boxes, baits or lures, really any advice you guys have for me I would appreciate it.

I don't know about fisher, but I use elevated boxes with 120's or 155's usually. I've been trying more old school running poles with #1 and #1.5 ls this winter, same idea just minus the box and using a longspring instead of conibear

The elevated boxes are they vertical on a tree or on a log laying on an angle?

Good luck trapping

Thanks, we're looking forward to it

Either way. I have both setups out currently

How do you attatch the box? Especially the vertical, we aren't allowed to nail or screw to trees here

Wire.

x2

How exactly do you wire it to get it to stay put?

Also what dimensions are the boxes, and what kind of wood are you using?

Around the box and tree.Tighten with pliers is how I do it.

Do you go around the whole box you do you have holes drilled towards the bottom of the box that you run the wire through?

I would drill holes in the box. I screw mine to the tree but if I forgot my drill I've wired them, but without holes to run the wire through it can be a pain to get them solid. I have went to building tapered boxes that nest inside each other so that you can carry more, but square boxes work fine. I've also used pots with a tee made of wood to both hold the trap and the pot. But prefer boxes. I set both leaning and vertical boxes but mostly vertical, because it is fast and easy and I've never noticed a difference in catch ratio. You can set boxes on the ground and they will also work. With a daily check ground boxes would be fine, although supposedly they will catch a higher percentage of female marten. I prefer to have my catch hanging out of reach of voles and mice though when running a three day check.

120s are what I like for marten and they will catch fisher fine also, but if I was really targeting fisher I might move up to 155 or 160 size traps.

How far off the ground are you running your vertical sets, and how deep are the boxes?

I go around the whole box myself.

My boxes are 16 inches deep and just large enough to accommodate a 120 magnum trap.
I use old worn out beaver boards or any scrap plywood You can make boxes 14 inch or even 12 inch but the 16 inch boxes can accommodate a large amount of bait which is critical when trapping marten.The guys like Paul Millette that trapped large numbers of marten pack their boxes full of bait leaving just enough room for the trap to fire.
The sides with the slots can be made of 1/2 inch plywood but the top and bottom should be 3/4 inch so they are solid when nailed together.
! inch rough lumber is the gold standard but unless you mill your own that can be expensive.Also boxes made from rough lumber are heavy.
Use 1/4 inch screen or 1/2 inch screen for the back,If you use the bigger 1 inch screen you will be constantly replacing bait.

Boco are you using the 120s for marten or are you using them for fisher too?

Good idea with the worn out beaver boards.Got that beaver smell right in the boards.

My main target is marten but I take fisher in the 120s.The belisle 120 super X is certified for fisher as well as marten as is the sauvageau 2001-5.The LDL B 120 magnum is not certified for fisher but I have taken plenty of incidental fisher humanely with the LDL in marten sets.
If my main target was fisher I would make boxes to fit the belisle 160 super X.