Report Nr. 3264 Fisher Survey - 1996

Extensive logging in the 1800's, subsequent fires, and heavy trapping through the 1920's led to the extirpation of the fisher (Martes pennanti) from its former range in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.). Fisher were first reintroduced in the 1960's on the U.P.'s Ottawa National Forest. By 1989, they had become sufficiently abundant in all or parts of Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Marquette and Ontonagon counties to allow a limited harvest by trapping. In 1994, additional areas in Alger, Delta, Dickinson, Houghton, Keweenaw, Marquette and Menominee counties were opened to fisher trapping. Trappers were limited to 1 fisher from Unit B as part of their bag limit. Regulations remained the same in 1995. In 1996, the remainder of the Upper Peninsula, with the exception of Drummond Island, was added to Unit B. Since the first trapping season, trappers have been required to submit to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the skulls of fisher for examination and pelts for sealing. This year, 348 of the 471 (73.9%) legally trapped and registered fisher were submitted for examination at the Rose lake Wildlife Disease laboratory. Nearly equal numbers of males, 187 (53.7%) and females, 161 (46.3%) were examined. Of the legally trapped fisher submitted for examination, 71.3% (248 of 348) were 1.5 years old or younger. By comparison, last year's fisher harvest consisted of 81.4% (118 of 145) juveniles.