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Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

Title:The Hunting Notesfile
Notice:Registry #7, For Sale #15, Success #270
Moderator:SALEM::PAPPALARDO
Created:Wed Sep 02 1987
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1561
Total number of notes:17784

1215.0. "Fisher (?) in Vermont" by SA1794::CHARBONND (Vote for me. I inhaled!) Tue Oct 27 1992 07:08

    Over the past weekend in Vermont I saw what I think was a fisher,
    or 'fisher cat'. It was dark-furred, body about 18" long, with
    a tail around a foot or so long. I've heard these were imported
    (from ?) to help control the porcupine population.
    
    Was this a fisher? Where are they from, originally? Comments?
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1215.1DNEAST::MAHANEY_MIKETue Oct 27 1992 07:535
             Vermont got them from Maine to help control the porcupine as
    they are a natural predator of them. They are a member of the weasel
    family are a very strong animal for its size. They are sought after
    by trappers as they about theonly animal left thats worth anthing. I
    beleive the females still bring in around $125.00
1215.2WAHOO::LEVESQUESizzling wiresTue Oct 27 1992 10:3516
 I saw my first fisher this past weekend behind my condo in Hudson, NH on
the land that DEC owns on Lowell Rd. It was a fleeting glimpse, but I'm sure it
was a fisher. My 3.5 year old daughter and I came around the corner into a field
and there was a very dark brown/black animal bounding away from us. I first 
thought it might be a showshoe hare as I had seen a snowshoe hare with such
coloration in Errol this past June. But as it turned off the trail and into the
woods, I could see it had a long thin body and a big bushy tail (and short legs).

 The largest member of the weasel family, it is a ferocious predator. It'll
eat just about anything it can catch. It also apparently has a taste for
deer (I assume it is a scavenger also and eats dead deer that it comes across.)
The farmer on whose land I have hunted traps fisher and says that the best
bait is venison. Corky has had a hanging deer attacked and chowed on by
a fisher, too.

 A tough customer.
1215.3Found a dead fisher recentlyLANDO::HOFFMANTue Oct 27 1992 14:306
My son and I found a dead fisher recently in Peterborough NH. Don't know what
killed it. It was ripped up a bit, and found draped over a stump, as if 
someone had laid it there.???  Maybe killed by an animal and found by a human ?
It had beautiful shiny dark brown fur. Sort of like a BIG mink.

Dave
1215.4quite a few in southern N.HSLEKE::BENTWed Oct 28 1992 15:399
    
    I've also seen them more then once in southern N.H. I've had one during
    the day time not more then 15 yrds from my house. I have heard from
    others, that their favorite meal are house cats. That would explain why
    he was so close to my house that particular day and why I've had
    such awful luck keeping cats around for the kids. I don't mind feeding
    them, but the kids sure frown on it. ;*)
    
    Lance
1215.5Ha, ha, haCSOA1::VANDENBARKWed Nov 04 1992 13:456
    Lance,
    
    I had to bust up at the "I don't mind feeding them, but the kids sure
    frown on it" statement.  Thanks for putting something funny in there.
    
    Wess
1215.6glad you liked itTWEKE::BENTWed Nov 04 1992 18:289
    
    
     Wess,
    
          I'm glad that you enjoyed the humor. Best of luck. My wife is
       going to kill me if I don't get something this year.
    
      Lance
    
1215.7Saw one Saturday morning MTWAIN::YOUNGMon Nov 09 1992 12:528
I was out bow hunting Saturday morning and saw a large dark weasel like
animal. When I got home I took out my animal identification book and verified
that it was a fisher. I watched him for about 15 - 20 seconds shuffling
along. He was extrelmley quite. An hour later I saw 3 or 4 doe but to far for
a shot. I watched them for about 5 minutes. Fun morning. All this took place
in the Holden and Steling area.

Bob