throwing in the towel.....

[trappnman]

I'm about done for now, if not the year. Never had a winter with ice like this- temps overall haven't been that bad, but the pattern is allowing almost no ice to melt on most of my creeks. I have traps out that it will be quite a spell before I can even begin to break them free. Looking at the long range forecast, looks like after sunday, will be 3-4 weeks of sub 20 temps- and with more snow more likely than not, and with the populations what they are...I've given it the good fight.

In a "normal" year, I take in 400-500 pelts on water from coon/rats/mink/beaver- and best year close to 1000 when all the apples fell into the basket.... this year its about 180 - coon numbers poorest in 30 years, same with rats, same with mink, did get 2 otter, and of course that would be in a down year.

I had places this year where year in and year out I take 6-8 mink- and not a mink. creeks were I'd take 40-50 rats over the season, this year 12-15 in the best spots. I have one entire system where I always took 30 rats minimum- zero this year. usually 10-12 mink, and 5 off it this year

if it does warm up in feb, will set up a few places where I've seen coon sign.

and if it really warms up- bring on the gophers!

how goes it with the rest of you?

[musher]

Poor year here also. It seems pretty wide spread.

[trappincoyotes39]

Yep coon numbers way down!!!!! Coyotes holding steady but extreme cold for Missouri, people hear tend to blame me for brining this stuff down from the Dakota's LOL. I called it quits right around Christmas time. Selling soon will see how that goes.

[trappnman]

the long range is horrible!

snow is starting to pile up- I might have lost my last change to drive in places to pull with the snow we got (and still getting) last night.

20 today-
32 tomorrow

then 10 days of highs in the mid teens

thne they say 4 days mid 30s, then like 20 days below average with highs 15-20

it won't be a good melt until late feb- and that's when the average should be 32- and it will be still only be in low 30s end of feb, beginning of march the low 30s

add in the snow, and its time to pull. I'm gaining nothing but a lot of hard work in staying longer- if it warms up in feb, I'll run a short coon line.

I had traps in the ground and/or water for 99 days this season. I could leave out 1 or 2 to make it an even 100- but probably not!

[netrap]

Everything way off here also. I have finally had enough except for a few beaver when it opens up.

[Iowa Badger]

Not throwing in the trowel I mean towel yet. Want to catch my IA bobcat still and the coyotes are getting into their breeding mode. Four I caught last week had not been rubbed.

Haven't caught a coon in over a month.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Been a tough year.

I think I heard 4th coldest December ever up here.

Wouldn't have mattered there isn't any rats here pretty much. I wont catch a one around here the way it looks.

I'm too lazy to trap beaver yet. Maybe march.

[trappnman]

pulled 17 traps on a creek where I didn't take a coon or rat all year- had one of each today.

[blackhammer]

It started with spring beaver last year when I lost 400 dollars worth of equiment from two floods, then couldn't go for a planned trip up north for spring beaver because of no iceout till May. Then summer floods destroyed my rat population ,,not to mention ruin many land trapping spots culvert locations for cooon that were just destroyed.Along with being bad for most all water animals the huge flood I think killing a bunch of coon. Trapping season starts coon numbers off a lot and competion up. Then an early crappy winter that won't let up and oh ya prices then go down about 30 percent. I'll still do some trapping this winter and hopefully this spring but I have had it. Should get a real job.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Or go fishing.....................

[mustelameister]

Down here it was the same, Steve. Opening day of deer season was the last day for the boat. Had to bust ice in the bay where we deer hunt and Mr. Heater kept Susan and I warm in the blind. Fortunately the hunt was short and by noon that Saturday I was skinning deer in the garage. My walk-in lines were never established. 'Coon count was way off, with dinks making up 35% of the total take. Mink way down, and 'rats . . well, 'rats were few and far between. A typical marsh with 50 huts last year had maybe 2 or 3 tucked way back in.

Will strike out for beaver once the ice breaks up, but that will be awhile.

