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Post by trappnman on Dec 8, 2022 7:52:58 GMT -6
I lied again lol
I have a couple messing with me, and the traps are close to home, so left some out this week- BUT...I will pull tomorrow. supppose to be rainy and sloppy, so a good time. One can only chase worthless coyotes for so long. But damn am I having fun!
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Post by trappnman on Dec 5, 2022 11:34:54 GMT -6
Yes, that worked.
I get a few red/blondes and a couple of dark ones a year- but this is the darkest one by far.
I did leave traps out over the weekend, and will, this time for sure- pull everything tomorrow. Having too much fun, but it is time.
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Post by trappnman on Dec 1, 2022 12:27:04 GMT -6
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Post by trappnman on Nov 29, 2022 8:27:56 GMT -6
feels good, doesn't it?
I haven't enjoyed a season more than this year compared to the hard hitting years. pulling half the line today, snowing now but I want to ket about 20 traps in ground close to home until firday, to play in the snow a little.
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Post by trappnman on Oct 27, 2022 7:20:42 GMT -6
thats a tough goal for sure. A 7 a day average is doing very well. Hope the weather cooperates. I'll be starting tomorrow- went out the other day with a buddy and that took the edge off.
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Post by trappnman on Oct 5, 2022 7:11:34 GMT -6
Beaver at least still has a market as does castor.
All we can do is enjoy it...
reminds me of something I read about asking an old farmer what he was going to do one year when the corn market had tanked... his answer was plant corn. Asked why he replied- its what I do.
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Post by trappnman on Oct 1, 2022 8:56:07 GMT -6
lots of cheap tanned fur, I agree.
Guess thats about what I got the last 2 years of reds- have no problem selling them. I have about $25 in shipping and tanning per fox, and I can sell them all day for $60.
Coyotes seem to be a harder sell. I have $30 in the tanning and shipping, and have been selling a some here and there at $75. But still have plenty to sell, they don't go as fast as the reds do. course, I'm selling all word of mouth-
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Post by trappnman on Sept 30, 2022 13:58:31 GMT -6
Are you home tanning? Or are tanning prices that low you can sell for that?
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Post by trappnman on Sept 29, 2022 7:42:24 GMT -6
As a fur trapper, with over 60 years of trapping and selling fur- I've never seen a market like this. Back "in the day" it was simple- either long hair (coon, canines) were in style and the "good money" or short hair (beaver, mink, muskrats) was.
Even the big coon crash in the 80s- other furs still had value, and even then in late December of that year coon started moving again.
But now....wow. I always assumed that when I hung up the traps, it would be because I couldn't do it anymore and I'm far from that point. I never guessed it would be the demise of the industry.
Coyotes- no value of typical coyotes Fox- some value,but marginal Coon- not buying, no value Mink- in essence, no value cause try to find a buyer Muskrats- $2 if top rats Beaver- $5 to $10 finished Badger- still have value if you live out west Skunks- novelty trade still wants them but limited
So a bleak picture.
Is this, after centuries, the death of the fur trade?
So what to do......
As dismal as last year was- if a season is going to be my last, I want to know that before time. So after much thought, my plan is this:
1) Shorten season- go for quality not quantity. Normally I run 6-7 weeks depending on later weather- starting mid October. This year, I'll start about Nov 1 and go for 4 weeks. This will give me my best window, for the best fur.
2) Combine lines. Normally, I run 3 lines. In doing that, I ran east, west, in the middle. Doing that meant I passed by multiple farms on my middle line to get to the other 2 lines. So basically I'm culling locations, and dividing things down the middle into 2 lines- this, along with eliminating some spur stops, will considerably cut down my mileage costs.
3) I'll keep all skunks- we have a good skunk here, big with broad, long stripes- I'll take the time to process them and send them, along with any reds I catch, to get tanned. Tanned red fox seem to sell well, and I get lots of asks about skunks as well.
4) All my coyotes will be fleshed and froze- maybe, just maybe there will be a market in a year- I doubt it, but I'll cross that bridge next year.
Taking the advice of a friend- if this is going to be the last year I coyote trap, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it!
I'd like to hear thoughts from what others are thinking, and doing.
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Post by trappnman on Aug 6, 2022 8:35:17 GMT -6
I'm not saying catching coyotes in cage traps can't be done, because I know people that have tried it. But let me say, its about as low % as you can get for coyotes.
First of all- if a coyote is killing your chickens- then the bait to use is simple- a dead chicken. Chicken feathers around the entrance, will help.
I'd use no lure in this situation except maybe urine around the cage.
I've heard of success by building a brush pile over and around the rap- leaving a clear view beyond the trap- in other words, a tunnel through the brushpile with te trap on one end. It will also help to cover the floor of the cage, and around the entrance with whatever is natural- dirt, sand, etc.
but keep in mind- anything- ANYTHING that attracts a coyote's interest, will also attract the interest of ever cat and dog around.
