Trappers 2013/2014
 

I figured now was as good a time as any to start our yearly thread we all love so much. I hope I'm not stepping on anybody's toes ;) As before post your catch updates and trapline adventures for all of us to share.

Pre-season work
 

Well it couldn't last forever and this spring one of the old bridges on the line decided it was finished. This was my first attempt at bridge building also but I think it went fairly well.

good
 

i was bugging j-summit already, but he just didnt catch on:sHa_shakeshout:

couple rats and beaver so far. go ahead and laugh at the rat put up, first time for me:scared0018:

A couple more pictures
 

It's a little bit narrow for the ranger but with somebody spotting you across it's not that bad. It was built more for the sled in the winter anyway and a quad fits across nicely. Still have a little work to do on the approach angle.

Nice job. I need to make a couple of smaller ones on my line.Spray Lakes gave me some planks, just need some man power.
What was the span of yours? A couple of supports enough?

That looks like super fun. Thanks for sharing.

looking forward to this thread..

thanks for all you guys that post and be it known i am one envious guy. :sHa_shakeshout:

Bridge Building
 

Tork diesel, nice bridge, would you like to practise your skill on our line. I counted the creeks and we have over 50 so you could be busy for a few years applying your trade.

hire me hire me ...lol ... what a horrible job to have ..... heavy sigh and smile

Early Trapping
 

Well here is a picture of the catch so far. Was going well, but ice has shifted gears for me. Alot more beaver sets out now, and less rat production. Just about time to start yotes and mink as well. Love this thread!

Rats-315, Beavers-5

Tork, good for getting the thread going, I just did't have much to post yet.

Bridge is looking good, well worth the effort when crossing with a heavy load.


Spruce, you sure are doing a number on the rats.

Went out for beaver at home, mostly for bait, hides are not to bad. Waiting for snow and frost as the trail in to the line is really wet now.
Will take some pics soon. :character0175:

your rat put is are looking not too bad , I wouldn't laugh at them , but maybe just spend a little more time on getting them straighter on the board , I don't ever worry about trying to stretch any length at all , just a straight even pelt on the board. :)

Thanks guys.

The bridge spans about 30 feet or so with a 6-8 foot contact on either end. The creek is not much to look at for most of the year but in the spring it washes pretty good and the banks are way to steep for the sled and a little dangerous for the bikes in the summer. The two supports (one on each beam) were plenty to support things. I'm sure they are going to wash away in the spring but I stashed a few more close by to replace them if need be. The water has never come up high enough to take out the bridge so hopefully it stays that way.

I would love to practice a little more but my day rate would knock your profit margin so far into the red for the year I don't think it would be feasible :) I also have quite a few more creeks that could probably use a bridge but most have nice approach angles so crossing has not been a problem yet. I did haul in an extra 50 deck planks so I'm sure they will get used eventually ;)

Great job Torkdiesel!! The only modification I would make is put some boards on the side to richochet off of. ( I use ten by's) I have found even with a sled if it gets icy and pulling a toboggan behind you might start to slide and go over the edge or close to it. Much easier to have something stop you and alot safer.

Glad to see some catches coming in. We may start some marten next week but can't snare by law until December.

great too see this thread again!!

nice bridge, i really enjoy see pics of others bush engineering, bridges,cabins,sets.

great haul on the open water rats! spruce.


heading in the am nov 4. can't wait!! did a tonne of work this summer but i've already posted all the pics in other threads.

good luck out there, stay safe!!

I did put down some 2" by 8" that the sled or quad will ride inside of to stop it from sliding off. But you got me thinking now once the snow and ice builds up a little that 2 inches ( well really only 1.5" ) might not be enough. Maybe I'll add another layer to give me a little extra safety factor ;)

Great pics guys. I need to take a camera with me. I wish I was as good as Spruce with the rats but so far I think I have close to 50 rats 9 coyotes and a dozen beaver. Got 5 yotes yesterday and was surprised it only took me an hour and a half to skin 5 yotes and 2 rats that I caught. That is poor compared to some of you guys but if I can do a yote in 15 min I will be happy

nov 1
 

Anybody settin steel for marten this weekend? I might put up a couple sets on the local private land line.

Thanks, I need more rats to get it right, enjoy doing them, goes quite fast. Seemed to be mostly young ones except the one, it went over the 3xl mark. Was gonna get a few more with the .22 short but ponds are icing over now.

nope, but should have 30-40 up and running by monday night. and be fully operational by friday with 230+/_ marten sets.

it's already cold and snowy on my line which is early this year. hopefully there won't be much bear activity.

took this pic at the end of sept. waiting for the plane.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...psc15943f9.jpg

sow and 3 cubs....... i hate bears. hope their all sleeping!!

going to try a new product this season on half of my wolf gear.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6b6ee2f3.jpg

they use it on crime scenes,pig barns, embalming, ect. to eliminate odour. got a hot tip that it works great for scent sensitive sets. all the wolf stuff is boiled, but going to try this on half, and see if it makes a difference. if any thing, i'll use it on myself after 3 weeks!

who knows, can't wait!!

Good luck
 

I hope your season is a good one hope too see some picks when your back in:sHa_shakeshout:

I'm heading out tomorrow and hope to get a full day of marten sets down. I have some major new clearcuts on my line so I figure i'll go saturate the bush around them and see if I can pick up some surplus marten.

Braggadoe I bought a bottle of some spruce cover scent that is supposed to be the cats ***** for wolf sets. Let us know how your product works.



Have a great season everyone.

Got a few beavers and rats and I tried skinning a coyote but it was no where near prime yet!

Happy trapping to you all!!

Here is a squirrel midden me and the old man found on the trapline last week going through the bush. It's at least 15 feet by 15 feet. We also got over a dozen beavers, they aren't fully prime yet though.
http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps96259f41.jpg

Rats and Mulie to boot
 

Sunday was great day even with wind and snow, better half and myself did rat check 16 big fat rats, then weather died off in afternoon and filled my mulie draw tag, couldn't be a better way to spend a day.Will post pics soon as I can get them to upload,Peter:confused::confused:

My son (13 yrs old) and I took the trappers course a few months ago. This past Friday, we had our first chance to get out trapping. We had planned on opening day deer hunting, but a neighbour had nuisance beavers he was willing to give us a shot at.

We ended up getting a beaver (big one!) and a muskrat. Biggest smile I have seen on my son's face in a long time. We didn't do a great job skinning the beaver, but we learned a bunch and are hooked on doing more of it.

Kids and the outdoors
 

Yes nothing better than having the future outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen with you when they get a first of anything, we had a 13
year old with us sunday, who got a nice mulie as well, he was excited to say the least, he got his first deer ever last year,a whitetail 4 point, good times all arround,it will get better with experience, and with muskrats an easy target, the numbers will grow, if you have good rat habitat arround you,Happy trapping to you and young man, Peter:sHa_shakeshout:

mink box
 

Well a first for me today,checking mink boxes,and guess who decided to stick his whole head inside a 7x7 box with a 120 coniber in it, " MR RED" yes that fox had his head all inside that little coniber, didn't dispatch him,so that deed was mine, another reason to always insure you are set up for largest animal that may happen by, had trap anchored with 3/32 cable,i pulled trap as I didn't want repeat of same incident I like to see my animals already down in out, unless dirt trapping with footholds,and there were numerous other fox tracks around I feared a repeat of this event,also trap was on golf course and i'm sure they like foxes around for rodent control,fur count 81 rats, 1 fox,Pete,happy trapping to all.

Very lucky to have a dad who's interested, I am all on my own at 14 to get trapping so starting small with Weasel, happy trapping and good luck!