Mother Nature’s Colors

By Asst. Regional Biologist Amanda DeMusz

Fall is a beautiful time of year. The leaves are changing and colors abound. However, trees are not the only ones with unique colors. With trapping season upon us, I thought it would be a great time to highlight a popular game species that is near and dear to my heart: the American Marten (Martes americana). Many non-trappers have probably never seen one, but marten come in a variety of colors.

Often referred to as a “deep woods” animal, this medium-sized member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) is associated with larger blocks of intermediate to older growth northern forests. 

Marten use denser softwood and mixed-wood stands within their large territories for denning, foraging, and breeding. Some of the key habitat components for marten include downed woody debris and mast-producing trees, such as beech, which provide ideal conditions for boosting small mammal populations. Marten are, in fact, omnivorous, eating fruit, seeds, and nuts, especially beech nuts, seasonally as available. 

Marten are avid and skilled climbers at home high in the trees. Marten use their five toes, semi-retractable claws, and long tails to make life in the treetops a breeze. In winter, their relatively large pads (compared to body size) and growth of extra hair on feet, allow marten to navigate deep snows with ease.

Marten are a solitary animal except for breeding season. Mating occurs in mid-summer. Marten have delayed implantation, which means the egg is fertilized at mating, but does not implant to the uterus until late winter. Young are born in a den and raised by the mother late-March/early-April. They reach adult weight in about 3 months and will be on their own that first fall/winter, dispersing to their own territories.

The coat color of the majority of marten is a chocolate brown body with darker tail and legs and an orange throat patch. But just as our hair color can vary, so can theirs. Their fur can be blonde to almost black.

Before moving to Maine, I worked on a marten research project in the Adirondacks. While the coloration of the dozens of martens we handled varied some, most were pretty close to what is pictured above. But 2 years ago, a trapper friend contacted me and said he had something I would want to see. What he showed me was a red-colored marten (pictured below).

I have since seen some game camera photos of marten in northern Maine with some red patches. I even caught a dusky colored marten in a live trap one winter. While most harvested furs and living marten I see are the “typical,” it is always a treat to get your eyes on one of these critters with unique colors. 

Whether you are a trapper or a wildlife watcher/photographer, Maine, with its huge expanses of forestland, boasts a healthy population of marten for you to enjoy. But this smart and secretive critter is not easy to spot or catch; trapping marten is a true skill. 

I have heard of (and experienced myself) accounts of marten investigating food sources, such as suet feeders, around remote camps and cabins. Marten have a fast metabolism and do not store much fat so are ALWAYS on the lookout for the next meal opportunity.     

For non-consumptive-users, game cameras provide a great opportunity to catch on camera secretive animals. Or strap on those snowshoes! Head out to the woods to look for tracks! Who knows? You might see one in person!