Trappers 2014/15

[jim summit]

Start off the trappers thread. Post your pics and stories.

Headed out for the day with 357 and set a couple beaver ponds and martens sets up to our cabin. Nice warm day, and just a skiff of snow on the trail.
Picked up one marten and a beaver on the way out.
9 hrs into the season!

IMG_2687.jpgIMG_2692.jpgIMG_2688 (2).jpg

[nube]

Great idea Jim. I got a few snares out yesterday on some crossings and cattle trails and put my baits in at 2 spots. Caught 2 coyotes on blind trail sets with no bait so its a good start for me. I should have a couple more tomorrow and should take the camera

[C Taylor]

I spent the first week if nov on trapping rats. Got 110 that week. Switched to coyotes once the cold spell hit an got 11 coyotes with 10 that were good hides. Using the rat carcasses as bait on last yrs bait areas. With little snow the coyotes seem to be moving lots

[HunterDave]

I was hoping that someone would start this thread. Pictures from traplines are awesome and one of my favourite threads on AO.

This is my first full season as a Resident Trapper. I got 283 muskrats and a couple of beaver in October. I'm saving the beaver trapping for later in the season. On November 10th I set my first 10 snares at one bait site and I took out 5 coyotes from there. I've since set snares at two other bait sites and all together I've taken 10 coyotes and a fox so far.

Today I put out 10 weasel boxes and I'd like to make some mink boxes to put out where I've been seeing sign. I was also surprised to see martin sign in my travels, I didn't think that there were any in the area, so I'm going to have to make sets for them as well.

Muskrat and coyotes are going to be my bread and butter but I'm really happy with the variety of furbearers in my stomping grounds.

[bill9044]

I started with 2 bait stations. Set some snares at both location about the 5th of Nov once we had are first snow fall. First night caught these 2.
The bait #2 caught 2 more next day. Then the fourth check on first bait caught this gal. .
I am having a blast. Time is short doing a lot of checks and sets at night. Juggling deer hunting and work and snaring is eating up time. But it sure is fun.

[Saskabush]

great to see this thread up and running again! Here's a few photos from the start of of my year.

some october rats




first power-snared yote of the year


my little assistant and "her" coyotes from the bait that she checked with me last week.


I think she's hooked on coyote hunting and trapping, asks if she can come every time i leave the house

[Torkdiesel]

Couple pics from out at the line this week. Picked up 5 marten, a fisher and a couple weasel.
Also managed to finally get a marten on trail camera being caught in a 120. But you'll have to wait to see it. Should be on an upcoming episode of Trapping Inc. this season. The efficiency of our modern traps is really something to see.

Thanks to Dwils and boonerkiller for coming out for a couple days on the line.

[boonerkiller]

Originally Posted by Torkdiesel

Couple pics from out at the line this week. Picked up 5 marten, a fisher and a couple weasel.
Also managed to finally get a marten on trail camera being caught in a 120. But you'll have to wait to see it. Should be on an upcoming episode of Trapping Inc. this season. The efficiency of our modern traps is really something to see.

Thanks to Dwils and boonerkiller for coming out for a couple days on the line.

Good times on the line. Be back again!

[Torkdiesel]

Figured I'd post a picture of my first Lynx as well. Was a few years ago, so the pictures aren't great. Caught him with a 220 in a cubby set. From what I remember anyway

I believe I was 5 or so, it would put the old man in his early 30's. Would have been 1984-85 ish

[scottymac]

Great pics.

[sureshot]

love thepics

[H380]

Great pics guys thanx for posting . After our snowstorm yesterday I fought thru 3 miles of drifts to check my bait pile snares . A couple I couldn't locate under 6 ft drifts , of the other 7 , one was set off and looked like a possible leg catch that pulled out . The last snare held what I thought was a good looking coyote til I got the hindquarters out of the snow and there was no hair at all on them or the tail . Third one with mange so far , glad to kill em and stop them from spreading it .

[jwilson]

First 17 to go to auctionImageUploadedByTapatalk1418741347.461041.jpg

[bill9044]

I just set 6 snares at some fencing. I did lift the bottom wire about 4 inches and used that tie wire to help hold my snare. I have also been catching them at a Paige fence under crossing so I set my snare about 2 inches from ground so the paws will slip under the snare then the head through the loop. The cross under is about 4 inches high.

Nice yotes to the auction.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by jwilson

First 17 to go to auctionAttachment 100510

Great looking pelts.....Congrats!

