The curiosity, ferocity, and lightning-fast reflexes of the weasel family are well exemplified by the marten. Most people who have studied martens have noted that they are not fond of water. However, swimming martens have been seen, although they travelled only a short distance. Home ranges vary in size with changes in both the marten population and the abundance of food. When food is abundant a male's range is about 3.5 km, and if food is scarce this may be doubled in size.
Females require only about half the area needed by males.
Home ranges in logged areas are also much larger than those in uncut forest. Fur trade and management Pelts of marten are marketed as Canadian or American sable and generally command a high price. It was this high price that led, in part, to drastic declines in the numbers of marten since European colonization of North America. Trapping presure was so heavy that martens were extirpated from many forested areas. It became necessary to place martens and other furbearers under strict regulation to allow populations to recover.