Leg holds for wolves

[Brian Bildson]

I think you're right Tork, in the old days lots of guys used #3 double springs and you wouldn't want them hooked solid. Those two sets were natural wolf pee posts so I used the existing logs. But lots of times i just cut a four foot toggle and bury it in the snow before driving over it with my snowmobile. Once it freezes down no wolf can pull it out. In fact be careful how you tie trap on as it can be a pain to retrieve it. I've had to chop the toggle out before. Now I use a cable and quick link.

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by Brian Bildson

I think you're right Tork, in the old days lots of guys used #3 double springs and you wouldn't want them hooked solid. Those two sets were natural wolf pee posts so I used the existing logs. But lots of times i just cut a four foot toggle and bury it in the snow before driving over it with my snowmobile. Once it freezes down no wolf can pull it out. In fact be careful how you tie trap on as it can be a pain to retrieve it. I've had to chop the toggle out before. Now I use a cable and quick link.

So when your breaking trail you bury the 4 foot log across your trail then run it over to pack it in ? Then wait to make your set once you have a couple layers of snow beat down ? Do you set on bends in the river or rises or only where a wolf has started a pee post ?

[Brian Bildson]

It's hard to beat a natural pee post but I've used my malmutes scat and frozen **** lots. i also take frozen wolf urine or scat from kakwa line and use on mountain line and vice versa. really screws the wolves heads up.

A typical set would see me following fresh wolf tracks down the creek. I would be watching for a good set location or where they've headed to their own pee post.

I stop my snowmobile in front of the set location and walk out and make my set. I either hook up to an existing solid anchor using chain and quick links or bury it and pack at least 8" of snow on top of a 4' toggle right on snowmobile trail.

I get on my snowmobile and drive over top of my tracks and the buried toggle. Sometimes I'll go down the trail a few hundred yards and turn around and pack down again.

It seems to me the more open it is the more comfortable a wolf is so I like setting on creeks, pipelines, meadows ect.

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by Brian Bildson

It's hard to beat a natural pee post but I've used my malmutes scat and frozen **** lots. i also take frozen wolf urine or scat from kakwa line and use on mountain line and vice versa. really screws the wolves heads up.

A typical set would see me following fresh wolf tracks down the creek. I would be watching for a good set location or where they've headed to their own pee post.

I stop my snowmobile in front of the set location and walk out and make my set. I either hook up to an existing solid anchor using chain and quick links or bury it and pack at least 8" of snow on top of a 4' toggle right on snowmobile trail.

I get on my snowmobile and drive over top of my tracks and the buried toggle. Sometimes I'll go down the trail a few hundred yards and turn around and pack down again.

It seems to me the more open it is the more comfortable a wolf is so I like setting on creeks, pipelines, meadows ect.

So from your experience Brian when you set on a pee post what % of the time do the wolves come back ? My current issue is the wolves are hunting on my line and have been around for almost 2 weeks now. They have been traveling in a 30-40 square mile area but their travel seems compleatly random. They will follow my trail for 1 km then head off through the bush only to reappear again 5 km's away on another trail and follow that for 500 yards before heading off again. I made 6 trail sets on pee posts where the wolves had travelled when they moved into the area 2 weeks ago, but they have not traveled any of those trails again. On Friday I went out and made 4 more sets on trails where the wolves had yet to travel and made pee posts with wolf urine. How many sets do you normally make on your line before the stars align and a wolf happens by one of your sets ? Thanks for the info and anybody else with info please chime in.

Signed: beating my head against the wall

[6.5swedeforelk]

Originally Posted by Torkdiesel

So from your experience Brian when you set on a pee post what % of the time do the wolves come back ? My current issue is the wolves are hunting on my line and have been around for almost 2 weeks now. They have been traveling in a 30-40 square mile area but their travel seems compleatly random. They will follow my trail for 1 km then head off through the bush only to reappear again 5 km's away on another trail and follow that for 500 yards before heading off again. I made 6 trail sets on pee posts where the wolves had travelled when they moved into the area 2 weeks ago, but they have not traveled any of those trails again. On Friday I went out and made 4 more sets on trails where the wolves had yet to travel and made pee posts with wolf urine. How many sets do you normally make on your line before the stars align and a wolf happens by one of your sets ? Thanks for the info and anybody else with info please chime in.

Signed: beating my head against the wall

You still using those boiled "rubber" (petrochemical?) gloves?

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by 6.5swedeforelk

You still using those boiled "rubber" (petrochemical?) gloves?

Yes. Using boiled rubber gloves when setting. I also have been setting from inside my sleigh so I'm not leaving tracks on the ground. Then freshening the pee on checks from the sled. I don't think it's a scent thing as I have had a few coyotes and a fox come along and mark the post without them walking around the set. The wolves never walked by one of the 10 sets I had out. Anyway the weather has warmed up and the snow is melting fast so I pulled all the sets today. I have to go back to work tomorrow so I guess the wolves have won again. There's always next year

[Brian Bildson]

Tork it's a never ending learning curve with wolves for sure.

