Stone marten

Scientific name: Martes foina

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Slender mustelid with chocolate-brown fur, white throat patch (distinctive bib), and pale underparts; bushy tail with dark tip. Males noticeably larger than females; body elongated with short legs.

Size and weight

Males 1.6–2.0 kg, females 1.3–1.5 kg; body length 40–50 cm (excluding 22–27 cm tail).

Habitat

Stone martens occupy rocky outcrops, scree slopes, and mixed woodland-grassland mosaics across temperate to Mediterranean zones. They favor rough, broken terrain with crevices and caves from lowland scrub to 2,500 m elevation.

Distribution

Central and southern Europe from France to the Caucasus; absent from Scandinavia and Mediterranean islands. Prefers rocky, broken country inland rather than dense forest or open plains.

Diet

Highly opportunistic: fruits (bilberries, cherries) and insects dominate summer and autumn; small mammals (voles, shrews), birds, and carrion in winter and spring.

Behaviour

Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular; solitary and territorial with mobile home ranges. Agile climber and scavenger; den in rock crevices or tree hollows; active year-round without torpor.

Hunting tips

Track on soft ground shows five toes (claws visible), 3–4 cm wide; droppings dark, twisted, 5–7 cm long, often placed prominently on rocks. Approach rocky ridges and scree at dusk; glass south-facing slopes for movement silhouettes. Stalk slowly into wind across broken ground; martens bolt for crevices when alarmed.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 18 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.