Fisher Problem

[sewchick]

I saw my first fisher. I was going out to the coop around dusk and I hear a scratching sound in the swamp. I guess it was sharpening it's claws. I go to have a look n see and at first I thought mink. No, I think it was too big. I had no clue. It was a brown color with a black of dark tail. It was bigger than a cat. I asked my husband and he told me it was a fisher. I had never seen one before. He keeps the cat in at night now and my chickens are fenced in.. I hear they will attack and kill cats and chickens. I am wondering how to kill it. It's not like it's around like the fox. Fox are pretty easy to get. I thought maybe if we used the have a heart trap we might get it but hubby says no they are elusive and harder to get than a fox. Anyone ever had problems with them? And if so how did you get rid of it.

 

[redstar14]

Leg hold trap use scent killer and gloves when handling the trap

 

[pappy1264]

Just had two this morning for the first time, was going to ask the same thing! It actually was on the nestbox we have up that has baby squirrels in it, trying to get to them (I am sure the chickens are next! They didn't get any, boxes are built with this in mind, but so upset, never saw them here before!!!) So setting havaharts won't work? I can't do leg traps here. Heck, may have to sit out with a rifle and scope!

 

[sewchick]

Is a leg trap the same as a snare? The only thing I would worry about is the neighbors cat. I just don't have the heart to hurt a domestic animal. We live off the road 1/4 mi or so. I have seen other cats around. I don't know why they come here. We do have a female cat but she is fixed. She has made friends with pepe la peeeeeeew. I don't mind the skunk but the fisher has got to go.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Is a leg trap the same as a snare?

No, with a leg hold trap, especially one with the jaws taped you can release an animal without much injury if you don't mind getting scratched up and bitten yourself.

A snare is designed to close quickly around the target animals neck and choke it to death as the snare tightens from the animal's struggles.

I will not be giving 'no' mouth to mouth rescue breathing to 'no' ally cat, however I here buy give you permission to do all my human to cat rescue breathing for me.

Skunks are deadly predators of eggs and baby chicks or of any hen sitting were skunks can get too her. Believe it or not skunks are also a major predator of honey bees. Skunks and fishers are members of the weasel family. I don't know if the fisher will prey on skunks or not but all weasels are on the solitary side and they are apt to fight and kill their own kind when they are not in breeding mode.

 

[redstar14]

Duke makes a rubber jawwed one perfectly humane theres a video of a guy putting his hand in one on yourube

 

[sewchick]

It's not humane I am worried about as long as I don't get a cat in it. I will try to shoot the thing if I see it again. The skunk does not seem to bother anything. It's been around for years. It likes the grubs but then again it usually comes at night and the coop is locked up tighter than fort knox. I am more worried that the fisher will get our kitty. She can outwit the fox but a fisher I am not so sure of. I have heard they are mean buggers. We usually shot the fox they seem to be stupid around here for some reason. We are home all the time so we do get to watch stuff that goes on. The fisher has not been back or I have not heard or seen it. Hopefully it has moved on.