I am newer to the fisher game........spent too much time focused on coyotes!

I've caught enough to be dangerous, but certainly not ready to take my show on the road!

I wanted to scale my approach, and possibly put out dozens of sets to increase my odds.......therefore, folding cage cubbies seemed so logical to me.

Last year, at Minktoberfest, a handful of expert fisher trappers from Maine OR who live elsewhere and trap fisher/marten in Maine basically said this to me, in public:

Cages aren't as good for "fisha" as wooden boxes due to refusals!

What??

I basically ignored that advice, thinking that the bulk of them HAD to use complicated wooden boxes due to the lynx exclusion challenges in that state.

I thought, why in the world would I lug around big, heavy boxes compared to a cage that weighs nothing????

I caught my fair share of fisher this year, but experimented with cameras. I was surprised to see how many came up to the cages but would NOT go in. I cover my cages with evergreen boughs, leaves, small logs, sticks, etc. and you'd have to trip over them to find one. Looks like everything else in the woods.

My cages have NO floor for the first 7-8 inches and my 160's are set back in and recessed 8-inches to by NYS legal. Those first 8 inches of ground look and feel exactly like the surrounding ground, with leaves and sticks and dirt and (later) even snow.

I assumed some animals don't want to walk on wire, so I took this approach.

SO.......do fisher simply NOT commit suicide with ANY approach (cages, leaning poles, boxes) like we hope? I've heard "some fisher just won't climb" Well, that's why the bulk of my sets are on the ground.

Without cameras, I'd never even know about the refusals, and I'd guess the bulk of fisher trappers ALSO don't know about them...............

I'd LOVE to hear people's opinions on this, and while it's not worthy of being called "The Great Fisher Trapping Debate: Wire or Wood??" I sure have it in my head this way!

Thanks for any input!

Zagman

I was present when Zagman, just after stating that he had made dozens of his camo-painted, folding wire cubbies for the upcoming season, was told that the Maine guys prefer unpainted wood boxes. I was pretty sure Zagman cried a little bit, but he fought through it.

Some of the “fisha” guys said that they (accidentally) found bright-colored, natural wood boxes out-performed the painted wood boxes. The fisher were drawn to the boxes that stood-out.

Some fisher may just be weird and hesitate to enter a cage once they find it. My son had a fisher all around and even on top of a 12x12 cage trap, but it would not go into the trap.

Trail cameras showing the refusals sure do make a guy feel less capable I think you can solve most of the problem by stopping the use of trail cameras. What you don’t know won’t hurt you.

Funny....I did that "Quick Demo" and those guys (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) all over it........I shoulda went back up there and started over and said:

Do NOT do what I do! LOL

Maybe you are right......eliminate the cameras and sleep better! LOL

MZ

Living in Wisconsin, we are usually allowed 1 fisher per season so I'm not a big numbers fisher trapper. That being said, I've caught them in footholds, 160s, 220s, and even in a cage trap. As I've evolved as a fisher
trapper footholds have become my trap of choice. I have not used cameras "yet" while trapping. Back when I used only BG's in boxes or buckets I would see refusals when their was snow on the ground to tell me what transpired. Now I still use a baitholder box or cubbies with a foothold on each end outside the cubby. An added plus is you can still release nontarget catches like bobcat which I've had to do a few times. I might still set a BG or cage on occasion but have mostly went to footholds
The biggest problem I have is coon getting caught and destroying the set. Even in December, when I usually set for fisher they are still out if it warms up. Hope this helps somebody.

Both work.

We use only wood boxes, but have changed a number of them to have a wire back so they can easily see through them. Still haven’t caught enough to know if that makes a big difference or not. We also just set boxes on the ground, only have caught a couple with the box on the tree. I also had a camera on one of my boxes this year and had one fisher that just would not go in the box. Stuck its head in, climbed on it, tried to get thru the wire backing to get the bait, but wouldn’t go in. Was frustrating watching that thing work the set while I’m sitting at home…..May just forego the cameras to save the heartache!!!

Well, that makes me feel a LITTLE better!

MZ

Chalk it up to them being the turkeys of fur bearers ,one day they have brains, the next day they might as well be a dodo bird.

Not sure of NY laws for check times on body grips vs footholds, but we used to catch the heck out of them in footholds while fox trapping during Maines early canine season. Just a regular ol dirthole with a 1.75 in front and some lure down the hole. Just some extra food for thought.

I catch the majority of mine in dirt hole sets for coyotes, even caught them in coyote snares.

