New York Furbearer NewsletterFall 2020

Photo by Amy Comerford

Final Harvest Numbers…................................................................................... 3

Carcass Collection…................................................................................................... 4-6

Fisher Research…....................................................................................................... 7-8

RHDV2 Outbreak Awareness...................................................................................... 9

Be On The Lookout..................................................................................................... 10

Best Of Photos............................................................................................................ 11

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Table of Contents

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2019-2020 Final Harvest Numbers

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Check out the results

from last year’s harvest!

Here are the reported

number of harvests for

fisher, otter, bobcat, and

marten from the ’19-’20

mandatory pelt sealing

program.

To learn more about

harvest results in your

specific county or town,

visit our website here:

https://www.dec.ny.gov/

outdoor/93855.html

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Wanted: Fisher Carcasses!

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The Bureau of Wildlife is interested

in fisher carcasses from across the state to

evaluate reproductive potential and diet

preferences in the fisher population. The

submission of carcasses is voluntary and

NOT a permit requirement (only lower jaw

is mandatory). Participating trappers will be

eligible for a Furbearer Management

Cooperator patch! Please leave the head

attached to the carcass with the completed

carcass tag and contact your local

DEC Wildlife office to arrange for pick-up.

If you are willing to share your fisher carcass for our research,

please contact your regional DEC wildlife office listed below!

Region Regional Furbearer Contact Phone

3 Kevin Clarke (845) 256-3098

4 Selinda Brandon (607) 652-2302

5 Tim Watson (518) 623-1242

6 Tim Pyszcynski (315) 785-2534

7 Bill Schara (607) 753-3095 ext. 247

8 Scott Smith (607) 622-8271

9 Jen Pettit (716) 379-6378

Central

Office

Mandy Bailey (518) 402-8859

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Many of you wonder: what do we do with all of those carcasses andjaws that you submit to us? Rest assured, technicians and biologistsare hard at work in the fall and winter processing all of the carcassesand jaws that are submitted each fall. Samples from thesesubmissions help support a number of research projects,including several fisher research projects. These carcasses arecritical for this research, and will ultimately be used to moresustainably manage species like fisher and marten for years tocome. We’d like to thank all who have submitted a carcass sofar!

• Aging with tooth samples

• Diet analysis

• Monitoring rodenticide exposure

Carcass Collection

Animals with closed seasons taken incidentally and turned over to DEC are used

to train biologists, technicians, law enforcement, and college students across

the Northeast at various educational events including the NY hosted Northeast

Furbearer Management Workshop (aka Fur School). Pelts are then used for

educational purposes by the DEC and other outdoor education centers.

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Carcass Collection

Aging with Tooth Samples: The 2020-21 season marks the fifth and final year

of tooth collection for fisher. DEC has been working with Matson’s Laboratory in

Montana to age fisher and marten from their teeth using a technique known as

cementum aging. Like tree growth rings, cementum growth on teeth will form

rings that can be counted to determine age.

Since age analysis began in 2016, around 50% of the fisher harvest has

been made up of juveniles. The oldest fisher trapped between 2016-2018

was 9.5 years old. Age-specific information helps us monitor furbearer population

trends and regulate harvest of these species based on the best available

data. This information is critical and supported at this scale because of trapper

participation. We thank you for your tooth submissions!

Diet Analysis: DEC has been working with Finger Lakes Community College

(FLCC) to analyze stomach contents of fisher carcasses turned in by trappers.

COVID-19 has held up the analyses of stomachs submitted in 2019, but FLCC

has so far examined 260 stomachs from 2018. The results from this are still

being finalized, but we wanted to share some interesting tidbits!

Of the 260 stomachs looked at, only two contained feathers large enough to

potentially be from wild turkeys. These results indicate that predation on

turkeys is not as common as many believe! There were several instances of

fisher stomachs that were full of berries, along with some occurrences of

salamander, frog, and perch. One had a large carnivore scat, swallowed whole,

in it. Interestingly, over 10% of the stomachs examined were completely

empty. Stay tuned for more results as we get them in!

Monitoring Rodenticide Exposure: New York is partnering with Pennsylvania,

New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to investigate the impacts of anticoagulant

rodenticides (AR) on fisher in these areas. These types of rodenticides are

known to negatively impact fisher populations in the western U.S., and sporadic

testing has found high levels of ARs in some New York fisher.

Stephanie Cunningham, a PhD student from SUNY ESF, is going to be

analyzing liver samples and reproductive tracts from trapper-submitted fisher

carcasses to get an idea of baseline AR levels in New York’s fishers and

investigate whether these toxins may negatively impact productivity of male and

female fishers. These will be compared with results from other states to get a

better idea of areas with high AR exposure and potential impacts on fisher

populations in the northeast.