My only shining moment involved a new idea (eternal optimist that I am) for a #160 mink/'coon set that meets the criteria for a 4-day check. I'll have to show you the setup in September at the WTA rondy, Steve. Performance has been better than anticipated.

Time not spent trapping was put to work in the basement of this old house we moved into 4 years ago. More shelves, finally got through the last of the boxes we moved here. Organization is the key to success. It's been a real busy last 10 years, but things are finally coming together.

Now with the forecasted cold blast for another week, I'm turning my attention back to the garage. Think I'll dink around out there this week, and maybe see what Friday brings for warmer temps. Would like to at least get a few sets out this winter if the creeks/streams open up.

I keep a pad of paper and a pen nearby most the time. Winters like this sometimes produce the best ideas when one has time to dwell on the particulars of a set. There's always next season, at least I'd like to believe that. After all . . 2014 'coon season opener is only 9 months away.

[trappnman]

Mike, I feel your pain - I had 2 walking lines that I never got to either- both froze up early, and with the snow and lack of critters not much incentive to run them even if I could.

Lori went with me yesterday to pull the bulk of the line, and the highlight of the day was when we were in a creek with high snow banks, fresh snow all around, blue sky and 5 trumpeters swans got up 30 feet from us, around a little bend where we couldn't see them until 15 or so feet up- we could have touched them it seemed as slowly 1 at a time they flew over us- very very cool and one of those moments.

picked up a nice male mink at a spring hole moments before the swans got up, first trap of the day- picked p 5 more rats 9best rat day I've had I na while)

today have 5 locations on 2 watersheds, I'm heading out to pull those- trying for 1 more beaver would be a good way to end the year

[lumberjack]

Tell me about it- I felt my wheels were spinning the whole time. I couldnt get a full line out to save my soul. Weekly floods kept me so busy rebuilding that I felt like quitting ( Im use to it too but this year was intense). Coon were in pockets, rats are still nearly extinct, I did OK on mink for all the more I traveled. Not to mention the newbies in many of my spots, good thing was I didnt have to wait them out long before they left.
Also had a couple vehicle problems that werent too severe but knocked me back a bit. I missed about 15 stops this year that always produced well for me- I just couldnt get to them.
Oh well- we still have our day jobs, I hope, so we can keep doing this year after year.

[trappnman]

picked up 4 big coon yesterday- so actually had a pretty good run for this year as we pulled the line. 1 big stub tailed male had a fair bit of rubbing, the other 3 ok-

[wbg]

Rough season here as well. Low water to start followed by early freeze and snow-rain cycles. I think the only expectations that were realized this season were those of the supply dealers.

[TexA]

I don't like to "Blow my own horn" but I TOLD YOU SO.......
Two years ago,
that the Coon numbers were down
and they've continued to fall each season since

The last two Coyotes I caught had most of their guard-hairs rubbed off too.

I pulled everything last week..

[wink]

Lowest numbers here in my area since 2006. Talked to several other trappers and all have experienced a poor year as well

[trappnman]

you get no argument from me TexA

3 year ago I noticed the numbers being down, really confirmed last year- but at least last year, there were coon at most of my locations, just fewer numbers-

this year- a lot of places I've taken a lot of coon from over 30 years were barren

relooking at the last 4 coon- really only one is "good' 2 have weak bellies, the other is rubbed

[TexA]

WOW, So, things aren't looking very good for the next few seasons, ARE THEY?

HOPEFULLY, "MOTHER NATURE" will back-off and our populations will rebound ---- soon !!!!!!

I'm NOT a nay-sayer, but we're getting pretty desperate - It's not looking good for
either us or the critters !!!!!!!!!!!

[musher]

This winter isn't helping. The cold will not let go. It was -30 C. again this morning. I'm having a tough time keeping weight on my dogs. They are eating double rations and I'm giving them chunks of fat.

The lynx are really walking and digging up anything edible I've fed them. Wifey and I saw the smallest, skinniest fox ever at 10;30 this morning just off our yard ....