Fisher

[nube]

Hey guys teach me what you know about Fisher in Alberta. One of the big reasons for me buying a line that gets me excited is fisher and lynx. I have done some looking on the internet about Fisher and lynx numbers in certain areas and I can not find much. I am trying to figure out what the Fisher and lynx numbers are like in in the Fox creek area. I hope that they are good but from some trappers I have talked with it seems like there are more Fisher and lynx more north towards the Peace area? Not sure about that but does anyone know of any studies or any idea how these populations are doing in the fox creek area?

[Red Bullets]

In Alberta the lynx population cycle is roughly a 10 year cycle. The peaks in the past seem to fall out in the middle of the decade. (eg. 1925. 1935.)

This is an old chart indicating some stats.


Here is a link to a project going on right now in Alberta. An email to them could maybe tell you where the lynx are in their population cycle.

http://www.ualberta.ca/~gyates/projectlynx/index.html

As for fisher you could go back to the old records from your line to see how many were harvested in different years. If you have those records. ESRD F&W management(not the regular F&W offices) might have such stats on record too.

[APAShooter]

We've been seeing a lot more Fisher in the last couple of years on our trail cams at our bear baits. Not in your area, we're northeast of Edmonton, but i would guess that it might translate across (about the same latitude).

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

In Alberta the lynx population cycle is roughly a 10 year cycle. The peaks in the past seem to fall out in the middle of the decade. (eg. 1925. 1935.)

According to that chart any year that ends with a 5 should be the peak year for lynx. This doesn't surprise me as I've seen a lot of rabbits this year and last.....more than usual. I think that this will be a good year for fellas trapping lynx.

[Redfrog]

Can't help with the trapping, but have had fisher and lynx come to the call.

[jim summit]

The peak for Lynx seems to be past in our area, might be at peak further south. As for fisher they seem to be in good numbers,
As far as Lynx cycles, some areas will always have lynx, other areas will only have them at the best of times.

[moose maniac]

Not much help for you nube but I am north of red earth and my fisher numbers are definetly increasing

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

According to that chart any year that ends with a 5 should be the peak year for lynx. This doesn't surprise me as I've seen a lot of rabbits this year and last.....more than usual. I think that this will be a good year for fellas trapping lynx.

The cycle is actually 9.6 years so over a few decades the "5th" year might not apply.

When the rabbit population cycle peaks, the lynx population will increase the following year.

[war-dog]

I've been watching a guy on YouTube and his channel is called trapping world and I think he's by whitecourt and in his vids he has caught quite a few fisher and lynx. It's not real close to fox creek but in the general area. Interested to see how you do this year!

[Thunder Elk Hunter]

Nube, Find the rabbits on the line and then you will find the fisher and lynx. There were some nice meadows along the Athabasca, south and west of your main cabins. If they are still there these were good spots and there was good areas along the Marsh Head that held cats and fisher.

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by Thunder Elk Hunter

Nube, Find the rabbits on the line and then you will find the fisher and lynx. There were some nice meadows along the Athabasca, south and west of your main cabins. If they are still there these were good spots and there was good areas along the Marsh Head that held cats and fisher.

X2, find the willows along the river.

[357xp]

120's work for fisher, but, I can tell u this much, a big male looks huge in a 120!
A 160 or even a 220 would be more ideal for fisher imo. But since the main target is marten, we choose the setup that works best for them.
You could make some fisher only sets in areas where u know they are. If you have an elevated set make sure u use a big climbing log. That's my pennies worth.

[pickrel pat]

Fisher ...... Snare horizontal pole set, beaver carc in the middle, dab of lure, snare on each side. Preferably in deciduous stands as opposed to coniferous, lessens the incidental marten body/hind quarter catches.

[nube]

Originally Posted by Thunder Elk Hunter

Nube, Find the rabbits on the line and then you will find the fisher and lynx. There were some nice meadows along the Athabasca, south and west of your main cabins. If they are still there these were good spots and there was good areas along the Marsh Head that held cats and fisher.