I find the best pee posts are territorial pee posts where wolf packs patrol the no-man territory between them and their neighbors. often found along a defining feature like a river, pipeline, road etc. Usually the whole pack will urinate and lots of paw scratches on the ground. As close to a sure thing as you'll get.

Another tip is to set your trap on an arc from your snowmobile trail. Wolves travel at a trot and will jog right past a trap they have to make a 90 degree to turn into. Make a trail in an arc and they can swing right into the trap.

Congrats on a good season and thanks for all your interesting posts.

[460ford]

Where you see the pack leave you sled trail. Drive 10 yards farther. Jump off into the snow and walk back to the wolf trail. Dig into the wolf trail from side and slide a trap 1/2" under the bottom of the iced in pocket. About 3 or 4 wolf prints from the trail. Bury you drag under your foot steps where you worked and fill your trail back in. Then follow same trail back to your sled. And jump on your sled from the deep snow.

[6.5swedeforelk]

460ford, when your sets are in treed areas, have you tried grapples instead of drags? Very little effort hiding them.

I sometimes think the concentrated odor of a fresh-sawn drag alerts them!

[460ford]

Originally Posted by 6.5swedeforelk

460ford, when your sets are in treed areas, have you tried grapples instead of drags? Very little effort hiding them.

I sometimes think the concentrated odor of a fresh-sawn drag alerts them!

No but Im going to switch to grapples next year for more space in the skimmer. I was using drags cut with an axe because I was worried about bar oil contamination.

[6.5swedeforelk]

Right about the oil contamination.
After my trails are cleared, I switch to Swedesaw.
Chainsaw seems to foul everything it touches!

I believe a guy doesn't get as stunk up with the
4 stroke sleds either.

[wolfman1875]

What wolf traps do you use in alberta[ I see trappers on here ] 750'S are no good in mosted winter sets to small

[Marty S]

If I was going to buy a bunch of new wolf iron, there'd be only one trap for me, the Bridger Brawn. That would be in a back country concept tho. If I was working around people, horses, livestock and dogs, then I would be using the fully modified MB-750's.

The Bridger Brawns are quite the trap, a little over powered perhaps when new, but the jury is not out on that one yet. Let the scientific tests determine if it is too strong, and if it is, it will be a very simple mater to replace the springs with something a little lighter.

[McLeod Valley]

Originally Posted by Marty S

If I was going to buy a bunch of new wolf iron, there'd be only one trap for me, the Bridger Brawn. That would be in a back country concept tho. If I was working around people, horses, livestock and dogs, then I would be using the fully modified MB-750's.

The Bridger Brawns are quite the trap, a little over powered perhaps when new, but the jury is not out on that one yet. Let the scientific tests determine if it is too strong, and if it is, it will be a very simple mater to replace the springs with something a little lighter.

I would not modify the springs ,,, on the Bridger Brawn , I'd mod the jaws,,,, I do use the MB - 750 w's , and find the snapping power is lacking in the freeze thaw conditions , it really slows the performance of the trap.

[moose maniac]

I have missed several wolves in 750's not enough of a trap to come through the snow

[savage10]

I've only herd of trappers using a big drill bit, drill a hole in the ice. Then take an eye bolt with a washer and nut on the other end, put it in the hole then take a thermos of hot water. Pour the water into the hole and freeze it into the ice. But like I said I've never tried it, only herd of it. But seems like it should work

[6.5swedeforelk]

Seems as easy to use your ice chisel and plant a "deadman", a 2" dia sturdy dry club, pushed down ice hole & turned sideways.
Don't forget the swivel. If set area is totally open, try a long cable tether. You'll find wolves will then simply circle the anchor point. Again, don't forget the swivel.

Use the thermos for hot coffee!

[huntin]

this is the thread I've been looking for wish there were a few more pics. next winter I plan on using leg holds on private land but i'm completely GREEN when it comes to trapping. I plan on taking the wolf course this summer and maybe the trappers course as well. but if not I plan on reading the book and challenging the test. one question I have is does anyone put sent under a leg hold hoping the wolf will scratch at it to spring the trap. like I said i'm GREEN. I am pretty successful at hunting wolves a 4-5 a year for the last few years but really want to try this whole trapping thing out.
thanks

[Marty S]

A green guy might!

Just kidding. There are standard sets a guy will make. Dirt holes, scent post slash pee posts, trail sets and flat sets, plus snow set variations of these sets. Scent is used beyond the trap, placed in such a manner that the target animals will attempt to step up to the scent to smell or obtain. Scent is also used up high sometimes for additional draw.

[wolfman1875]

You have forgot the bridger no5 [M-B 750'S are week.]the no.5 bridger has more lift power.Same size's as the 750 no jaw spread ' thay are more money and TRAPPERS by cheep [ 750's M-B]

[wolfman1875]

You have forgot the bridger no5 [M-B 750'S are week.]the no.5 bridger has more lift power.Same size's as the 750 no jaw spread ' thay are more money and TRAPPERS by cheep [ 750's M-B]

[mark-edmonton]

Caught all my wolves in mb750 to date so far. Never had a pull out.