next year.............

[trappnman]

had traps in the ground from late October until yesterday- seems odd as it does every year, not having any out. Already looking forward to next year.

just skinned that last beaver-

beav- that carpet hook idea is great- will use it on all my beaver next year.

mike- ried that going all the way across the back without flipping- kind of liked doing the tail from the side, instead of from the end. Still will hang beaver, but agree, its an improvement over how I was doing it on the bench.

the only big thing I can see equipment wise is that, if all goes as planned, all coyote traps will be laminated. Not sure if I will 4 coil them all- will 4 coil some, and see if I need to do them all.

Will be skinning coyotes in the field- 17, will talk with you later about your rig-

will also have a wheel sharpening sysem setup, and thats something that was long overdue.

my big change for next year, is I'm going to change my coyote operation, pretty much 100% from what I'm doing now. same sets just different system.

Its going to take a lot of work, but I got 7-8 months to get it down.

next year- WESTERN STYLE!

anything new or different in your plans for next year?

[Zagman]

my big change for next year, is I'm going to change my coyote operation, pretty much 100% from what I'm doing now. same sets just different system.

Its going to take a lot of work, but I got 7-8 months to get it down.

next year- WESTERN STYLE!

___________________________________________________

Please elaborate............a 100% change in anyone's operation, especially us old timers, needs expanding on.
Western style? You selling all your Duke 1.75s" LOL


Me? Have not started contemplating next year much.....still putting up fur......2 feet of snow has me thinking about moving somewhere's else.....YES, maybe even western style!

MZ

[Steve Gappa]

mark- not my info to give- suffice it to say, its a totally different mindset, than how i'm doing it now.

right now, I have say 20% of one type of location, and will make that type of location, 80% next year.

And I'm going to stop trying to trap coyotes I already caught! LOL

[bobwendt]

me , same o same, hope for drier weather and a better market and no more aches and soreness. get young again. keep the weight down and stay limber and eat right and hit the gym again. next year? it is next year right now. beavers yet, then spring denning again, then summer trapping, then back to fall trapping here, then jan cat round up. yep, pretty much the samer except hope the things out of my control are less worse. stay west longer next time. too many miles and time driving back and forth. have several ideas to make it more palatable to the boss that I am gone longer at a stretch. probably quit the pee collection, make this the last year. not enough financial return and too confining. we`ll see, I make plans and then change them as the plan unfolds.

[bobwendt]

piles of something going on here. nick, I heard you are going to become a longline coon trapper and fat scraper.

[NittanyLion]

I will trap the same critters next year. I hope to pick up a few more locations but the big change will be I am extending the time I trap for a couple or 3 weeks to the whole freakin' season.

[thebeav2]

Missed the South big time will be going back. Made some deals so It should be a bit more cost effective.
Don't know about the Carolina live market but It should still be In place.

Most likely spend the same time trapping coon and rats. I have a system perfected that works so no need In trying to change that.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Cant think about next year. Still have 8 days fo rat trapping and maybe some beaver trapping.

The only thing for sure I know about next year is to be more prepared.

Didnt have the sleds in running order right away and that will not happen. They will go into storage turnkey ready.

And buy more traps.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I pulled the few traps I had out. Still a month or so to catch water animals, probably take the grandson out and cats some rats and beavs.

[calvin]

Switching out all my drowner traps to the Duke 1.5. with a few #11s mixed in. In the process of getting rid of all the mix and match traps I/ve accumulated over the years. One trap now, as I have confidence in that trap and see no sense in 14 different brands mixed together. Also think I/ll get rid of the nightlatch on the new traps. Dificult to set a nightlatch for mink/rats and coon. Think I/ll just go back to dialing them on site depending on whats there.

Almost lost the ATV in the marsh/lake today. Would have felt like a tard if I would have lost the ATV all for a few rats. New lakes are a bit scary. I know one spot where ice doesn't form now, anyhow. Not a shallow area either, I don't suspect. When your driving along and see a 3 foot black hole in the 10" of powder snow...GUN IT! Then go clean your pants out.

Still have some rat, etc traps out. Will pull on the 28th and ease into the beaver. I/ll also keep Gappa's winter stream trapping methods in mind for next year. BE sets and a few drowners here and there, anyhow.

[mustelameister]

Beginning the last third of my life this coming season. Retiring from teaching high school biology after 31 years. Coached football for five of those years, trapped for 25. Prior to that trapped as a kid on the big river and after the service while in college.

