|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 1, 2014 6:39:56 GMT -6
less than 2 weeks away, and I'm almost ready. I'm really looking forward to this year, for multiple reasons: 1) been seeing lots of coyote sign, and have had many farmers tell me that this year, they are seeing and hearing coyotes, which many did not have occur last year 2) have seen several dead fox lately, and have had a few farmers tell me of litters they have seen on their places this summer 3) coon numbers seem to be up, and I've been seeing all age classes as roadkill 4) possum numbers seem to be at a multi year low- I haven't seen more than 1 or 2 dead ones all summer- skunks are up, way up- but think I'm going to skin them out this year- did a few last year and did quite well with them 5) NO major floods from spring until now, so streams should be normal, and rat/mink populations should be the same as well 5) I'm excited about my new otter setup plan, PLUS just this weekend talked to a guy wit private fish ponds, and he has otter- saw 5 at one time- nothing better than concentrated otter ------------- I've got maybe 90% of the things I need to do, done, but still have a few things left to do: 1) switch tires from the Ranger to the Suburban and visa versa- that's going to be a circus, but what can you do- too bad they both aren't same brand of truck, so its take 2 off of each, take them in to switch, then bring tem back and repeat- but the suburb has new mud type tires, while the ranger has new street tires 2) switch everything around so bike shed becomes fur shed, and yard and garden ready for winter 3) need 2 days to revisit my farmers that I haven't touched base with yet 4) make cable stakes, and cut screens Was hoping I'd be done with gophers, but last few weeks have been very busy, and we still have 3 days of work- rained this morning, hope we can get out this pm as I'd hate to lose a day. in any case WILL be done this week, and then have all of next week to get everything else lined up and ready to go. Everyone else getting ready? btw- here is ap ic of me reading a poem at a biker wedding last week- its what I look like when I'm not trapping!  |
|
|
|
Post by RdFx on Oct 1, 2014 11:14:36 GMT -6
Lordy, lordy father Gappa delivering his sermon! Thou shalt not have bugs on bike and thou shalt not have sex on bike in public now that your married!!
|
|
|
|
Post by musher on Oct 1, 2014 17:23:09 GMT -6
Good photo.
Reading the word "poem" right beside the words "biker wedding" kinda makes a fellow wonder what's happening to the bikers of the world. The next thing you know, they'll be frothing their coffee's instead of spiking it with Jack.
It's a sad world we live in today.
Trapping prep is all ready for me. I've been hitting the wildfowl pretty good so my getting up at 4 training it at its max right now. I am not seeing much fur. No bears, either. All I've seen so far this week it one beaver, one muskrat and a skunk. Thankfully, the dogs did not see the skunk.
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 1, 2014 19:01:24 GMT -6
the groom......  the bride.....  our Prez doing the vows....  Lori as bridesmaid (her friend since grade school)......  The club......  |
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Oct 2, 2014 3:28:14 GMT -6
I got 5 doz. new Victor Montgomery 4's to adjust and throw in the logwood to soak.Then I am ready.No coyotes around home hope that is not the norm other places.Picked up 5 new farms.Lots of coon for a change lots of rain almost 5 in. yesterday and more to come today.I got the Kansas Rondy then done for the year.With the price only good for prime fur will not set a trap till the second week of Nov.
Marty
|
|
|
|
Post by bblwi on Oct 2, 2014 11:54:52 GMT -6
I have been slow in getting the last things done. Had a whirlwind of energy in July and got way ahead and then stalled out. I plan to go later this year with our projected coon market being so low for our early coons. Our water season starts October 25th and I have a big volunteer event the 26th and will be in New York and New Jersey rooting on the UW Badgers from Oct 29-November 2nd so I won't get really started until November 3-4 which is election day!!!
If I scout early I will setup my preferred early season dry land coon areas for older coons. That works well if you do the scouting. I have got another call on doing fur and will put up 500-600 rats for a guy this year that is a consultant that catches rats for cities but does not handle any fur. We will see how that goes. The wife was not happy to hear that another 600 pelts would funnel through our basement!! Oh the sweet smell or rat musk.
