Fisher Landing Imprint
Although fishers are agile climbers, they catch most of their prey and do the vast majority of their traveling on the ground. Occasionally, often in coniferous forests or if threatened, they will climb a tree. When they decide to come down, they jump and land on all four feet. If there is snow on the ground, the fisher leaves an impression, the clarity of which is determined by the depth and relative dryness of the snow. In the wet snow we’ve had recently, a fisher’s four feet left clear tracks when it landed on the ground, and you can even see a slight depression where its head touched the snow. Sometimes the tail is also evident. In this photograph, you can tell the direction in which the fisher intended to head without even looking for further tracks, just from the angle of its body.
Good picture. I saw fisher landing prints in a pine forest last week, but was not as clearly defined. Tarun
January 16, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Dear Mary,
I inadvertently erased the wonderful post on Chickadees. I wanted to send it to my friend who studies them. Any chance you could send another one?
Thank you!
Patricia Corrigan
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January 16, 2013 at 3:30 pm
I’m learning a lot about tracking from your post – what to look for and how to “read” them. We haven’t had any snow here, but lots of rain, so it will fun looking for tracks on my next walk around the farm.
January 16, 2013 at 3:42 pm
Up to a few years ago I could almost count on finding fisher track on a good walk in the woods, while bobcat tracks were a rarity. The past few years that seems to be reversed (although we did find fisher tracks of various ages this past Monday. As well as lots of bobcat tracks). Have others noticed this as well?
January 17, 2013 at 4:05 am
I wish I could say the same, Al. I think I need to be a little further from civilization to share your experience, though bobcat numbers are definitely up!
January 17, 2013 at 3:03 pm