Can fishers be caught in cages? If so, should they be left on the ground or elevated on a modified type of pole set? ( I'm from Mass-the land without a foothold or conibear)

Fishers are easily caught in cage traps. Elevated pole sets are best to avoid non targets, and make sure you check daily.

I used to just set them on the ground. Alot easier than trying to stabilize them on some sort of leaning pole. Use a big chunk of beaver and wire it to the pan or up high. Use a skunky lure above the trap. I prefered the single door traps and would wire the bait to the back of the trap as high in the back as I could. This allowed the fisher to get all the way (i.e his tail) into the trap. If I didnt do this I had some big males spring the trap and the door fell on the tail and didnt latch. This allowed them to back out of the trap.They are not shy about going in at all.

Unfortunately, the fisher season in Mass is only 3 weeks long (Nov. 1 - Nov. 22). Would you guys recommend pre-baiting, and if so, for how long? How would mild Oct. weather play into the length of time you would pre-bait? Would it be reasonable to use pre-baiting as a quasi scouting tool? With a limited number of cages and only 3-weeks to trap, would it be worth moving after x days of inactivity until you finally see action (either pre-baiting or during the season)? Does anyone know the home range or movement patterns of fisher in the NE? Are they roaming around, or do they have a circuit they cover every x-days?

I would be out there scouting now while there is snow on the ground. Locate and make note of as many locations with fisher tracks as you can. Then next fall, about 2 weeks to a month prior start prebaiting at the locations you know have fisher use. Use a large bait such as half a beaver carcase road killed deer (if legal) and put it where you are going to set your cage. Check the bait every week or two. The ones getting cleaned up by fisher are where you want to start, then move down your list.

Fisher use the same area year after year. If the current occupant dies another will take its place. So if there were tracks last year most likly there will be a fisher there this year also. Home ranges vary depending on the amount of food available. So remember. Fisher may take 2 weeks or longer to come back thru an area close enough to your set to work it. So patience is a key to catching them. Also it really helps to catch them the first time they come thru, so make the set worth thier while. Use a big chunk of beaver,deer or whatever in the trap. And use a skunk lure above the set. I used 1oz of pure skunk (tinctured will work if you cant get pure) in vasaline. Melt 4-7 oz of vasaline in some boiling water (just put the plastic jar in about 2" of water and bring to a boil). Take the melted vasaline OUTSIDE away from the house and add the skunk to it. Stir until it starts to cool. I used a very liberal smear on a tree above the set.

How often should the bait be changed?

In the trap- if its cold only when you catch something. Fisher are big carrion eaters. I wouldnt use anything rotten but tainted is fine. If its warm I would change every week.

Pre baiting- If the bait is getting hit by anything, be it crows, coons whatever or it is a known fisher hotspot keep replacing it.

Dated for search.