. The Canadian field-naturalist. 36 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 100 all males spermatic. NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR Figure 2. Maturation of testes of juvenile and adult Fishers during winter (n = 31). Description of Reproductive Activity Fisher activity in late winter increased over mid and early winter periods. Although much of the increase was associated with the presence of a snow cover more favorable for locomotion, particularly in February of both winters (Leonard 1980), changes in behavior of some Fishers were related to reproductive activity. Much of the activity during March appeared t
. The Canadian field-naturalist. 36 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 100 all males spermatic. NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR Figure 2. Maturation of testes of juvenile and adult Fishers during winter (n = 31). Description of Reproductive Activity Fisher activity in late winter increased over mid and early winter periods. Although much of the increase was associated with the presence of a snow cover more favorable for locomotion, particularly in February of both winters (Leonard 1980), changes in behavior of some Fishers were related to reproductive activity. Much of the activity during March appeared to be due to movements of males; 14 of 18 tracks that could be assigned to sex were made by males. This propor- tion differed significantly from a 50:50 distribution (x2= , = l,p< ). In March 1977 a radio- tagged adult male and at least one other male of unknown age moved into the immediate area occu- pied by the radio-tagged female in active pregnancy. Earlier in winter, males had not been known to fre- quent the general area. Tracking evidence indicated that males did not approach closer than km from the adult female in her resting den. Both sexes were apparently aware of the opposite sex in the area, investigated other Fisher tracks, and frequently marked elevated surfaces such as rocks and stumps with combinations of urine, musk, and scats. The adult female investigated the site where the male was live-trapped and approached within 150 m of the Taiga Biological Station where the male was being radio-tagged. Four days after I initially detected the adult male in the area, it moved out of radio reception in less than 8 h. Although tracks of different males were observed less than 1 km apart, no male-male interactions were recorded. Skulls from carcasses of males frequently exhibited fractured zygomas, an injury that was never observed in females. This type of injury was signifi- cantly more common in males that had experienced at least one mating season (ad
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