Fisher Release 2016

[JakeLand]

That's cool ... where did they move them from ?

They are coming from West Central BC.

Very cool and thank you for representing us (wsta) I'd love to get involved even if it's just to watch a release , how can I do so?

     If possible I would love to be involved too ? I'll help in anyway needed !

PM me your email and I could ask Jeff to add it to the notification list for the next release.

[Trapper John]

I have a great idea, everybody that would like to get involved come to the Fur Sale / Spring Rendezvous and also the Spring Board of Director Meeting Camp out.  I'll bet this is going to be on the agenda.  Come on out and meet us.
JC   

[BOWHUNTER45]

Nice ..that's cool stuff !!! thanks for showing !

[JakeLand]

I have a great idea, everybody that would like to get involved come to the Fur Sale / Spring Rendezvous and also the Spring Board of Director Meeting Camp out.  I'll bet this is going to be on the agenda.  Come on out and meet us.
JC   

    I'll be there

[Humptulips]

Yea PM me your e-mail and I will see what I can do about getting you in on a release.

[JakeLand]

P.M. Sent

[JakeLand]

right on how many were released and the sexes?

In this release there were 4 males and 2 females. They are aiming for a total of 40 fisher released this year and 40 next year. They would like  to have about 60% females but they kind of have to take what they can get. This will make 17 for the year so there will probably be at least 3 more releases. They need to be done before the end of February. Possible they might fall a little short this year.
So far all the ones they have released this year are within 15 miles of the release point.
On the Olympics they had 27 different release points but have reduced that to 5 in the South Cascades. In the Olympics the fisher scattered too much which made it hard for them to find a mate come breeding season.
I went mainly because I wanted to see a female. I've turned two out of traps and supposedly they both were males. At least that is what Jeff (guy in charge) thought. I have my doubts after seeing them. Males are supposed to be about twice the size of females but when you see them it is not that noticeable. They have such long fur it kind of masks their true size so it is really hard to tell the sexes apart.
BC trappers are getting paid $500/fisher for their work. About $600,000 for the project so you can see who is at the bottom of the pay scale. Most of the money is coming from the NPS.

 Sorry to be nosy but I was wondering why more males then females I would think the opposite ? Are they not like cats where one male will service as many females as he can find or are males just spread out farther?

[Humptulips]

They are trying for a few more females then males 60/40. Right now they are heavy to males because that is what has been caught. The releases are dependent on what the trappers in BC are able to catch. In the end they will maybe come out with the right number.
Why not more females? Fishers really spread out and I think they fear if there are not enough males they won't find each other and some females will go unbred.
As example in the Olympic releases they just went all over. One fisher went from the mouth of the Elwha to the mouth of the Humptulips before settling down. One ended up near Centralia and they are scattered out all over.
I asked them how thick they would be when recovered but nobody seems to know. Right now they are many miles apart. It is a wonder they ever find each other.

[shootem]

Great work. Thanks to all.

[boneaddict]

Awesome project.   Thanks for being involved with it and reporting to us.  One of my favorite critters.

[CementFinisher]

very cool. Are there any estimates how many have survived from the first batch of releases on the O.P.

[SunnySlopes]

Have any of these biologists looked into what impacts a new/introduced population of Fisher could have on the existing Marten population in an area where they would share habitat and available prey? Would like to hear what those BC trappers have to say about that. Sounds like they're just trying to get Fishers out as fast as possible, who cares about Marten, grouse, etc.

[Tom Reichner]

That's great, John!
I wish that this event would have gotten more publicity prior to the release, and been open to the general public - I would have loved to have been there!

[JakeLand]

Have any of these biologists looked into what impacts a new/introduced population of Fisher could have on the existing Marten population in an area where they would share habitat and available prey? Would like to hear what those BC trappers have to say about that. Sounds like they're just trying to get Fishers out as fast as possible, who cares about Marten, grouse, etc.

Hmmm good thinking but if someone paid me cash to say catch cats,marten or whatever and a way better price then a auction and no skinning fleshing  I would do it ! but I am curious if they did do a study and and hopefully it wasn't the same that did the wolf study

[Humptulips]

Have any of these biologists looked into what impacts a new/introduced population of Fisher could have on the existing Marten population in an area where they would share habitat and available prey? Would like to hear what those BC trappers have to say about that. Sounds like they're just trying to get Fishers out as fast as possible, who cares about Marten, grouse, etc.

Hmmm good thinking but if someone paid me cash to say catch cats,marten or whatever and a way better price then a auction and no skinning fleshing  I would do it ! but I am curious if they did do a study and and hopefully it wasn't the same that did the wolf study

Conservation North West came up with the money for the study. WSTA asked about the effect on marten but pretty much ignored. The fact is they had money lined up to reintroduce them and they were not going to pass that up. Once there is money to keep bios on the payroll the project is probably not going to be derailed plus there was no opposition.
My thoughts were WSTA might as well be engaged because it is happening whether we like it or not.