This year was fixing the house to sell, selling the house, buying a house, fixing it up on weekends, meanwhile renting and finishing out the school year.

Got my toys ready to go: 16' V-bow will have 23 horse Go-Devil hitched up, 13' Sportspal has 2 horse Honda for back sloughs, Grumman 15' Sportboat has 4 horse Johnson for ice cutting prior to ice-up, and 14' jon boat has Tecumseh ice scratcher for running on top the ice 'till snow gets too thick.

Initial plans are to run two lines. Each line will have at least 125-150 drowner sets. Target 'coon, mink, 'rats. Also #220s on cross logs rigged to drown, stoplosses and #110s for 'rat marshes.

Got a 24' x 30' garage with this old house we bought that's being converted into 1/3 fur shed, 1/3 workshop, 1/3 garage except when drying room is needed during season.

Part of this summer will be spent preparing for drowners, stashing weights, rerod, drowner rods, prepping new/old traps, getting ready.

Meanwhile, got a couple trapper ed classes to teach. First one this spring will be my buddy's last. Rolly Peetz has been given less than a year to live. Agent Orange finally caught up with him. For the last several years he's scheduled his chemo treatments well before the spring class and then right after. Told me he's going to make this one regardless.

Most all my buddies have had life-changing health issues. I've had minor issues, none that have kept me out of the hip boots, yet.

Two best friends from high school--one is dead: Tertiary Lyme's disease. Was in the big wheel for the last ten years after his spinal cord went to mush. Must have picked it up as a kid back in the 60s when he and I tromped the marsh.

The other had a heart attack at the age of 49. Left him very weak. Long time smoker, thee packs a day. Hasn't given them up.

Best teacher buddy came down with a bizarre form of muscular dystrophy in his early 50s, medical retirement last year. Shrinking right before my eyes. Is now picking out a wheelchair.

Best college buddy had a brain tumor early on, removed, has paralysis on one side of his face. Never has been the same guy.

And now we moved my father into a nursing home, the mini-strokes have taken their toll with his ability to get out of a chair and walk to the toilet. He's taking it best as could be expected, Mom needed the break.

So, my plans for the coming season are to push it, really push it. Got a woman that loves sharing the fishing and duck hunting, and has quilt projects and sewing projects waiting while I'm on the river running traps later in the season. Last stepdaughter graduates this year and will be attending school.

Helping another buddy start another trapper ed class further down the river. Will also devote time to working with the Feds on the refuge to get the youth trapping areas better utilized.

Head 'em up, move 'em out.

[redeagle]

I'll be fully retired and plan to trap fulltime. I'm in the process of adding #4 Dukes to my arsenal for my coyote and bobcat efforts (I've got 3 dozen now so far for a starter for next year). Will add 8' chains to each for drags. Of course, look for additional territory; Neck down trails pre-season for CRs. Other odds and ends too numerous to mention.

[northerntradish]

did'nt trap at all this year my buyer was'nt buying en my other one was'nt paying much from what i heard from the other trappers in my area, but i'm gonna go for it next year regardless of what i'll be getting cuz there's nothing like being in the outdoors

[yoteguts]

Going to chase yotes all season, if Andy and 1080 leave any for us novices.lol Not much water trapping if any at all.

[garman]

I will hit trail coon hard as well as dryland coon on my yote line, then I will be setting up a h20 coon line again but not on the level as in the past, also as red stated be working on trails for snares later on.

[northof50]

As mustelameister put it in his posting.... going out and remembering those of them that have past before us, and can not join us for the fresh air, and now we feal twics the aches and pains as the seasons add up.
But wait I still have 3 more months left season only 1/2 over.

[freepop]

Try and work a little smarter than harder, but mostly have fun again.

[sRc]

Learn skunk polling; reduce inventory on smaller sized traps and replace with #3's; replace ketchall with pole that has larger cable; research coyote live market and give it a whirl if possible.

[Noel]

Customize the fur shed, bump up to 3 softies, try out some drowning rigs, shock springs, hit some new territory, beat the competition .

[bblwi]

Learn how to use a 4-wheeler on the farm land line. Do a better job of managing my canoe rat line. Start coon 7-10 days after the opener like this year but increase catch by 2-3 fold. Do a better job of running a water coon line and a late coon line.

I will be giving up two of my 3 jobs and have learned how to work around the 1040 hour job enough to free up about half the days in November and the last part of October.
Have a ton of muskrat line modifications of gear to make and a coon foothold method to nail down better.
On paper is shaping up well, now to get it ready and then the big one is to implement and carry out.

Bryce