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Fisher Research

Throughout the last year, regions 5 and 6 have been knee-deep in conducting fisher research that will compare population drivers of the stable Tug Hill population to the declining Central Adirondack population. Our work will estimate key demographic parameters for fishers, including adult survival and reproductive rates, thus providing insight into potential limiting factors driving recent declines. Through the efforts of wildlife staff and contract trappers, 59 fisher were captured between both study areas. On the Tug Hill, 19 of the fisher captured were female while 17 were male. In the Central Adirondacks, 8 fisher were female and 15 were male. Of those captured, 54 were collared. Though most were fitted with VHF collars, 16 GPS collars were deployed on 3 males and 13 females. Blood results from collared female fishers during the fall/winter of 2019/2020 suggested that 4 individuals were pregnant in the Central Adirondacks, as well as another 4 were on the Tug Hill. Through ground telemetry and trail camera monitoring we confirmed successful litters from 6 females. Apart from den monitoring, we have continued to monitor survival of others through ground and aerial telemetry. Our research will continue through next summer, and we are planning on capturing more fisher at both study areas this fall/winter. This research is a collaborative effort between the NYSDEC and SUNY-ESF.

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Fisher Research cont.

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Reminder: submit your trapping activity log by December 20th, 2020

Did You Know: in order to receive a trapping permit for the following year,

submitting a trapping activity log is required, even if you did not trap!

What can I do?• Avoid traveling to areas with known

RHDV2 outbreaks. Keep up-to-dateby checking the UDDA’s interactivemap:https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/maps/animal-health/rhd.

• Disinfect all gear with 10% bleachsolution (1-part household bleach,9-parts water) after any out-of-statetravel.

• Wear gloves when field dressingrabbits/hares and be sure to buryany remains deep enough toprevent scavenging.

• Avoid contact with domestic rabbits.Beagle clubs should not use bothwild and domestic rabbits fortraining.

• Report any unusual rabbitmortalities to the DEC WildlifeHealth Unit.

• Spread the word! Many areunaware of the risks RHDV2 posesto our native rabbit and harepopulations. It’s important to get theword out so that everyone is doingtheir part to protect NY’s rabbitsand hares!

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Be Aware: RHDV2 Outbreak

Cottontail rabbit photo by Robert O’Connor.

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease virus type 2

(RHDV2) is a fatal viral disease that

affects rabbits and hares. RHDV2 was

first documented in domestic rabbits in

the United States in 2018. In 2020,

RHDV2 jumped to wild rabbits and hares

in the southwestern U.S., where it has

spread to California, Nevada, Utah,

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and

Texas.

RHDV2 is extremely hardy, easily

transmitted, and highly lethal to rabbits. It

does not infect humans or other animals.

RHDV2 spreads easily through direct

contact between rabbits or contact with

contaminated environments or objects.

The virus can survive and remain

contagious for over 3 months on a

carcass or inanimate object (such as

caging, bedding material, food, wool,

clothing, shoes, etc.). It can also be

spread by biting insects or by predators

and scavengers that have eaten infected

rabbit meat.

If RHDV2 gets into New York’s wild rabbit

populations, it will likely be impossible to

control and will result in significant

population declines throughout the State.

DEC is taking this threat to New York’s

rabbits and hares very seriously and

urges all New Yorkers to do their part to

keep this deadly disease out of the state.

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Be On The Lookout!

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• DEC is currently developing a management plan for river otter in New York.

Look out for the draft of this management plan over the next year and be sure to

submit comments during the public comment period.

• DEC is updating the New York State Bobcat Management Plan for 2020–2029.

This updated management plan will be available for public review and comment

in the near future.

• DEC proposed changes to beaver trapping season dates in the western zone,

and mink & muskrat trapping season dates in the northern and western zones.

Due to the lengthy procedures and review associated with the rulemaking

process, these changes were not adopted in time for the fall 2020 season start.

However, the changes become effective on 11/25/2020, allowing trappers in

central/western NY to enjoy an extended spring beaver season.

The newly adopted water season dates balance DEC's management

objectives with trappers' preferences for when they want to be afield.

Modifying season dates allows DEC wildlife managers to better address

the goal of meeting public desire for sustainable use of these resources

while improving management of species like beaver. The new season

dates streamline these closely-linked water trapping seasons, ensuring

that regulations are enforceable and making it easier for trappers to

comply. These dates also ensure higher pelt quality, allowing for wise,

sustainable use of our abundant furbearers.

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Look Who We Caught On Camera!

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