I don't get quite down to the Athabasca river but close. I think my line goes just on the south side of the ANC road.
I do have the Marsh head creek but more likely and the best is I plan to cut a trail and make a circle around the little smokey river. It has some steeper banks and some area that doesn't seem to be all torn up and logged out. I suspect I may even find a wolverine down in a few holes along it. I have hopes to find a few there and want to mount a big old male if I can get a 14 or 15 lber.
Thanks for the info guys. I am real curious to see what there is on that line. Hope I am not disappointed. Should be fun anyhow

[waterninja]

I used to go along with my grandfather to check his traps in the 60's and did some trapping of my own in the 70's. Things have sure changed since then, and all I can add to this thread is that I look foreward to seeing your pics. of lynx, fisher and wolverine in the up-coming season. good-luck.

[The Spruce]

Nube,

Your new area will have some Fisher, but mainly Marten. My advice, for what it is worth....

1-Use 220 bucket sets with bait anchored in "top" of pail on ground. This will get you Lynx, Fisher, the odd Marten, and maybe even Mr. Wolverine. Make sure your traps are very well secured, and tied off up high. Don't use the short square buckets, rather the long buckets. Test fire each set once to ensure trap "fly's" out of bucket.

2-Anywhere that you set a Wolf or Coyote bait on the line, also put a couple 120 or 160 boxes on running poles. Ensure they are quite high off of ground, Fishers are long, boxes at baits should require a stepping stool to deal with.

3-Your Marten sets will catch you Fisher, either 120 or 160 are fine. In your case I would go with 120's due to higher Marten numbers. A 160 will do some fur damage on a marten from time to time. Just make sure the animal will swing into open air when caught. Fishers are fighters, it is very important that they are choked as well once caught. I have had Fishers tare boxes right off trees when caught, so be sure they are anchored well.

4-Trap dense mixed bush for Fishers. The birchy/poplar areas with thick growth are the best. I rarely catch them in pines. Thicker, uglier the better. Don't be afraid to put sets right off main roads either, as I have found that Fishers will hunt roads just like Cats or Yotes. I got 4 in one set off a road in a thick low area last winter.

5-Use a Fisher scent, and BEAVER MEAT is the key for bait. I have found that feathers around sets can also be a good attractant.

Good luck!

[nube]

That is some good advice there. Maybe I should have a few 330 lumber box traps set up and spread those out along the line. Might catch the odd lynx or fox that way as well.
Question on the Fisher lure. Is it really going to help much with Fisher lure over marten lure? Seems like it all stinks the same?

[jim summit]

Found some more fisher pics. All caught in sets for marten.

First pic is a 15 lb male in a 120.

[nube]

Awesome pics guys. You don't know how jelous I am right now seeing those. I sure hope I can get a few pics like that this year. I am so pumped. Those big male fisher is what I want for a mount. They are like mini wolverines!!

Bullgetter, I think i will be o.k on quota I have 7.5 townships and I think one or 2 out of the 3 townships I can take 10 for a quota if it happened. I think it is 3 plus one for the other area or 2. I will have to look at it for sure before I start though your right.

[bullgetter]

That's a lot of country. Nice to have that high of a quota. Set for marten and you will pick up the fisher. If there is a lot of snow set in the muskegs or any other really dense bush with good rabbit sign. Fisher need less snow cover to get around.

[Kittyslayer]

Nice tread !!! I couldn't help to throw my two cents in with regards to catching fisher with 120's. I have found using longer boxes (16 inches long) seems to create a better catch rate on our line. I am not sure why that is but the short boxes don't seem to produce toward late winter in terms of "misses" yet the long boxes do. Using the approved martin 120's/long boxes I personally have not had a big male fisher pull out, that being said several years ago using old duke 120's it was very common to loose a couple of big males a year. We use 50 % ground sets and 50 % I mount the boxes straight up and down 6 feet up from the ground on approx a 8 inch tree.

[Wolftrapper]

Good thread nube!
Thanks for the pictures you guys sent in. I've never taken pictures on the line and don't really know why? To lazy I think.
You guys have inspired me and I am going to start.

Best of luck to all of you this season. It's starting to feel like it in the air.