The best thing, imo, is to hire someone to trap them or learn to do it yourselves. Proper foothold traps, don't harm domestics- its just a pain to release sometimes.
While I understand your concern about nieghbors wandering pets- I'd inform them of what you are going to do, and its up to them to keep their pets home- and the same goes for oyur own dogs- keep in at night, etc.
If you want to use footholds, I can walk you through that- but I've given about al l the advice I can using cages, for control purposes.
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Post by trappnman on Jun 22, 2022 7:49:44 GMT -6
I knew someday, I'd stop trapping coyotes. I always assumed that the reason would be advancing age. Might be that assumption was wrong. Is this the season? Maybe. don't know yet.
I knew the market was going to be bad last fall. I had no illusions about that. But I was expecting a bad market.....not a pretty much no market.
I quit longlining water, both for the prices, but more so that the numbers aren't here anymore for the mainstays of my waterlines. Coon are a fraction of what they were with distemper seeming a regular occurrence- and the creeks have been altered so much (all in the name of TU) that where rats and mink flourished, not anymore.
But water was almost all public access- I had no real ties to the land or the water- I miss it, but not horribly. And I've puttered in water since and that satisfies.
But coyotes? I love everything about it- including my ties to the land and the farmers. I'm in a way coyote trapping 365- I'm continually scouting, noting changes and things I missed before- all contributing a piece to the puzzle.
But holy cow- Last fall I put on over 5,000 miles trapping coyotes. Had another $700 in lure, peat, urine. Plus all the misc expenses.
I kept 8 coon- out of the maybe 12 I caught (I used to take hundreds of coon on these land lines years ago, they paid the expenses)- and those 8 were as good a coon as you can get...3X, clear color, prime, full furred......$4 each green.
So coon ain't paying for nothin'
On a Monday, I called my buyer- he told me things were bad, he would be embarrassed to make me an offer- but up to me. So figured ok- went through my coyotes, and pulled out any off colors (the reds, the darkies) and anything with rubs, etc.
Tumbled those, and on Thursday loaded the truck. Just got done, and got a call from my buyer telling me things had deteriorated, and I might want to reconsider.
Hmmmn. What to do......... Figured well, I don't need all these coyotes, so what the heck...and we went and culled them once again.
So my best- fully furred, decent color, etc.
$10 average............
Far less than a good week of gopher trapping. Which was bad enough- but I still had a shed full of coyotes.
So I picked the best 12, along with my fox (got them tanned last year and sold them for $50-75 ourselves so decided to do that again) to get tanned, and still had a bunch- those with rubs, etc we were (and are) going to try home tanning. My grandson came to visit from WY, and I gave him a bunch to take to try to tan.
So......... what to do this year. My 1st thought was well, just trap the top places- give me the highest % so less traps, less supplies, etc....but the "rub" is that those places are the far flung ones- and all the others fill in from here to there- so do I drive by all those spots- really not more expense but more coyotes- and if I want that, and I'd only want that if a market...then I'd trap as normal.
My tentative plan...... If there is ANY market for me- in other words, a agreement for nose count coyotes from my buyer...albeit a low price, I'll treat it as a vacation and not a vocation. Start 10 days later (which puts me more in danger of snow but better fur) and change my lines from 3 to 2 (splitting the 1 line, adding to the other 2) and running harder for less time to minimize miles.
and if no market? Well, I don't hate coyotes and I'm not going to just throw them in a ditch.
Thoughts or comments?
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Post by trappnman on Nov 24, 2021 7:58:46 GMT -6
I agree with lumberjack on setting 2 at 5 locations.
Try to get on as many groups of coyotes as you can. That is, don't set al lsix locations where you are trying for the same coyotes. You will be better off, unless a real concentration on one or more locations- to have distance, and boundaries between locations. On small properties side by side, most likely you are setting traps for the same coyotes.
Use a good antifreeze-I prefer peat moss, but whatever you want to use that works is fine- For that small amount of rtaps, I'd buy waxed dirt.
Use multiple smells and good amounts at your sets- a nd make your dirtholes as deep as you can. I strongly recommend step downs for beginners, as it takes care to a large degree blending and guiding, the 2 most common problems starting out on coyotes.
make your sets messy- scatter dirt around, make a big pattern.
Once set, check only close enough to make sure the trap is undisturbed. Lure good at the beginning, and you won't need to relure for 10 days or more. Use urine liberally at set( I'm a Bill Nelson disciple) around the set.
good luck!
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Post by trappnman on Oct 15, 2021 6:30:45 GMT -6
I've heard stuff like that, and also how they work a set is predetermined by magnetic forces.
and it could be.
But personally, I don't put much stock in either.
for sure the east west thing isn't exclusive as I can readily think of north/south lines where they would be facing either north or south.
