PENNSYLVANIA WILDLIFE (VOL. XIX, NO. 2 ) – In the winter of 1997, 9 more fisher were released in the Allegheny National Forest, bring to 47 the number of fisher released in this area. The release site was along Upper Sheriff Run, a tributary to Tionesta Creek in Forest and Warren counties. This increased the original 38 released in 1996 along Tionesta Creek, including 11 females; three of which were pregnant.
WEST VIRGINIA (1997) - By the early 1900's the fisher had been removed from it’s eastern range, extending south to the Carolina mtns. In 1969, 15 were released on Canaan Mtn and 8 in Cranberry Glades. Although the southern pop failed, 159 fisher have been legally "harvested" in seven WVA counties since 1975. Fisher apparently have found their way into western MD. The former habitat of the fisher was spruce and northern hardwood forests, however, the current pop has expanded into the oak-hickory habitat of the lower valleys of the eastern counties.
THE MARYLAND NATURALIST (Jan/June 1997) - The fisher has been reintroduced in West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. It has been most recently seen in NE Indiana County, PA, presumably from the WVA introductions. The fishers seem to find successful habitat along the wooded ridges of the Appalachians, affording them the opportunity to range both north and south with great rapidity.
In 1969, 23 fisher were released by the WVA DNR, with some legally trapped each year since 1975 (Mineral and Preston Counties). Fishers have been regularly caught in Garrett and Allegheny Counties in Maryland.
December of 1994, PA started reintroducing 44 fisher in north-central PA. Plans are to release 100 more in four sites in north-central PA.
The first limited trapping season for fisher in PA began in 2010.