General Information: Fishers (Martes pennanti) are big weasels (size of a dog). The head and body are about 2 feet long, and the tail adds another foot. The body is long and thin, and the legs are short. The fur is reddish brown with a bit of frosting, especially on the head and shoulders.

Taxonomy: Order Carnivora: Carnivores; Family Mustelidae, Weasels

Breeding: Breeds in the spring (March to May) and gives birth about 1-year later.

Diet: Fishers are carnivores; they eat anything they can catch (e.g., mice, birds, rabbits, etc.) or find dead (e.g., deer), plus they eat fruit and berries when available.

Range: Fishers are creatures of the great northern forest (taiga), but they extend south in the northern Rocky Mountains and in the Sierra-Cascade mountain ranges.

Where to Find: Don't look for Fishers around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them in Canada, or if you are really lucky, in the mountains of California, Oregon, and Washington.