Other than opossums, the only animal that's more impossible to keep out of a trap is a marten. IF they do survive reintroduction, don't plan on trapping anything in the reintroduction zones unless you're using cage traps

I didn’t see anywhere on this thread where anybody was saying they would harm hunting. Although it is my understanding that they will prey on squirrels and rabbits and are also known nest-raiders/egg-eaters.

You expressed concern about them eating your turkeys. And about small game populations.

Skinner, I brought up the turkey's being eaten by the reintroduction the Fisher
I'd like to be able to trap marten in PA, but we should address other issues in the animal management programs first
Like where did all of the muskrats go in the Susquehanna river

We trap around fisher who get into every kind of set already, and don't have any regulations regarding them. Never did, that I know of. Otter have some affect on beaver regulations during the one week season, but mostly if you accidentally kill a non target you are supposed to report it, otherwise, catch and release.

Skinner I know you have Fisher in your area, how's your turkey population

Aren't they already running a study on muskrats? I thought the factors are kinda obvious, but it would be good to have official confirmation.

Why do you think there's no muskrats in the Susquehanna?

I'm not a bird hunter, but I see turkey around and the dedicated turkey hunter seem to do ok. My opinion on birds is we need fifty dollar coon to even start to affect the egg eater problem. I must have killed a dozen possum on one coon trail too. Those are the real bird killers. IMO.

The short answer is flying predators and habitat changes. I've observed our muskrats change how they live here over 40 plus years. Open lakes and streams aren't holding many. We have some populations in the thick stuff, beaver swamps, etc. And dry summers are harder on them of course.

Did anyone ever hear results of the
muskrat study by Matt L. that
was pushed on us at Pa trapper forum?

Waggs, above 3000' throws
a real damper on this fire.

I never expressed any such concern. I was referring to fishers eating turkey, not marten.

How much you want to bet the PGC goes ahead with the plan anyhow?

They are beautiful. But if they won’t do well here I will change my mind about the whole thing.
Not that my vote matters in the least. There was a meeting about it but I didn’t get to attend due to another obligation. It would have been nice to learn

We have a lot of fishers. I’ve caught a season high of six. I’m only trapping on 1200 mostly wooded acres. We also have a lot of turkey. Several of us fill three turkey tags every year. I tell folks that I see more fisher tracks in the snow than I do all canines combined. But still see turkeys regularly.

If all the prey numbers are being devastated by fishers, what do fishers eat? Somebody packing them a lunch? It would be the same with martens. They aren’t gonna decimate the prey species.


As to the PGC putting restrictions on trapping in areas where martens might be introduced, they didn’t do that with fishers. I’ve never trapped martens, but they can’t be any dumber than fishers. Super easy to catch. They turn up in every type of set. Coon sets, canine sets….i even caught one in a 330 guarding a castor mound while beaver trapping.

Not taking sides, but there are other northeastern states with Marten populations.

Big Brownie how are you able to catch more than one fisher in PA? Or did you go to another state for them?

Boco has marten. Boco don't have mountains. Marten need snow, not mountains. They don't even need evergreens. Fisher and marten compete, snow gives marten the advantage.

While we're at it.
Can we get a $tudy on a bear season
as sweet corn approaches a dollar a cob.
Plenty of em what we waiting for.
Seems a waste shooting in the middle
and let em die in the neighbor's creek.
Which is perfectly legal to protect property by the way.
One mans trophy is anothers nuisance.

That’s hardly a haiku