trapline update fall 2015

[musher]

I figured that it's time to post a few photos and describe a little of my trapping so far this year.

Weather has been one of the main issues. It goes from hot to snow and then back again.



The freakin' bears are still out and they are putting a hurting on the marten boxes. I have at least three bears messing with me.



They have only come back to the same box twice. I have no more extra boxes .... so it's repair what you can or pull the trap.

Trapping itself has been slow. The fur isn't moving. Too hot? Given the predicted prices, I'm not sweating it.

These guys are fairly plentiful.



The 120 mags are as good as ever. Dead and out. Sometimes the lights are off so quickly they don't wiggle the trap loose.

[musher]

My wife has come out with me a few times. That is always cool. She hits the Ipad scrabble game as I reset. A few years back I posted a photo I called "My Fox with a fox." We caught a red at the same location this year and we redid the photo.





A fisher was also caught that run. It was fresh caught and still active. A little heart squeeze ended that ut my fox wasn't handling the fisher with her hands!

[musher]

The first wolf of the season got caught in a fox set. It was slightly stressing as it was on a single cable stake. I had wolf sets in the near area but this was by the highway so I had fox in mind. The 4x4 #3 soft catch did the job.



And the trap only needs a dog straightening.



Not a big wolf but the colour is fine and it isn't flat.



It seems to have gotten into a tussle with a deer. I don't know how the der looked in the end but it got in a few good kicks.



Thanks for watching.

[trappincoyotes39]

Cool pics keep them comming! I like the beslisle traps have a few for otter and beaver. Had rich kasper make some super bears out of them make a great ADC beaver trap for sure! Super strong and hold onto any part of a beaver! Tail caught, foot caught etc. well worth the extra the beslisle cost.

[bblwi]

Thank you for sharing those photos. Pictures many times are worth 1,000 words. Some very near misses that you held which is good to see. Your red fox seem to be heavy and large is that typical for your forested area? Wise whitetails won't go down without a fight as that large canine found out.

Bryce

[TrapperRon]

Great series of pictures musher. Thanx for sharing.

[musher]

Nov 19, 2015 20:44:52 GMT -6 bblwi said:

Thank you for sharing those photos. Pictures many times are worth 1,000 words. Some very near misses that you held which is good to see. Your red fox seem to be heavy and large is that typical for your forested area? Wise whitetails won't go down without a fight as that large canine found out.

Bryce

The fox in the photo is a nice, large one. But it isn't the biggest.

[bblwi]

Thanks for relating that. What color phase is that marten and is that common in your area. I don't know about market value but that is really a strikingly beautiful fur.

Bryce

[musher]

Nov 23, 2015 18:17:28 GMT -6 bblwi said:

Thanks for relating that. What color phase is that marten and is that common in your area. I don't know about market value but that is really a strikingly beautiful fur.

Bryce

There are two different marten in the photos. I don't really know the colour phases. Marten come in a variety of "browns." I'll make a selection of the colours I have and post a photo.

[musher]

A few new photos.

I ran more of this type of set.



They are easy and fun to check because you never know what will be in them. Beaver, otter and rats were caught. No mink in them this year. All were 330 sets. BTW: I hate skinning a rat caught in a 330. Everything falls apart as you skin even if you use the "puppet" method.

The auction company sent out a letter stating that they didn't want any small beaver and that they only wanted large rats. Do you think these large "rats" will make them happy?



Coming up to this brought a smile to my face.



It's a big 'un. 42 inches nose to base of tail on the board.



Nice mittens on it, too.



The weather seems to be set back on cold again.



Marten are a huge disappointment. They don't seem to be there. Hardly any fox tracks either. We had a very tough, long winter last year and it seems to be showing. Doing lots of picking up and will be organizing a winter line soon enough. The dogs are getting antsy but we still don't have nearly enough snow.

[trappnman]

Very nice Musher-

[cyaukey]

Nice pictures

[bblwi]

Large rat!!! I am still chuckling. It always great to keep and use our sense of humor!

Bryce

[musher]

I'm pretty well all picked up except for a few wolf sets and a small line for the son-in-laws to visit during Xmas. All in all, a very disappointing year. Fur is scarce and it seems to be true province wide.

The weather was also a hassle. In terms of trapping water it is excellent. But beaver are worth zilch so there is little point in trapping them. But yo-yo weather is a really problem with snares and footholds.

Going from this



to this



and back again isn't always enjoyable. The poor dogs haven't even sledded yet. It's too icy with little snow, and I value my health!


I prepared my bears for sale. That is a wack and a half of work.









But the fur isn't bad.




I don't know if I am shipping or selling to a peddler. If I ship, I haven't decided which auction house will get my fur. I have some unsold pelts, including a couple of lynx still at one. This includes a select. I'm nervous of getting fur thrown out, if it is deemed worthless in this tough grading year, or even of an auction house going belly up.

We'll see what happens.

Thanks for reading.

[musher]

I'd let a few sets out to run with my son-in-law. We ran this this morning and this was waiting.



It was a blind set aimed at wolf. This over 50 pound female isn't a wolf.



I think the colour and fur is pretty good but I know squat about coyotes.



The killer spring and the long snare made it end quick.

[northof50]

Every year some beaver rats are sent in just to escape the large royalities of Ontario

[trappnman]

that's a pretty decent colored coyote imo

[RdFx]

Nice put up on bear, the yote is nice also. My largest yote is 53#s and was a male.Fur should be good with out matting..