Trapper Ron 2012-13 Stuff

[TrapperRon]

I have started a bit of a journal on my 2012-13 trapping preparations and stuff which may have some interest to the trappers on this site leading up to trapping this fall. Then it will follow some of my trapping activities.

Hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment please.

[TrapperRon]

First visit to the cabin June 13th

Still some snow on the road in:



A bit of snow on the West side of the cabin:



We found a couple of tears in the roof, probably from the ice under the snow sliding:



From seeing those three tears in the roof we are now going to cross strap the roof and put metal roofing on it.

[TrapperRon]

Several pine trees around camp have been stripped of bark about 30 feet up. This is all second growth lodgepole pine planted after logging. I suppose next they will try to eat the cabin walls.



We already know about the griz visit. here is a picture of my outside wash basin. Think that was a small black that decided to have a chew on it.

[TrapperRon]

I have more pelt boards than 3 trappers need. Having said that I continue to make them, many for other trappers. Now that we have a wolf season we will need to make up a couple of wolf boards. So the other day in my travels wouldn't you know it some cedar left behind at a landing from last winter. Someone cut the best log at 10 feet up then cut a bunch of firewood sized blocks out of the middle of it. You can see the butt rot typical of our Western red cedar. This log will mostly be clear, it is about 18 inches diameter at the butt end. Should make our wolf boards, some lynx and coyote boards and a stack of marten boards.

So out we go with the trailer and load it up. It is now here in town and one of my neighbors will custom cut it for me with his band saw mill.







My trapping buddy Ryan helping out. Well or should I say he did most of the work.



What we did was cut a couple of poles and crossed them above the log tied with a chain. The we lifted one end with a small chain block. backed the trailer under and used a come a long to pull it into the trailer. Worked very well.

[TrapperRon]

Here is a frightening scene and a bit of a story to go with it.

So last summer I was looking for some good wood logs or standing snags which would be handy to get at for firewood for the trapline cabin. In one older cut block there was a nice standing dry fir snag. There was quite a lean to it away from the road so it would take about 70 feet of cable to pull it out. Anyway I left it for another day.

This spring I go down the same road and my dry fir snag is gone and I could not see where it was driving down the road. We turned around down at the landing and started back up. There through the low green brush I see the butt end of the sawn log. So I stopped and went up the bank to investigate. Wow what i saw made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Some one had made an undercut towards the road then an angle cut on the other side. With the lean on that tree there was no way it was going to the road. You can see he had to cut the stump completely before it came off. When it came off the stump it rolled and came down right where he would have been standing and felled the opposite direction to the undercut. This tree is over 24 inches on the stump and probably over 80 feet tall. Someone is lucky to be alive.

The good news is It will probably be in my woodshed at camp before fall. That is unless this idiot faller gets there first.

[TrapperRon]

Today ( July 24th) we milled my cedar log. A fellow just a couple of blocks away has a Wood Mizer bandsaw mill. A few knots but lots of really nice clear Western Red Cedar boards. Some are 14 inches wide. They are 3/4" thick and will be 5/8" once dried and planed. Some are cut to 1/2" thick to plane for marten boards, ermine boards, and some squirrel boards. Looks like we will get at least four nice 8 foot wolf boards. It is all dry piled now. All in all I am very happy with the material from this log.

Milling the log:





Boards are all dry piled.

[northof50]

Nice pile Looks like some clear lumber Pin friendly.

[RdFx]

Thanks Ron for the info pics...appreciate you taking your time to show. Wausau, WI trapper

[kelly]

Ron is that Ken helping strap down the log in the trailer?

[TrapperRon]

No Kelly that is a trapper friend of mine that helps me out a lot. Son Ken is 6'3" and a helicopter pilot. He must have been about 12 when you saw him last. I'll email you his facebook page and you will see some awesome pictures.

[TrapperRon]

Planning on getting started on my wolf/coyote snares soon. Will have 60 made up but probably will make 100. I have all the parts. When I start I will post some pictures and more details.

This season we finally have a wolf season back for our region. Our two Registered traplines have more than their share of wolves. They have really had an impact on our ungulate populations, particularly a small elk heard near Nevertouch Lake.

[northof50]

Hang them high. Make them go holly. And onto the stretchers.
One of the form board makers ( Top Lot Stretcher) showed up with a dozen wolf made, and wondered why they were sold before the tailgate was dropped, he forgot that a few Manitoba trappers came to the Nationals this year.

[TrapperRon]

For the past 4 months there has been two large Birch planks dry piles on the floor of my shop that I have been tripping over, along with the rest of the mess as you can see. Harley a fellow trapper cut them with his Alaska Chain Saw Mill. He also has about a dozen dry piled in his yard. The other day I cut them in half and planed them. One was over 14 inches wide so I had to trim each side of it before it would fit my planer.

What we have now is four nice clear birch 2" X 10" X 55" long to make fleshing beams. Well one has a knot but we can cut to avoid that.

[Stef]

Would love to put my hands on a couple logs of western red cedar.
I have some eastern white cedar but its ain't the same.
Thanks for sharing

[TrapperRon]

Today I decided it was time to make some sawdust and shavings. Mostly for some board comparison discussion over on the Alaska Wilderness site.

For today's project I am splitting western red cedar blocks 3 feet long to make marten boards. Here is the process, first the block, then the split shake, then plane the shake to thickness. Next the board is squared up and cut to 4" wide x 36" long. Lastly a finished marten board.

Notice that the cedar had a big center rot/hole on it, typical of western red cedar.



The first step is to mark the board from a template or pattern. The end of the board is marked in the center. The pattern is then drawn on one side of the board facing away from you with the nose to the right. Then the board is flipped and the same tracing producing a line on the flip side. The reason for this is that it is easier to cut out on the band saw using your right hand to guide the board while cutting. If board is all marked on one side then cutting the right hand side of the board is very awkward.




The board is then cut out on the band saw.



I then put the board in the wood vice and plane each edge to the pencil mark. Then plane the edges round and sand them. For major production you can set up a router to round the corners.

Here are a few marten boards, large and small, couple of male mink boards and some belly wedges.

[Stef]

Love it!

[C1972]

Really cool. Nice work.

[TrapperRon]

Well back into trapping mode and working on my on my "to do list". Made up some new beds for the camp, three for the loft and one for my brother. They are made so the Rubbermade containers will fit underneath for storage etc. Painted my bed, finally. Just a couple of things left do do inside. A ceiling panel (sheet in) above my bed. Same above my brothers bed in his room.

Sleeping to accommodate 6 now. My wife when she comes to camp uses the pull out couch.

Replaced the cardboard woodbox with a new plywood one.

Loft



My Brothers new bunk.



My bunk and the pullout couch.You can see my wife has her own little cabinet, and her own wash basin.



New woodbox and in place by the stove.





_________________________

[TrapperRon]

Started to fix my old marten sets changing them from vertical boxes to horizontal and many will be double sets. Also some will move near by to a better location. I prefer my boxes out past the tree rather than between the two trees. The birds can feed on the bait through the screen. Two whiskey jacks (Grey Jay or Canada Jay, whatever you prefer to call them) fighting over the bait is as good as any scent. Some will be between depending upon the situation.

I used to fasten one end solid to the tree with a spike and wire the other end so the poke has movement when the wind blows and does not come detached. Now I powersaw cut a slot in one end and spike that instead of using the wire. Serves the same purpose.

Here is an example:

From this type of set.





To this. Some will just be single boxes.

[jim]

I think you have the vertical and horizonal wording reversed.

A question are marten mostly a day time hunter? thanks

Jim