Cage trap for fisher?

Any recommendations?

Back story - family friends down the road believe a fisher got one of their barn cats. They understand the risk of cats running free and nature being nature, but their daughter is determined to get “revenge” and applied for and received a fisher tag. They know I trap and asked if I have a live trap to borrow, and told of their plan to trap and shoot the fisher. I explained that shooting it would be illegal and that I don’t have a suitable live trap. They asked how I do it, and I explained foot holds and body grips, and dispatch. They aren’t opposed to these methods but are worried about catching other cats and dogs in the area (it is a semi-rural area of ~10 acre properties), so live trap it is.

Long story short, what would you do?
I see it as an opportunity to introduce new people to trapping. I’d like to provide a suitable live trap, along with lures, baits and the limited knowledge that I have to help. But I don’t know what is a good live trap for fisher.
Please save your anti feral cat responses, while I agree that feral cats are a problem for wildlife, that isn’t the issue, or opportunity here.

Thank you.

Fisher will enter a cage trap. Works best to cover the cage so it appears like a cave or hollow log. Sweet bait is quite affective for Fisher. They often camp out on Bear baits.
A 160 placed in front of the trap will dispatch without burning powder. It’s completely legal for me to dispatch an animal once trapped though.

Thanks 2poor!
Any particular cage trap, or minimum size cage trap, you’d recommend? Have a 12x12x29 Bridger on my wish list on MTP, about ready to pull the trigger, seems like it should work?

I'd put out more than one cage...in case one cage gets plugged up with a coon....possum...Kitty...

Skunk call lure above the cage too

Cory covered most of it. Use a QUALITY cage trap, not a Hav-a-Junk that you bought at the hardware store. A big male fisher is going to test the trap and make the inside shine like a new nickel. If it is a trap that allows the door to be opened by turning the trap upside down, stake it down to eliminate them rolling it over. Expect to need to repair the trap after a catch.

Nessie gives good advice here. The biggest variable will be if the fisher is staying in the area or comes through only every several days or even weeks and how many nontargets you will have to weed through. I've caught them in footholds, bodygrips, and coon size cage traps.I think in your case cages would be your best option. I have found in some rare cases a trap shy fisher wouldn't enter a cage or cubby type of set. Then I would use footholds outside of a cubby. In your situation I would start out with several cages if possible. Good luck!

All the above should put you (them) on the right path.The info about staking and covering cages is important. I use an old PC. of plywood cut to lay on top of trap with a stake on each side to keep trap from tipping as 160 mentioned.

Thank you very much everyone for your advice! THIS is what makes this place great!!

Any supplier for metal cage cubbies for 220's?

We use plywood boxes we made out of scrap pieces. Just big enough to set a 160 inside and either set on the ground or hung on a tree. Bait with some beaver meat and lure with a good skunky smelling lure.

We don’t have fishers here but I have used 3 tab roof shingles on top of cages and on the inside so they are not walking on wire. This helps with cage shy animals, guessing a fisher is pretty bold like a marten but again I have no experience with them just lots of cage trapping.
Like said I would stick with cages if in a populated area. I have caught a trespassing dog and it’s no fun even though it was trespassing.


wws