so their range followed the northern hemlockhardwood forests and boreal forests ( i . e ., mixed conifer and hardwoods ). Their territories are quite large — often several square miles of mostly forested land .
Unfortunately , logging and trapping right up until the early twentieth century were responsible for exterminating fishers in much of their range . Because they are so dependent on heavy forest canopy , clearcutting large swaths of woods doesn ’ t just eliminate their habitat , it creates a constraint to their dispersal , as they are reluctant to traverse huge uncovered gaps . They were likely extinct in Maryland by the mid-1800s .
Prior to the 1920s , there were no trapping regulations protected fishers anywhere in the US . Their fur was highly sought after and brought trappers excellent prices . A single pelt in 1920 averaged $ 85 . In 2023 dollars , that would be almost $ 1300 ! Demand for fur has risen and fallen over the decades , and the fisher trapping industry continues , but regulated in most states .
Their eventual homecoming to Maryland began in 1969 , when West Virginia reintroduced 23 individuals they had acquired from New Hampshire . The population grew and expanded into western Maryland , northwestern Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania . According to Josh Tabora , Furbearer Biologist for the Western
Adult fisher strikes a defensive posture .
Region of Maryland ’ s Department of Natural Resources ( DNR ), “ Over the last four decades , fishers have gotten well established in the western part of the state , spreading through Garrett , Allegheny , Washington and even western Frederick County , utilizing second growth forest .” So maybe there ’ s a chance we even have them here in the Ag Reserve !
Fishers are solitary animals , with males seeking females out only during breeding season in March and April . Curiously , the young will not be born for nearly a year after mating ! Once a fertilized egg has divided into multiple cells — called a blastocyst — implantation does not occur for about 11 months ! Following implantation , gestation takes about 30 days , with 2-4 kits born in a tree den selected by the mother .
Fishers do most of their hunting on the ground , but they are excellent tree climbers . The female fisher raises the young without any assistance from the male , keeping them with her until early fall , at which point they disperse to find their own territories .
Fishers typically hunt at night and in the dim light of dusk and dawn . They use surprise as a strategy , which may be responsible for their feisty reputation . In reality , they are simply agile , speedy and tenacious ! But what makes them really intriguing predators is their success as porcupine hunters ! Many larger carnivores will avoid the prickly animals . Porcupines are quilled everywhere except their faces and belly . Fishers use that to their advantage , darting to attack the face . Porcupines will use the base of a tree as a defense , sheltering their face and belly against it , but with fishers ’ skill at tree climbing , they can often reach and attack the unquilled face , successfully killing the porcupine — a large animal that considerably outweighs the fisher , and one that will keep it well fed for longer than a rabbit . And we do happen to have porcupines in western Maryland ! Because porcupines feed on tree bark — especially in winter — large porcupine populations can cause significant damage to forests . When fishers were exterminated in much of their range , overabundant porcupines caused substantial tree destruction , leading forest managers to reintroduce
16 plenty I summer growing 2023