I usually catch mine in wooden boxes with 160's or 220's. This year I had out more foothold and caught my 2 fisher in footholds. Our season like most have snow on the ground so you can see if there is refusals. Using a foot hold they don't have to commit crawling into a box they just need to come check it out.

My mentor sets a foothold along side his hubby's to pick up the ones that don't want to commit. Picks up cats that was too.

I think Johnny Thorpe told me IF he sets a leaning pole with a body grip, he'd set a foot gripper on the ground as well near the bottom of the pole......


Here's what I cannot get my head around. Why or what would make a fisher reluctant to enter a cage OR box? They are in and out of holes, downed trees, uprooted trees, hollow logs, etc. all the time.

I know they are not smart, and maybe not even nervous like a coyote can be........

Is it hunger or lack of? I know guys say on BIG mast years, fisher trapping is tough because they are FULL on mast and therefore do not respond to baits as well.

I'd think a wild animal would take advantage of any and all free food they could find, as demonstrated by animals breaking into chicken houses and wiping out FAR more birds than they could ever devour on the spot.......so, with a fist-sized piece of venison or beaver or whatever 10 inches from their faces, why turn away from it?

I'll just assume its a normal thing and wear them out with patience!

MZ

I carpet bomb them. I set 3/4 traps together for fisher, pole set, dirt holes and a box (10" off ground). Never used cameras but dirt holes and boxes get the bulk. I put the box up so the animal can look in without crouching. Not sure if it helps but doesn't hurt. I also cut my triggers to 1/2" length for wide open view.

Here in PA we're only allowed one fisher a year so i don't set many traps for them. But all my fisher sets are coni boxes with 6.6 x 6.5 traps & all boxes made out of scrape wood, no two exactly the same. Just rough looking. Don't use cameras but don't notice refusals

These are my own thoughts on refusal to commit fully to cubbie type sets. First of all fisher sometimes roam in pairs or small family groups at times . I think if a fisher sees their running mate get caught in a cubby they (just like beaver and otter) can become cautious at cubbies or around a certain smell that signals danger. Some fisher, especially around farmland or suburban type of habitat may even have came close to being caught by poorly set body grips by suburbanite trappers protecting their bird feeder "pets" from getting eaten.
I've released fisher from coyote sets that might be suspicious of a skunky lure afterwards. I have also caught a fisher that was missing an appendage apparently as a result of somebody not checking footholds daily but that is another smell avoidance issue . Remember, nothing in
trapping is set in stone. I think in a true wilderness setting when trapping uneducated fisher none of these thoughts would hold water.

I know absolutely NOTHING about Fisher or Marten. But correct me if I am off base, in winter don't they both eat squirrels, chipmunks, mice and occasionally rabbits, a bird or two? Never heard of them eating mast (nut) crops. Wouldn't whatever they are feeding on that time of year be most attractive? Beaver and venison might be overlooked in a cubby but a squirrel skin or chipmunk might entice one better than big game parts. Here, if you want a mink to enter a mail tube it better have some feathers/fur hiding whatever bait you choose 'cause he will take a look with that long neck and if exposed at all in that "cubby", his curiosity for the bait is satisfied. He is less interested and maybe on his way. Like i stated "I know nothing about those fishers but here I hide bait in a cubby with fur or feathers to get an entrance response. My experience with a different animal type. .............the mike

Fisher are known to consume large quantities of beech nuts.

In addition, abundant mast years can also play into predator/prey dynamics:

More mast = more abundant food for important prey sources (rodents, etc.) = increased prey populations = fisher ( and marten) travel less distances to find the same, if not more, prey than during low mast years, in addition to consuming the mast themselves = less interactions with trap sets and thus trappers experience lower catches those years - on average.

Some additional literature:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/ne/newtown_...ports/pdfs/2005/331papers/jakubas331.pdf

Big fatty strong smelling meat like beaver hold their odor the best for fisher.Such things as squirrel,chipmunks,even muskrat dries out to fast and does not work as good.

I caught most of my fisher on large fish heads, beaver meat is great if ya can keep the mice from eating it all. Square buckets and mail tubes with 220 conibears in the square buckets and 120 belisles in the mail tubes.The idea of the big fish head is even if the mice eat all the meat out of the head they still have the visual of the big fish head in there. The only refusal I have seen is from some big males that don't want to climb if the set is elevated too much, but other than that they commit pretty hard. Also to mention is to find funnel points along big rivers with a feature-magnets for fishers.