Originally Posted by crazyfish

Had an interesting surprise Sunday morning , had one Snared and when it lifted it up to cut it loose , a weasel that had chewed a few holes into it jumped out from inside and just about made me have a Heart attack ! What a mess that little guy made ! Couldn't even salvage it ! Wish I had taken pics of it !

Now that would have been funny to see.

[sureshot]

Well I got my first bait site set out today hopefully I'll have some luck.

[scottymac]

Had a great check today, no marten but I did pick up a small otter in a mink set as well as a cat and a wolverine. I'm a little upset as the wolverine had been caught by someone else in a snare and had broken free before I got him. It's a beauty of a male with outstanding markings but he has a nasty cut on the top of his head that I can only imagine he got while breaking free of the snare. His neck has a slight rub as well but nothing that concerning.






The snare he had around his neck



His head wound

[mark-edmonton]

Nice Scottymac! Where is your line

[sureshot]

Great pics

[scottymac]

Originally Posted by mark-edmonton

Nice Scottymac! Where is your line

Northern Manitoba.

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by jwilson

First 17 to go to auctionAttachment 100510

Beautiful hides. Well done, I hope you get top dollar for them.

[MB1]

Originally Posted by jwilson

First 17 to go to auctionAttachment 100510

Those are some fine looking pelts there! Nice job.

[MB1]

A couple more successes today. I caught my first fox at a bait site. Really nice colours and I caught my second coyote in a snare. This is a fat coyote! and stinky, wow!

[Torkdiesel]

Just finished up another check yesterday. I've got 50 marten boxes out right now and the results have been pretty slow this year so far. I seem to have an abundance of weasels and squirrels getting in my sets, and after a weasel is caught another one is right behind to chew on him.
Ended up picking up my first cat of the year, 2 marten, a fisher and a half dozen weasel. Not a bad check other then I usually would have gotten 6-8 marten. The Lynx was taken on a blind trail set with a snare. I just made a trail into the alders and set a snare on the way out (as seen on the Wild North )
I also have a trap/marten thief that hit a new area I set up this year. I checked the first box in the new area and everything was gone but the box. No trap, no wire, no bait or bait wire, nothing. The snow is crusty and had a fine dust on the trail but no tracks anywhere leading away. Only thing left at the site was a small tuff of marten fur stuck in the marten magic lure on the box. So I'm thinking maybe a foul catch that broke free and ran away, it's never happened with this set up before but things happen. So after having a good look around we find nothing. Nobody else had walked in or driven on my trail so I ruled out a human. So we finish the loop and on the way out at the last box (which is only 600 yards as the crow flies from the first box that had the trap missing) and the same thing. The trap is gone with the wire that secures it missing. No tracks on the crusty snow and the same fine dust fresh on the trail covering up any other evidence. After having a good look around nothing. Now one time I can see it but twice that close together is just plain strange. Since switching my sets to this style 4 years ago I've taken close to 100 marten and 12 fisher without ever losing a trap. I've had two fisher that broke the wire but were laying dead at the base of the tree and I've never had a marten even disturb the box. Both of these traps were 2001-5 sauvageau so they are very strong, nothing usual moves a whole bunch after getting caught.
Any ideas on what may have took them ? There were Lynx tracks not too far away but I've never had a Lynx touch any of my marten before, and there are tons of rabbits around this year so I can't see them being too hungry

Here's a few pics from the line.

[nube]

Weird Jeff. I had a similar experience but it was the first day I set and I came back and the trap was gone. I looked and no tracks. I just chalked it up to me forgetting to put a trap in the box before I left but I swore I put one in. I am not sure what to think still to this day.

[jim summit]

Great pics everyone, i will soon be back out on the line.

Tork, we had a Lynx tear down a set that held a fresh caught fisher. He then dragged it back a bit and tried to bury it as we pulled up.
took the fisher and reset the box and trap.
Next round the would be thief was waiting with his toes in a 120 Belilse.

Lost one 120 Belilse to a badly crimped furrel on the cable, never found it.

[gatorr]

Possibly a big hawk, owl or eagle?

[scottymac]

Nice pics, perfect catch on the cat. People just can't leave anything alone, sorry to hear of the thefts.

[jwilson]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1419391181.492257.jpg I must have been by within minutes of this one being caught, he was alive in the snare when I walked by, I checked the rest of my snares then came back and he was toast. What are the odds? Wonder if I chased him into the snare...

[MB1]

Coyote #4 today. Nicest one so far. Another fenceline catch, no damage, I also use an extension and she was wrapped around the nearest tree. Definitely getting some power rams once I get some income from this.