Chapter IX, Furbearers, Fisher

From History of NH Game and Furbearers by Helenette Silver, Research Clerk, NH Fish and Game Dept. 1957

"The White Mountain National Forest was once, and may be again the home of one of the largest single concentrations of fisher (Martes pennanti pennanti) in the United States."* "(They) were once so abundant that they were a nuisance to trappers of the Northern New Hampshire forest, following their lines of sable traps and stealing the captured marten" (Somers 1898). Toward the end of the 19th century they became comparatively scarce Weeks (1888) says they became rare in Coos County after the deer had practically disappeared, and the fisher "could no longer eke out a cold winter upon carcasses of the superannuated old buck, doe, or fawns killed by hunters or the bobcat." Hamilton (1939) notes that they have been known to kill deer.

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