Here's the deal as I understand it . First of all, I too have been trapping the same line for about 36 years and taking about a hundred marten per year. The problem with the marten is this. Females aren't sexually mature until they are 2.5 years old and they rarely live to be over 5. In fact, I've never caught one older than 4. The other problem is that the litters average just under 2.5 animals surviving into the fall. If you are taking the adults you are taking your brood stock.

Ideally, you will catch 4 juveniles ( of mixed gender) for each adult female you take. If you can maintain that ratio it will leave enough broodstock plus enough young critters to become breeders. Marten can easily be hurt as a whole though over trapping. We all need to be aware of what's going on with our populations.

I, like you, have seen those waves come through my area. At his point we have no good explanation for why that happens or any method to predict it.

Habitat destruction could easily have an effect on your marten population

Perhaps building and setting out some marten den boxes would help in areas wher you lost den trees due to logging. I have had enough success with den boxes to encourage me to make some more.

That's good advice. I think we should do all we can to promote the welfare of all species.............except possum .

Den boxes are a great idea and with our laws in Canada we have a list of approved traps of which I have had to replace mine to be in compliance. My new traps don't fit the old boxes and many were due for retirement anyway. Can't think of a better use for them!

There is some good info about size and location for den boxes. Marten are pretty particular about what they use. Maybe DaleT has the info. There was a PDF floating around a while back with all the specifics.

The inside dimensions of the box should be 6X6 inches by approx. 14 to 18 tall, can be slightly larger, up to 7x7. Built like a birdhouse with an entrance hole 2 inches to 2 1/4 inches depending on your subspecies. You do not want the adult males to enter easily. I tried with dead thawed marten and I could pass the body of an adult female through a hole 1 7/8 th inches. An adult male could be passed through a 2 5/8 the hole snugly, but it's shoulders would not go through a 2 1/2 hole. ( on our subspecies in northern MN )

I first found the plans for the European pine and stone marten box on the 'net published by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, built a few of their 3 chamber boxes ( two predator proof entrance " chimneys" and a central den chamber. The VWT box is great, but takes twice the material as a simple birdhouse style and the entrances have to be reduced to keep smaller fisher out. They are heavy and somewhat difficult to hang. I went to a simple style so I could get more out. I had some trouble with fisher driving the marten away from active boxes in one area. Need a couple of boxes fairly close to give them refuge from the fishers, or plan on trapping out the fishers during season with live traps so you can release your female marten if you prefer. I only had 30% success so far, but that was encouraging enough for me. I moved some of the inactive boxes to better spots ( birch or poplar in dark green timber near a water source, but far enough away so beaver don't cut your tree. 50 feet or so into the edge of thick timber of the edge of the clear cuts, to keep avian predators off your female and litter.

Thanks for all the information White 17 and Dale T. Very informative. There is no shotage of activity in the bush with extensive oil and gas and logging going on on my line. All the animals are pushed around. We are remote enough that they do have areas to go but habitat is key as is conservation.Again many thanks.

I have always wanted to trap a few marten for something different but don't have any that are super close to home. What do you look for for sign when scouting in the summer/early fall? Thanks.

Pretty hard to find sign other than tracks in the snow

at that point you'd be best looking for terrain and woods that fit the bill.

Although marten are often associated with older high elevation forest, here in much of the west, it is actually the make-up of the forest stand not its age that is more important. The important habitat factor is "coarse woody debris" along with relatively dense overhead tree cover and shrubs to provide protective cover for both the marten and their prey. Thus during non snow periods I would suggest you look for large ares of dense timber stands with lots of deadfall, snags and understory brush for futher investigation when the snows arrive.

Thanks guys, I kind of figured it would be tough to find actual sign that time of the year but just wondered if I was missing something.

In general, places where things Marten eat live and places birds of prey can't easily eat everything.

Bruce T,
Great pictures of success on your Marten line. My son and I are going to switch about half our Marten sets this year to Conibear-style traps, Belilse 120s to be exact. I would love to see pictures of your Marten sets before they've caught Marten. In fact, I'd love to see anyone's pictures of Marten sets. We trap in the eastern interior of Alaska, and use #1 and #1 1/2 long springs on leaning pole sets. Anything close to the ground gets quickly chewed by voles. Also, do you have any problems with pitch getting on a trapped Marten's fur? It looks like some of your sets are on Balsam Fir trees which ooze a lot of pitch if memory serves me. Thanks.

I'll be running a marten line for the first time this year...first two weeks of Nov. or so before we get snowed out of the mountains. I'm curious to hear from you guys about how often you're placing traps...I only be setting about 2 doz max (coils and coni's). There is plenty of suitable habitat and good marten populations...I could drive 50 miles or more if needed. Am I better off spacing them across that area or trying to concentrate on a smaller area? I'm mostly going to be in steeper terrain. Am I better off to stick to the ridges? Any input appreciated.

I would say, concentrate your sets in dark timber on the north slopes near creeks rockpiles etc. Especially fingers of timber connecting other larger forests. Lots of blowdown trees in the thick green timber is good habitat. Edges with small game and mouse cover next to the dark timber.

In my woods they seem to like lots of overhead cover, not so much sparsely vegetated ridges. Find red squirrel middens , voles, rabbits or hares.

As Dale T said concentrate on heavily wooded areas with lots of coarse woody debris. I space my sets about every 1/2 mile within such suitable habitat.

Set the creeks - and ridge tops, you'll catch Marten..

How bout those BMI 126 for Marten?

there is a man who lives in palmer alaska who just before he moved there caught 120 martin in wyoming. he would help you alot up there. his name is pete hammond.