Bryce
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 2, 2014 14:41:42 GMT -6
just curious- what would you charge for putting up a rat? $1.50? in any case, easy enough to do and yes, rat musk does smell good......
just got my new rock hammer fed exed today- found just what I wanted on line- a 24 oz wooden hammer with a good blade on back- lost my favorite, long time hammer that is no longer available (except on ebay as classics" lol I kid you not-)in a tragic water mishap- 1st day of water trapping, was walking small creek, about 18" deep- except for, I found one 6x8 hole that was waist deep, and I tripped on a stick and went face first into that- found traps, but could not find my hammer and it boggled my mind I could not find it all season long, and trust me I looked every time! It was a sad day for trappnman...
I liked the shape of the hammer better on old one, but this is as close as I could find. Ah, new shiny things......
Still gopher trapping- had a rain day yesterday so did other projects, but today went out and they were digging- more rain tonight and I'd like to be there 2 more days- close to home, so not too bad but really, really wanted to be done by now and in fact and going to have to skip the last place I wanted to set up- I don't feel too bad- set it up a few days, was pulling and he came and said had another field- so was out there 2 more days than planned, then when he sent the check, he said her had 2 more fields- hard enough to get all farms in, let alone keep going back.
all peat is doubled checked as dry and into big garbage bags- got enough dry dirt & was just being greedy last few buckets.
Wish I had traps out now for coyotes- fronts came through last night, another tonight, another tomorrow with chance of flurries.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2014 17:34:55 GMT -6
Waiting for the cool-down to do my waxingand that'll about do it for me.
I am out on properties several times a week scouting. Diferent from Steve, my season is spilt on the coyote. Of course I start as everybody else in the late fall but then I stop for the 2-week firearm deer season and only trap rats. During that time there's the completed shift with the crops having been taken off and the ground bare from the chisel plow. Though I'm in the woods in fall, I'm also on the edge of the crop/woods interface, I need to make sure I have locations located so that everything is in the woods or tight after deer season. In addition, there's a 3rd change that I need to scout for and that's for when I get the deeper snow later in the season and I make a complete change of set type. Lots of scouting and familiarization during the next few weeks that'll allow me to make a smooth transition without having to stand scratch my head and ass in the middle of the road wondering what I should or where I should be setting when!! LOL
|
|
|
|
Post by aaroncurtis on Oct 3, 2014 12:33:06 GMT -6
I envy you guys who are prepped and ready for the season to start. I had a rare day off today due to high winds/rain. High winds, rain and steep roofs don't mix. I got about 195 houses to remove bat exclusion tubes from and another 12 houses that are needing bat exclusions before they tuck away for the winter......I am running out of time. After that gets completed I have my normal home winterization tasks to do......garden, sprinkling system, patio furniture. Etc etc. Then I have a b-day party for my 2 year old son to prepare for and then a baptism for our 3 month old son and then football practice and games for our 4 year old son........and..........once all that is done I will be able to set some steel.........so if all goes well I will be laying steel Oct 30th. The wife works today so I won't be getting much done with 3 boys between the ages of 4 and 3 months to keep an eye on. God bless stay at home moms!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by trappincoyotes39 on Oct 4, 2014 11:56:30 GMT -6
We'll had my gall bladder removed on Wednesday and recouping from that at home. Have trap to get ready but can have done in a day. have some spots set up for me and the boy plenty of coons but the value will be low only hitting them where they are quick and easy less than 20 yrds from the road or forget it. Coyotes and cats will work on them from start of season 2nd Saturday in November also opening deer season all corn gone in this country and some beans we had 3.5 " of rain the last few days so things wet. Will get really going after the firearms deer season on places I wouldn't set as long as they are doing there thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by bblwi on Oct 5, 2014 13:24:48 GMT -6
Steve I am going to do the first 160 rats for $1.00 each to see how I do and also to determine how many more in the future I want to do. They will be froze in the carcass and I told him I was concerned about how much slower that may be then skinning fresh rats as they fall apart so much easier after being frozen. I did about 100 coons for 3 guys last year and that went okay. If I can make about $12-$16 per hour I can give up the computer and desk job and make about the same having more exercise to boot.
Bryce
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 8, 2014 7:01:48 GMT -6
into the countdown-
Monday got all the tires switched around, and in between got the bikes put away, and the bike shed made into the fur shed.
