Stinky

What is the difference? How can you tell? Thanks.

extreme1

Description
Distinguishing Features - Overall colouration, thick, lustrous fur, varying from dark brown to black; random whitish to cream coloured patches on chest. In winter, colouration tends to be darker. Legs, short; claws, semi-retractable.
Size -
Male: .84 - 1.05 m (2.8 - 3.5 ft)
Female: .75 - .93 m (2.5 - 3.1 ft)
Habitat
Throughout Northwestern Ontario, preferring mature coniferous forests with heavy overhead canopy near water; stays clear of open areas.
Diet
Primarily a carnivore. The fisher is one of the few animals that will kill a porcupine. It will also eat anything else it can overwhelm; rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, insects, reptiles, fish, crayfish and carrion; some berries, seeds and tips of ferns.
Notes
The fisher is a wide-ranging, year round hunter, preferring to venture out at night. Because it has few natural enemies, the fisher population has remained stable. A female will produce one litter of 2 - 3 offspring a year







Pine Marten





Did you know that Pine Martens are in the mustelid or weasel-like mammal family?
Martens are related to mink, otters, badgers, wolverines, weasels, and skunks.
What do martens look like?
Pine martens are very agile and can climb high up in the tree tops. They are slender with a pointed face and a bushy tail. Their tail helps them balance in the trees. Male martens are larger than females. They are about the same length as a house cat. These cute animals are between 19-27 inches long including their tail which is from 5-9 inches long. They only weigh between 1-3 pounds. Pine martens are brown with paler underparts and dark brown legs. They have small rounded ears and sharp teeth for eating meat.



Where do martens live?
Martens prefer old coniferous forests in Northern climates. The Border Country is an ideal habitat for them. Martens live in most of Canada, the north western US, the Rockies, and New England. Martens like old growth forests best because there are plenty of dead trees to find food and shelter in. An old forest has a thick canopy that provides shade for the ground cover which stays dark and damp. This environment is ideal for small animals such as voles and squirrels.
What do Pine Martens like to eat?
Pine martens spend a lot of time searching the forest floor for rodents. Martens prefer to eat Red-backed voles. They will also eat other species of voles, mice, birds, flying squirrels, reptiles, and rabbits. Martens will eat honey, insects, conifer seeds, worms, eggs, and even berries.
How do Pine martens hunt?
Martens are fast, strong, and agile. They have lots of energy and leap from tree to tree zig zagging to find flying squirrels. They also forage along the ground poking their heads into crevices in rock piles, hollow logs and holes in search of prey. Sometimes they stalk their prey like a cat and other times they pounce at them from above.
Did you know that Pine Martens stay active all year round even in the winter?
Martens have special ways of keeping warm during the winter. They burrow into the snow which insulates them from the cold. Martens look for hollows in the snow around tree stumps and shrubs to find mice and other small mammals. They even have fur on the soles of their feet to keep them warm and to create a snowshoe effect when they walk!
Do Pine Martens live in groups?
No, martens prefer to live alone. When adult martens run into each other they will often growl and show their teeth. They live in ranges of between 5-15 square miles. When there are plenty of voles and mice available the martens only need a small range, but when food is scarce they must cover more territory.
When are young martens born?
Martens give birth to their young in March-April. They usually have litters of 2-5 young. The mother finds a suitable tree hollow or an abandoned den to raise her young in. The young martens nurse for the first 6 weeks of their lives.
Adult martens begin to mate when they are 1 or 2 years old. They mate in the middle of summer. The young are born 8 months later. It is quite unusual for an animal of this size to have such a long gestation period. This 8 month delay is important because it allows the young to be born during the spring when there is plenty of food and the weather conditions are favorable.
Did you know that martens have been trapped for years for their beautiful soft fur?
Pine martens almost became extinct due to the heavy amount of fur trapping in the 1700-1800s. The fur was traded to Europeans and was highly valued because of its warmth and its soft, luxurious feel. Trapping still goes on today in this country but with changing fashions and the increased awareness of the fur trade there is less demand for the marten fur. There are laws that protect the animals to prevent them from becoming extinct.
What are some other concerns facing the lives of pine martens?
Martens have very few enemies besides humans. Logging has had major effects on marten populations. Since the martens rely on old growth forests for food and shelter, clearing the forests leaves the animals hungry and homeless.
We are fortunate because here in the Border Country, because much of the forest is inaccessible for loggers and their trucks. Pine martens thrive here because of the large expanse of old growth trees and pristine wilderness.
What are some signs of marten activity?
Look for marten scat along fallen logs or rock piles. The droppings are about 5-6 inches long and may contain bits of nuts and berries. Their footprints are less than 2 inches wide and show 5 toe pads around a rounded heel pad.
You may be fortunate enough to see a marten jumping from tree to tree!

Stinky

Acording to the info you sent me, I think it is a Fisher. It says pine martins have a 5 to 9 inch tail. The tail on this is about 14 to 16 inches. He is sitting on a 14 to 16 inch piece of split wood.

HNI_Christine

It's a fisher.

The long tail gives it away.

mauser06

my vote is fisher. google images of "fisher"....

got any squirrels in the area?? my buddies camp use to be loaded with gray squirrels...up until they started seeing fishers. now they have fishers and no gray or black squirrels at all. for some reason, the red (pine squirrels) seem to be doing fine. we think its because they are faster and more elusive...fishers were released in the area to control the porcipine population...which i dont think they take care of anyways...i havent seen one yet...id like to though...neat lookin critter...hear they are mean as heck though...when people sum up fisher its usually "pi$$ed off house cat on steriods..."

HNI_Christine

Fisher pelts. (don't ask what the whipcream is for... )

Rick James

Yepper, its a fisher. I trapped a few of them when I was much younger. Got one on Christmas Day in Vermont when I was little.......I'll never forget what it looked like.

extreme1

Ya know,after reading the info I posted it aint no Pine Martin,but I really still have my doubts on it being a Fisher as well.If it is,I am wrong and appologise for it.

Mauser---I have seen alot,and I mean alot of Fishers in the woods while hunting and the pic Stinky posted does not look like one to me.Any Fisher I have seen is much bigger,wider with a more pronounced face.
Yes it's true,a pi$$ed off Fisher can turn a black bears tail the other direction Or so I have been told

wis_bow_huntr

its a martin, a fisher has a bigger flatter head.

wis_bow_huntr

I know what the whipped cream is for.....rub it into the pelt to preserve the shine...or you can rub it on your womans tush and hope it goes away....