How to identify it
Slender mustelid with rounded ears, a bushy tail and a yellow-orange throat bib. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Fisher · Pekania pennanti
Field notes
- Identification Do not identify American marten from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Where it lives
Coniferous and mixed forests with structural cover across northern North America. [1]
How it behaves
Usually solitary and mostly nocturnal, hunting most at dusk and dawn; active all winter and does not hibernate. [2]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — trapping · Alberta Guide to Trapping Regulations 2026-2027
- British Columbia — trapping · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — trapping · Trapping of Wild Animals Regulation, M.R. 245/90, Schedule A
- New Brunswick — trapping · Hunt & Trap Regulations Summary 2026–2027
- Newfoundland and Labrador — trapping · 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide
- Northwest Territories — trapping · NWT Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, July 1 2022 - June 30 2023
- Ontario — trapping · O. Reg. 670/98 Open Seasons — Wildlife (read via e-Laws .doc export)
- Québec — trapping · Périodes de piégeage
- Saskatchewan — trapping · 2026-27 Trappers Guide
- Alaska — trapping · 2026-2027 Alaska Trapping Regulations No. 67
- Colorado — hunting, trapping · 2 CCR 406-3 Chapter W-3 Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds (07/16/2026; eff. 2026-09-01)
- Idaho — trapping · Upland Game, Turkey & Furbearer 2026 & 2027 Seasons & Rules
- Maine — trapping · 2026-27 Maine Trapping Lawbook
- Minnesota — trapping · Minnesota Hunting & Trapping Regulations (effective July 2026 - June 30, 2027)
- Montana — trapping · 2026 Wolf, Furbearer, Trapping and Hunting Regulations
- North Dakota — trapping · 2026-2027 Small Game, Waterfowl and Furbearer Proclamation
- Utah — trapping · 2026 Black Bear, Cougar and Furbearer Guidebook
- Wyoming — hunting, trapping · WGFC Ch. 4 Furbearing Animal Hunting or Trapping Seasons (dated Jul 14 2021; matches 2026/27 brochure)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Northern North America
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALMartre d'Amérique
Gouvernement du Québec · reviewed 2026-09-20
Gouvernement du Québec
- BIOLOGICALAmerican marten (Martes americana)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology