NF - Elusive Fisher Captured on Trail Camera...Again (Ottawa, Nov. 22)

[JustinHoffman]

Hello All,

The fisher is a carnivorous and forest-dwelling mammal, rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits. Showing a preference for snowshoe hare, they are also one of the few predators to successfully hunt porcupine.

For all of the hundreds of kilometres I hike in the woods each year, other than a dead specimen two summers ago, I have yet to see one of these creatures. Fortunately, last week I captured a short clip of one while trying to gather some beaver footage with my trail cam...era.

I decided to put the camera back up again a few days ago, in hopes of recording more footage. A fisher's hunting range can be 14.1 km's squared in the winter, so it can be akin to finding a needle in a haystack. To increase my odds, I put out four frozen chicken breasts, in hopes that the smell might draw him in.

It worked, and two nights ago I was able to capture 10 minutes of footage showcasing this delightful animal.

NCC Greenbelt - Ottawa, Ontario
November 22, 2014
(watch in 1080p HD for best quality)
 

Cheers,

Justin

[irishfield]

Quite the winter coat on him/her. Here's an August shot of one...

[JustinHoffman]

Wow! Big difference between the winter and summer coats, isn't there irishfield? I'm guessing mine is a male - they are much bigger than the female:

 

Male 35 - 47" long, 8 - 13lbs.

Female 30 - 37" long, 4 - 6lbs.

 

Saw a YouTube video of a hunter using a predator call to bring one in - it came in quick. Might have to give it a try next time I hit the woods. Would love to get a day time shot with the camera.

 

Thanks for sharing...

 

Cheers,

 

Justin

[manitoubass2]

I had one as a pet for a summer/fall lol

 

made his lil home at my fishing spot.

 

they can get nasty!!!!

 

the only one ive ever seen was much smaller(likely male)

 

awesome footage justin!

Edited November 23, 2014 by manitoubass2

[Joey]

Way cool!

[Joey]

Have a friend who lives in BC and they were having a picnic and a wolverine decided he wanted some of the food. She said "nobody move" so they all sat there and the wolverine took the food it wanted and moved on. I hear hey can get pretty nasty too!!

[irishfield]

While they are supposed to be a.. damn can't think of the name for live alone.. creature, that summer I had at least 5 on the property in different sizes. This was the only one I got a picture of. Had 3 smaller and one bigger than this one... so possibly mom, pop and 3 kids. I have a lot of Porks on the property and what the FIsher was introduced to control. They chase them to the top of a tree.. out a limb and the porcupine falls to the ground. While the porcupine is stunned, the Fisher runs back down the tree and zips the porcupines stomach open and eats them from the inside out.

 

They also had a habit of attacking my step fathers cows, out on Ford Rd between SF and Carleton Place. They ring the cows ankles with their teeth and when the cow hits the dirt they kill them.

Edited November 23, 2014 by irishfield

[JustinHoffman]

Interesting. From what I have read, they are extremely solitary, pairing up only to mate. And, after five months, the mother pushes the kits out and they are on their own. Could very well have been a family you had, Irishfield - makes the most sense.

 

And yes, that would be quite a site to watch them 'zip' open a porky. This spot is filled with porcupines - as well as a tonne of snowshoe hares - so he is eating well I would assume.

 

Yes, watched a documentary on wolverines, Joey - very nasty machines!

 

Would be interesting to have one as a fishing partner, manitoubass! haha!!!

[manitoubass2]

Interesting. From what I have read, they are extremely solitary, pairing up only to mate. And, after five months, the mother pushes the kits out and they are on their own. Could very well have been a family you had, Irishfield - makes the most sense.

 

And yes, that would be quite a site to watch them 'zip' open a porky. This spot is filled with porcupines - as well as a tonne of snowshoe hares - so he is eating well I would assume.

 

Yes, watched a documentary on wolverines, Joey - very nasty machines!

 

Would be interesting to have one as a fishing partner, manitoubass! haha!!!

yeah he was cool. hed chill 30 feet away or so, feeding on fish guts etc. every once in awhile i wouldnt think he was around and he'd attack top water baits in a playful way, like he was training. one day he went after a small otter and took it down, looked like it was twice his size. I also seen him eating a pelican too but im assuming it had just died on the shore on its own but who knows. these things can hunt! also seen him with a fox one time as well.

 

he stuck around and had a home built in the hill. then come fall he was never seen again?moved on I suppose. beautiful animal.