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Post by trappnman on Oct 9, 2021 6:53:33 GMT -6
I don't know what happened up here on our creeks. For decades, I could take 4-500 rats ,and 80-100 mink year after year after year with no changes in populations. Now- I doubt I could get 75 rats, or 30 mink on te same creeks. Most of it I blame 100% on the DNR- all that rip rapping and straightening streams for trout, has decimated the rat population. And part is the constant floods over past few years. Part the all year number of raptors- Mn has more eagles than any state other than Alaska and a vast quantity call these hills their year round home. I throw out a coyote carcass, and in 2 days its spine and skull. I've counted 10-20 eagles coming off a site numerous times.
but whatever it is- and farming practices if anything have gotten better vis a vis chemicals, we just don't have the rats. Streams that went dead, and the rest, with the exception of that little watershed I trapped last year, don't have the numbers they used to.
Good luck!
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Post by trappnman on Oct 6, 2021 6:51:35 GMT -6
those were interesting. I have to say, I've never trained a bush dog, there really isn't a need down here, although a well mannered dog is certainly a bonus.
and most of my experience has been with hounds, and to a lesser degree labs.
I've never heard that 49 day theory before- although the overwhelming opinion is for sure that 5-7 weeks is the optimal time to get a pup to bond with you.
I think one of the more stupid things I read, is that a good hunting dog (and after your videos I'll include bush dogs) is spoiled by too much human interaction and companionship- and I disagree wholeheartedly with that to the point I feel just the opposite is true- that bonding, makes the dog want to please you.
and agree 100% on te use of shock collars. Was on a beagle forum- and the use of shock collars was almost universal- and I banned myself after debates concerning the use o shock collars, indicates a lazy trainer, or inexperienced, or both.
the outcry was "who has that much time" (to do it right I guess)
Im curious- what if any is your "danger" command?
I've found it hard to get a hound to stop when prey is about- and the only thing that really worked, consistently, was the command "down". Since a running hound is almost impossible to call off a hot trail (and I wouldn't want it too, I want that hound working until I pick him up) in the trial game the command down was a compromise- he wouldn't come off it, but would pause it.
And we use that same command on our companion dogs like Mickey- stubborn old guy, but when we say down, he stops in his tracks. A compromise so to speak.
as far as little dogs and actions, for the most part agree- beagles are kinda different- the standard says "a small hound that acts like he is a big hound- and thats really true.
Good videos
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Post by trappnman on Oct 5, 2021 6:45:31 GMT -6
not sure which ones you mean- give me the direct links please
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Post by trappnman on Oct 2, 2021 9:40:36 GMT -6
I will watch them monday when I get some free time- this weekend its the big push to put bikes away, and get al lthe trapping stuff out.
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Post by trappnman on Oct 1, 2021 6:31:52 GMT -6
nice. I used to duck hunt a lot, but with all the regs and the idiots out there, its just not worth it anymore.
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Post by trappnman on Sept 29, 2021 6:48:59 GMT -6
well, countdown continues- 2 weeks from today will be skinning coyotes.
put on 190 miles yesterday talking to farmers, and giving things a cursory checkover to see what might have changed from last year. THese are mainly my farmers I don't trap gophers for- those farmers I tough base with this summer. Still have a couple of guys I need to call, farmers I've been trapping for for 30 years so more of a whats new call.
I can't say enough how nice those property apps like OnXhunt are. I got 4 new farms yesterday- farms that I already trap for the landowner, but didn't know he had bought other farms over the years. All 4 look good, 2 had fresh scat where we would be setting, so thats promising.
We've made a method change, in that we are only going to use 4 lures- 4 with 2 baits, will give enough combinations we think- and cut down on confusion as well.
Grandson got his lic requirements done, so we will be running a 10 stop or so 35-40 trap little waterline- mixed bag cause at 13, its al lexciting no matter the $$.
I'm really getting pumped for coyotes this year- its been such a dry spell, I hope it continues for most of the season- if we get any break on weather, this could be "the" year.
Been low 80s this week, and crops getting almost too dry- yesterday we saw a bunch of beans starting- I thought more would be out by now but it seems its begun in earnest at last. The packs still taking sweet corn out and haven't seen much combining corn, but all the big guys are well into chopping.
Haven't put up skunks in quite a few years, but after our success in tanning and then selling fox, I think we are gong to put up the skunks as well and get them tanned for resale.
I'll take any big coon I get with coyotes, but except for the little waterline won't target them, Same with mink.
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Post by trappnman on Sept 16, 2021 6:22:10 GMT -6
Saw the first bean field being combined yesterday- the more beans out the better. Usually, ,by season all beans out, and a lot of the corn. Last few years, most beans in at start, same with corn. Harvest is a blessing and a curse for sure.
got 99 traps set over 5 farms- should be a bunch of gophers today for sure. We should get the last farm set today, maybe tomorrow at latest.
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