Fisher Cat

[1ADAM12]

Has anyone dealt with one? My wife woke my up at 430 this morning to weird
Noises around the chicken coop. I grabbed the gun and flood light to check. All I saw were green eyes stalking me on the wood line taunting me with their screeches.

I am pretty sure this is what I am dealing with. It's our first predator too. I will set two
Live traps tonight and bait them. I always have empty live traps set but I think I will lure one in tonight and see what I catch. Good idea or not?

Chickens are secure in a shed/coop with no way in unless they chew a hole through it. So far no chicken loss!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Always a good idea to trap to see what you're dealing with. A trail cam (or ten) is a good idea too.
Fishers aren't around here but we have everything from weasels, mink, raccoons, opossums, bobcats, bears, mountain lions etc.. The first 4 have killed chickens here as have dogs.
If you build it, they will come.

 

[1ADAM12]

We have all of what you mentioned here in northern PA. I Guess the game commission has released a bunch of fishers in our area to help with the porcupine population. I just found out about this today! CRAZY

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's very interesting. Are they the only predator of porcupines?
We are supposed to have wolverines scattered around the state but in my 65 years, I've never seen one. I've seen all the others I mentioned.

 

[1ADAM12]

I have no idea lol first I have heard of this.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Yeah, Fisher's are the main predator of Porcupine. They can flip them and gut in an effortless motion. They were not native to Vermont either but thought wise to introduce. Now highly protected and overpopulated. You'll notice all the outside neighbor cats vanishing and outside dogs getting severely injured. Never corner a Fisher unless you have a gun, for their size which is that of a large cat they are extremely dangerous. I'm all for native animal reintroduction and actual management of animals but will say to push a non native predator that will thrive into your state is a very bad idea. Sure they will take a few porcupine but it's certainly not their main diet if other things are available. Let's face it, even if a predator can take down porcupine with little risk of injury why would it when there is easier game? Hopefully Penn. Fish and Game opens up a season on Fisher's for you in a few years. Hear in Vermont it's a strict trapping only for two short weeks in winter. It doesn't put a dent in the #'s and we are overrun. In perspective of a solitary predator whose range is vast we are overrun. They are moving into towns to hunt pets.

As for trapping or shooting or game recording any predator in your area I still don't get it unless your a nature lover and want to see what's around you on cam. Or want the pelt of animal or just like the sport of it, that all makes sense to me but need to ID or kill has no bearing on bird safety. If your birds are protected in a coop with door closed it doesn't matter what or how many predators are around you. Knowing a raccoon or Fisher or bobcat came to visit last night has no bearing on if you closed the coop door or not. Same protection and if any of those predators do not succeed in getting a bird they will move on.

 

[1ADAM12]

Thanks for the insight. I let birds free range during the day and they are locked up during the night. They should be safe. Only time will tell I guess.

 

[dekel18042]

Has anyone dealt with one? My wife woke my up at 430 this morning to weird
Noises around the chicken coop. I grabbed the gun and flood light to check. All I saw were green eyes stalking me on the wood line taunting me with their screeches.

I am pretty sure this is what I am dealing with. It's our first predator too. I will set two
Live traps tonight and bait them. I always have empty live traps set but I think I will lure one in tonight and see what I catch. Good idea or not?

Chickens are secure in a shed/coop with no way in unless they chew a hole through it. So far no chicken loss!

Not yet, but the time is coming, I'm sure. Fishers were released a little north of us a few years ago and have supposedly been spotted in our area now. The rationale was that someone had the "brilliant" idea to introduce species which were native to the area 200 years ago. Only miner problem is that this is not the same area it was 200 years ago.
I have never seen or heard of a porcupine here while they are a few miles north (But the fishers aren't staying where the porcupine are.) And they are already saying they will go after pets, both cats and dogs. Just what we need. NOT!!
You didn't say where you are located, but it would be interesting to see where these varmints are.

 

[1ADAM12]

I am located in northern PA. On the NY border. A small town called Tioga

 

[MeepBeep]

If your birds are protected in a coop with door closed it doesn't matter what or how many predators are around you. Knowing a raccoon or Fisher or bobcat came to visit last night has no bearing on if you closed the coop door or not.

Except that most people don't keep their chickens in the locked up coop 24/7 and so called 'night predators' don't really abide by the night time rule all the time... Thus knowing what kind of predators are coming by, in what numbers, where they are testing the security and what times they are coming by can be very advantageous for those that might want to take proactive measures specific to the now known and identified threat...