Marten

[Machias]

Reading the thread on trapping marten in SE AK really has me  going after them in Idaho next year.  I will be moving to Idaho in April, so next winter I will be trapping wolves over there and also want to try for some marten.  I have less than zero experience with them other than watching videos and reading about sets.  If you are going to a new area, what are the areas that draw your attention?  What elevation would you start at?  What do you look for when scouting?  Thanks for any and all suggestions and help!  I would like to check some areas out this winter while I am lion hunting over there with the dogs.  Might as well multi-task!   

[Machias]

Reading old threads I need to chat with Lakeland and wags. 

[Humptulips]

I was just talking to Ron Siderits last night. The subject of marten came up. He said the snow will tell you where to set.

[Machias]

Sign always tells you where to set...if you can read the signs.   

[WapitiTalk1]

Trapped a bunch of them in NW MT.  Above 4K for the most part. Wood boxes with screen in the back. Piece of beaver meat (greasy stuff) in back of box, box nailed to branchy tree if possible, 5 to 6 feet off the ground. Used mostly foothold victors but 110 connibears as budget permitted. Throw some sardines in the back of box and hang the sardine pull tab lid or piece of 6x6 sheet metal from a length of trapping wire from a branch so it spins/reflects in the moonlight to attract em. They're attracted to shiny things. Used a similar deal for bobcat/lynx cubby sets. Neither critter is very smart and can be had if u put a good amount of sets out.

[Skyvalhunter]

I was just talking to Ron Siderits last night. The subject of marten came up. He said the snow will tell you where to set.

Old Ron from Lake Wenatchee the wolf trapper?

[boneaddict]

I ran into an old marten line up in the rocks on the east side of  Priest Lake, so I know there was probably at least marten there once.   I’m not sure I’d know what I was looking at if I saw it today, but I did then. Lol

[Skyvalhunter]

Come on Doug you seen one big notch cut in a tree you seen a hundred.

[boneaddict]

  true

[Machias]

 

[Machias]

Trapped a bunch of them in NW MT.  Above 4K for the most part. Wood boxes with screen in the back. Piece of beaver meat (greasy stuff) in back of box, box nailed to branchy tree if possible, 5 to 6 feet off the ground. Used mostly foothold victors but 110 connibears as budget permitted. Throw some sardines in the back of box and hang the sardine pull tab lid or piece of 6x6 sheet metal from a length of trapping wire from a branch so it spins/reflects in the moonlight to attract em. They're attracted to shiny things. Used a similar deal for bobcat/lynx cubby sets. Neither critter is very smart and can be had if u put a good amount of sets out.

Awesome, thank you!!

[Humptulips]

I was just talking to Ron Siderits last night. The subject of marten came up. He said the snow will tell you where to set.

Old Ron from Lake Wenatchee the wolf trapper?

Yep

[gramps]

Fred,  I trapped 2 pine martin in the Blue Mtns a few years ago at 5700 feet elevation.

[Machias]

Fred,  I trapped 2 pine martin in the Blue Mtns a few years ago at 5700 feet elevation.

Nice!!!  What set did you take them with?

[hardkorrhunter]

We've got a lot of marten up here where im at. This year id like to get my hands on a few and thinking about trying something new, im thinking on using the better mouse trap rolling bucket idea but over size it using a 55 gallon drum half full of water with a gatorade bottle packed with beaver meat suspended above it. Of course ill have to make it so that the bait is not visible to raptors and ill suspend up the trunk of the tree in hopes nothing larger will tip it over or get to my marten. Snow is about the only way i know of to for sure locate marten populations and there are plenty around here as far as elevation goes i caught one at just over 500' in big old timber he'd been tripping my bobcat sets i thought it was just a civet and set a little trap up next to my cat set and the next day boom i got my first marten.

[Boss .300 winmag]

We've got a lot of marten up here where im at. This year id like to get my hands on a few and thinking about trying something new, im thinking on using the better mouse trap rolling bucket idea but over size it using a 55 gallon drum half full of water with a gatorade bottle packed with beaver meat suspended above it. Of course ill have to make it so that the bait is not visible to raptors and ill suspend up the trunk of the tree in hopes nothing larger will tip it over or get to my marten. Snow is about the only way i know of to for sure locate marten populations and there are plenty around here as far as elevation goes i caught one at just over 500' in big old timber he'd been tripping my bobcat sets i thought it was just a civet and set a little trap up next to my cat set and the next day boom i got my first marten.

How are you going to keep the water from freezing?

[hardkorrhunter]

We've got a lot of marten up here where im at. This year id like to get my hands on a few and thinking about trying something new, im thinking on using the better mouse trap rolling bucket idea but over size it using a 55 gallon drum half full of water with a gatorade bottle packed with beaver meat suspended above it. Of course ill have to make it so that the bait is not visible to raptors and ill suspend up the trunk of the tree in hopes nothing larger will tip it over or get to my marten. Snow is about the only way i know of to for sure locate marten populations and there are plenty around here as far as elevation goes i caught one at just over 500' in big old timber he'd been tripping my bobcat sets i thought it was just a civet and set a little trap up next to my cat set and the next day boom i got my first marten.

How are you going to keep the water from freezing?


Thats gonna be the tough part though we dont get a whole lot of deep freeze weather up here. Ill just have to monitor the weather and pull the bait when we do get freezes i will also have a cages in the area for them along with cat sets.

[Humptulips]

I tried a similar thing for civets. I finally gave up after a while. Freezing weather or rainy weather fouled the trap. I drilled a hole in the side to keep the water a constant level but you would be amazed how many leaves and needles get in and seem to stop the hole up. Other things too and I finally gave it up

[JakeLand]

Me personally like cages for marten! Sounds weird especially if you're in a  state where you don't have to . My reason is pretty simple you can be selective on them where there is not a dense population I prefer to release females and younger marten . You can tell by their  size and by just wearing a pair of welding gloves you can pick them up and see if they're male or female . The areas I trap I want to keep trapping a handful of them every year so I release ALL females and juvenile males
s this is a small female released unharmed and a full belly
this was a big mature male which I kept

[hardkorrhunter]

Thats awesome.

[gramps]

Same as JakeLand, Fred.
Trap  was on the ground, covered with a tarp and brush.  Beaver meat for bait.

[boneaddict]

That’s impressive Jakeland. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Why their thick where hes from

[JakeLand]

Why their thick where hes from

marten go in cycles like rabbits and you can wipe a area out very easy but like said it's what I do my 

[Machias]

 

[wags]

Same as JakeLand, Fred.
Trap  was on the ground, covered with a tarp and brush.  Beaver meat for bait.

Gramps is that one of the marten you trapped in the Blue Mnts.?

[gramps]

Yes

[Calvin Rayborn]

They like hiding in trees when spooked