on the road again................

[trappnman]

or actually back in the water again.

I took some video, but apparently its to long for photobucket- heres a photo of the dam-




no activity on the snow- so in 3 trips- saw a little activity 1 time, the 2nd- saw no fresh out of water sign yesterday. Dam is no crossovers, no coming over dam- stagnant. Did see a few fresh cuttings from branches in water. Set 2 channel BE type sets, 2 castor mound sets.

was almost giddy, when I found a decent enough little feedbed for rats- I'll get 3-4 rats off it, and found another small (1-2 rat) feed bed- also set 7 blind sets at 3 locations. I'll try to make short videos today, and I'll take you along as I check them. little rain/snow last night- so am looking forward to today.

[RdFx]

Nice pic, set up for otter too even though no bvr sign. Keep us posted. I dont have open waters like you do. Everything froze up.

[flathead40]

That almost makes me want to put my waders on. Looks nice and pleasant.

[braveheart]

All of our season closed yesterday except beaver.It is suppose to get colder I have 2 beaver jobs to work. It have been real muddy here since about the 2 week of Jan. It must be sunny there that I haven't seen in a lot of days.
I got people wanting beaver tail and calling me for them.Does any one have a idea what is going on with them. I can't believe wallets and little bags there is that much demand.

[trappnman]

here's first set of the day- had a rat in the next set as well- ironically, the feedbed I thought was a sure thing....wasn't lol
I tried to take more video, but more problems than success



had a rat in 2nd, heres a typical mink/rat set I make, no lure/bait



kind of surprised with a beaver 1st night- could well be only one we shall see. I DO like castor mound sets.






just under 65 lbs



so my 13 traps gave me 2 rats, and 1 beaver. Next check Friday- I've been stomping around there 2 days now....if another I need to let it settle down a bit.

Had a fun day. Glad Lori was there- it took two of us to carry the beaver through the woods

[RdFx]

thanks for pics, sure small looking tail on that big bvr. Pooch looking good, you going to give the oil sacks to dog so you can keep pooch outside till stops farting...LOL..... rat prices should be good next sale or right now with some local buyers.

[northof50]

I can see at least 15$ by that tail.
Good job

[trapping]

Probably looking to get those tails for making oil.

[northof50]

no! the castor with that size

[trapping]

I was talking a bout Marty's guys looking for tails

[cameron1976]

Marty in regards to the beaver tails...as Trapping pointed out, you might have some guys looking to make oil. It also could be guys looking to buy tails and turn them in for bounty. I believe Arkansas is still paying a bounty, and in the past I have heard of them having problems with trappers buying beaver tails inexpensively from out of state and turning them in for cash.

[braveheart]

I have heard of that too. As for the beaver tail oil I have never messed with it and never will.
Kind of like the paddle fish oil craze .That I can say I tried and that is it also . It separates to fast and is very hard to work with. Too much of a foaming reaction and things separate instantly in it.

[cameron1976]

Thanks for the videos and pictures Steve. How's the line going for you?

[bblwi]

Steve,

Those open water spring fed streams must be magnets for water species during the winter when most areas are frozen over. I know from growing up in West Central WI that the winter temps are much colder in that area of WI and MN then over on the eastern side where I live now, yet most of our slow moving streams in the glaciated region here freeze over pretty quick and hard.
One thing I have learned from hard water muskrat trapping in our big wetlands is that they are full of carp and because they are big and move very slowly in the winter they are a mega food resource for otters. We see carp scales in dozens of otter toilets while trapping rats. It also amazes me how many rats get found by mink in our pushups and get chewed on. One of the old timers who has trapped the marsh for decades says he will get 5-10 mink per season through the ice and almost all really big males.

Bryce

[trappnman]

that beaver weighed close to 65 lbs- glad there were 2 of us!

2nd check down the line yesterday-

1) my "nice" feedbed set- trap snapped in bed- 1st of 2 yesterday, cold now, but above freezing cause crap to fall from above- part of the game.



2) nothing again 1 & 2 5 feet apart



3) this is a nice little set- if I'd stay, I'd get get a mink or two- added a half of rat carcass



4) my 1st castor- nothing



5) blind set- nothing



#4 from up close

6) 2nd blind set- nothing

7) 2nd castor- where I got 1st beaver- nothing

spring-

8) nothing

9) nothing- rat 1st check

10) rat, 2nd rat here 9 & 10 about 5 feet apart


next location-

11) natural cubby, been there 12 years and more- many, many mink and rats over year- nothing on 2 checks

12) manmade "cubby"- nothing 1st check, rat today 11 & 12 are about 5 feet apart

13) manmade- nothing 2nd check


odd tracks of a coyote dragging the one foot-

[redsnow]

What for traps are you using? #2 longs? Can't tell, might be #11's.

Those are some good looking spots.

[trappnman]

#2 dls. Really like them for rats and mink.

1 rat today, in #3 from above. that's right across creek from 1 & 2.

no beaver sign- I'll pull everything thurs.

someone followed my tracks in this weekend, and got stick- saw 2 spots where they got stuck- broke of a plastic part from somewhere. landowner stopped n yesterday, I told him, he said "good!" lol

[redsnow]

They are a good little trap, especially in the water.

Well, maybe the folks that got stuck will stay out of the way from now on. Sounds like they didn't have any business there anyway.

[bblwi]

I don't know the type of moisture you got but during the very early AM and up until noon we got about .5 inches of rain. Now we are supposed to have some cold weather for two days or so. That will make a nice ice rink here again, about the 3rd icy mix we have had this year so far.

Bryce

[mustelameister]

Nice pics Steve. I'll be setting out next week. Got another show yet this coming weekend. Lake Home & Cabin Show $$$ . . .

Steve, remember that "secret" set I was talking about and included in the demo last fall at WTA rondy? Well, I'm going to do a little pictorial essay on the evolution of that set, and where I am today with it. I do believe you're going to enjoy it. Figure by Wednesday of next week I'll have enough of these sets out to at least give you a somewhat fair idea of their "deadliness" on mink and 'rats. They will stay soaking until the closure in early March.

Stay tuned!