Tues took truck in- found 1) had a leaky axle seal, cause by a bad bearing- and also have a bracket broke on leaf spring- oh well, better to find out now, than in 2 weeks- truck will be done by noon today- also found a tub with 20 montanas that missed the dye/wax so did them up as well, got a bunch of cable stakes made, so traps are all ready to go. Then made a trip to town (last thing I wanted to do LOL) to get a few last minute trapping things, and to stock up on food/stables so we don't need to waste time in the near future on them.
then this afternoon, early evening will be touching bases with farmers- tomorrow will be continuation of that. 95% will be past locations, so will be a pleasant day.
this morning and tomorrow morning- getting all caught up on paper work. Tomorrow night have the 1st of 4 fall bounty meetings.
Friday.... any last minute things, sharpen knifes, etc
Saturday- a freaking wedding I need to go to- 4 this year, love must be in the air
Sunday- final loading of truck, and I'm then going to sit on my arse and watch some football-
Monday- away we go!
|
|
|
|
Post by coonboy on Oct 8, 2014 13:58:25 GMT -6
Steve what is your new otter set up?
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 8, 2014 17:36:44 GMT -6
I have a lot of creeks, that have sporadic otter travelling through- but the streams constantly are full of water cress and other underwater grasses/moss and its impossible to keep a 330 clear of such debris- either knocking them off of the stands, or becoming a solid green square.
my plan is to take 4' pieces of chicken wire, and place them upstream 7-8 feet- that SHOULD eliminate enough of the green stuff to keep sets open, and have the otter just go around them. That's the plan anyways.
Had a good day of talking to farmers- covered quite a few farms, had no one deny me permission, and lots of reported coyote activity- found 3 more new locations, and got a better location on land I didn't know a farmer owned until today- I had one location that I loved, not as productive as I thought last year in first year of set up, could be better with familiarity, but so far out of way, decided to not set it up
Tomorrow will be another loop- rest of them I've touched bases with recently gopher trapping, or are such long time farmers that I no longer need to ask- just do it
and oh yes- the corn- corn ,corn corn I've never seen as much corn in the fields- no one is doing anything moisture is 30-35% yet but the big operations are chopping some, and beans are 25% gone at best- but lucky most of my spots I went to today, have corn and beans out where I want to be- and it will only get better
|
|
|
|
Post by rionueces on Oct 9, 2014 5:59:38 GMT -6
Good photo of the T-Man.
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 10, 2014 6:18:39 GMT -6
day 2 of running the line- had most of my return farmers home, and again, lots of talk of coyote sightings and vocalizations- had 2 guys tell me that they had each seen a coyote that day in their cow yards- music to my ears. Stopped in at 4 new places on a loop I want to expand (only part of my lines where I but heads with another trapper for farms)and owners out in fields, but at least I got phone numbers.
today will be a "putzing around" day- odds and ends like filling peat/dirt barrels, and getting lure buckets ready.
in 4 days, will be skinning coyotes! also- next week will be 1 year tobacco free- hooked on ecigs, but "I can live" with that....
|
|
|
|
Post by foxman on Oct 10, 2014 12:13:28 GMT -6
Hope you have a great year tman. I commend you on the smoking deal. Been smoking for 7 years and for the last 3 months been cigarette free.. But like you. I am using the "e-cig/vapor pen" lungs feel better, breathing better and have more energy. Lately ive only used the vape pen on break at work.
I still have a ways to go as far as getting ready for season. Just bought a new truck last week so getting the legal side of that done (plates/insurance etc etc) has to be dealt with first.
I wont run hard at all this season, too busy working and being with the family. I plan to run a small line before work and on the weekends to keep myself and the kids entertained and help teach them. Got some new properties lined up literally in a straight (east/west) line. 6 or 7 thousand acres. Makes it easy and streamline to check. Straight there, then highway back.
-matt
|
|
|
|
Post by primitiveman on Oct 13, 2014 22:33:45 GMT -6
Tman....looks like you're getting a pile of rain. Wishing you luck in these not so favorable conditions! When the going gets tough...
|
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Oct 14, 2014 7:05:44 GMT -6
just finished up yesterday started to rain- light rain all night, amounting to only 1/4 of inch- not raining now- our line is north and west, so am hoping not as much rain there, since this was an east/south thing, with the twin cities getting little
we got out 36 sets at 15 locations-
|
|
|
|
Post by primitiveman on Oct 14, 2014 7:09:58 GMT -6
Well that's good to hear...hate to have you abandon this week's line because of rain to start farming rice.
|
|