 

never have seen a wolverine though and im cool with that lol

Edited November 23, 2014 by manitoubass2

[turtle]

During the first week deer rifle hunt a fisher came down a hill behind me and got up on the same log I was sitting on maybe 20-25 feet away. It didn't even make me until I said hello and it then circled behind me, maybe sizing me up, before it split. I was suprised it was oblivious of me at first. A couple other hunters also saw one. We had a pine marten hanging out on the meat rack in camp a couple years ago but not in the last few years as the meat rack has since been almost bare.

[chris.brock]

I have a fisher who hangs out 500m behind my cottage. I saw him in daylight and got him on my trail cam (some dirt bag stole my camera and memory card though)

 

I'm guessing wolverines in ON are pretty rare. I saw one on the Attawapiskat, Eddie's camp. No pictures, just another witness. I set up Eddie's trail cam that evening, same spot, fish guts, but no luck. I think their ranges are huge.

 

super cool footage again Justin

[OhioFisherman]

Many many years ago I saw one roaming the shoreline at Pointe Au Baril, the only one I have ever seen. Back in those days the camp owner would take all the oars out of his boats at night, something about the porcupines chewing the oar handles to get the salt from sweat?

 

I was surprised to hear there were Fischers in some areas of Rhode Island.

[JustinHoffman]

Thanks for sharing your stories, guys. Love hearing about wildlife interactions and sightings!

 

Cheers,

 

Justin

[NAW]

I've been "Bluff Charged" by a fisher once. Dam thing had no fear. He only stopped when I drew my compound and aim it at his face.. I doubt I could have hit a small target like that, running at me full steam. It stopped and turned about 8' away from me. Then ran a few wide circles around (60 to 70'). I think it was trying to distract me from a den (or where ever the live).

 

There are tons of them in Simcoe County. I've talked to one of the trappers in the area, he's got many of them in his traps accidentally.

 

I've also seen several on the trail cam at our bear bait stations in Muskoka.

 

Crazy little animals.

[JustinHoffman]

That must have been quite the sight to see, N.A.W.!! Could have been a protective mother....or just an ornery dude! lol

 

I'm going to see if I can call one in with a predator call - worth a shot. I best keep a knife handy just in case

 

Cheers,

 

Justin

[Rod Caster]

Had one attack my domestic rabbits through the chicken wire holes. Watched the whole thing. He took off as I approached. Did some serious damage to my poor bunny's foot. .. Had to shoot it

[cram]

While they are supposed to be a.. damn can't think of the name for live alone.. creature, that summer I had at least 5 on the property in different sizes. This was the only one I got a picture of. Had 3 smaller and one bigger than this one... so possibly mom, pop and 3 kids. I have a lot of Porks on the property and what the FIsher was introduced to control. They chase them to the top of a tree.. out a limb and the porcupine falls to the ground. While the porcupine is stunned, the Fisher runs back down the tree and zips the porcupines stomach open and eats them from the inside out.

 

They also had a habit of attacking my step fathers cows, out on Ford Rd between SF and Carleton Place. They ring the cows ankles with their teeth and when the cow hits the dirt they kill them.

That's amazing about the cows. Had no idea.

[can u fish]

I have only seen 1 fisher since relocating North of Parry Sound 10yrs ago beautiful animal and as irishfield says they were introduced to the area to control the porcupine population and yes they can be very nasty.

[NAW]

The screaming noise the make.. Makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck! I used to hear them all the time when I lived in the bush.

[Freshtrax]

Tons of them around smiths falls. Cool creatures. I like the minks too, except when they make off with your dinner when it's tied on a stringer at the end of the dock.

[Garnet]

I seen two fishing the S bends in Bowmanville 30 years ago. Took along time to find out what they were, a guy at work got me in the right direction and a trip to the library.

 

The noise they make sounds like a cat fight on steroids.

[Sinker]

Quite a few around this area now too. I always thought they were martens....no?

 

I'm not sure how to tell the difference. I thought martens were smaller than a fisher....

 

S.

[NAW]

That's what I thought too Sinker. Marten are smaller.

 

If my computer wasn't jammed up right now, and not able to access some of my photos, I would post a pic of me old neighbour holding a fisher so you can get a real sense of scale! They are actually pretty big.

[irishfield]

The picture of the one on my pool deck is just a bit smaller than a small red fox.

Marten's are not much bigger than a black squirrel. We have plenty of them on our island in Temagami.

[cram]

You'll often see martens during the day along the the lake shore. Like Wayne said, they're not very big. Neat to see though.

 

Not sure how rare wolverines are, but there's at least one of them south east of North Bay.