2013 Trapping

[RonE]

Speaking of coons, I saw one hit beside the road this morning (actually, my wife saw it, and called me to tell me where it was). When I got there to pick it up, I was pleased, because it was pretty darn big. Unfortunately, it was so frozen to the shoulder that I couldn't get it off the damn road. But I'm sure some folks on their way to work got a pretty decent show, watching some guy trying to pry a coon off the road with a 3 foot piece of rebar, occasionally stopping to kick it. That bastard wouldn't budge.

When I was going beach diving I used to carry a two gallon plastic gas can filled with hot tap water to use as a shower to wash off sand and salt water. It would stay warm for six hours in the bed of my truck, I imagine that it would stay warm for at least a couple of hours in the cab of a truck in snow country. Perhaps you should carry something like that to defrost coons from the road way.

[BrewGUN]

Set out my first snares of the season this morning. Didnt look like a lot moving, but we'll see. I've got a we other really good places staked out too.

[(MT)Montanafowler]

When I was going beach diving I used to carry a two gallon plastic gas can filled with hot tap water to use as a shower to wash off sand and salt water. It would stay warm for six hours in the bed of my truck, I imagine that it would stay warm for at least a couple of hours in the cab of a truck in snow country. Perhaps you should carry something like that to defrost coons from the road way.

i'm lucky if my coffee stays hot on the 20 minute drive to work, i doubt hot tap water does much better.

[BrewGUN]

Went and checked today, getting some much needed tracking snow right now. Saw a big cottontail around one of my snares through the brush, took a shot with the .22, ended up tracking the damned thing filling a blood tra for a half mile through some of the thickest shit in the swamp all to lose the trail under a couple of blow downs. A that after discovering the frozen swamp is about crotch deep from falling through. Was planning on eating it for dinner. Finished checking the snares, nothing. Then realized I dropped one if my expensive gloves. Go back and retrace from the start, finally found it, walk back to the truck only to find I dropped that said glove again a couple hundred yards back, run back and get it and head home. Get home a realized I left two snares hangin on a scrub tree when I went in for the rabbit. Hopefully they're still there tomorrow. Shoulda just stayed home. Now the authorities have the road from my house damn near to jehlers closed and detouring traffic because people freak out about snow and slick roads.

[assateague]

That's a pretty shitty day.

[quackhead]

Doesn't sound like the best day. I guess it still could be worse. Better luck next time.

Assa your gonna need to catch something so you can start a 2014 thread.

[assateague]

I don't know if it's in the cards this year. Between me and my 3 buddies who trap in the area, we have about 160 traps out, over about 20 miles. Total for the last 7 days between us all: 3 foxes and 5 coons. It's just that bad for some reason.

[quackhead]

That's a bummer! I'm expecting to pick up some fur this week with full moon and weather in the 30's for the highs they should be moving

[assateague]

Hallemotherfuckinglujah.

Never been so happy just to catch a coon.

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[Flightstopper]

How long was the empty steak?

[assateague]

Last thing I caught was a fox on Dec 28th, I think. But I've only caught 2 foxes and this coon since about Dec 10th. Horrible.

[assateague]

But I did get my hat in the mail this week, form my top lot gray fox I had in the sale last spring.

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[BrewGUN]

I still haven't got anything this year, elk lake froze over early this year, when that happens the coyotes disappear for a while, gives them more room to hunt. I'll be lucky if I get a couple this year:(

[quackhead]

But I did get my hat in the mail this week, form my top lot gray fox I had in the sale last spring.

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What the hell? I didn't get a top lot hat my for my top lot muskrat. Lol
It wasn't a true top lot though. It was a top in the western section

[assateague]

If you got a certificate, call or email the marketing folks in WI, and they'll send you one. I may still have her contact info if you want it.

[quackhead]

I might have to call. I can never have too many hats

[assateague]

Just give em your account number and the sale you got a top lot award for. Only took mine about a week, and they were very nice about it.

[assateague]

This is the shit I've been dealing with for weeks. Sign everywhere, within feet of my sets, but not even slowing down to look. It's making me crazy.

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[jehler]

Ha! Welcome to jr's world, the snow makes it way worse, knowing how close they were

[assateague]

Damn straight it does.

[BrewGUN]

At least your seeing sign, I had a few coyotes come through earlier this week and check out some deer bones i had out, but the damn crows ate it all and knocked down all my snares. Thats the most sign ive seen all year. Shot ton of rabbits though, thinkin about switching to rabbit snares, at least id get to see something in a snare.

[sws002]

Assa, do I remember you saying most of your sets flat sets? Keep in mind, I have very little experience trapping fox, but when I was trapping them in MI and I would see sign like that, it often helped to introduce something new to the area such as a large log or rock, and then followed with some fresh dirt on top of the snow (basically a modified dirt hole set). Seemed the combination of something new and the possibility of food was too much to resist.

[assateague]

No, I only set flat sets by a dirt hole if I have a digger, or a sneaky one. Just about all my dirt holes have a visual attractant as well, whether a pile of corn shucks, a reed with feathers on it, an old deer bone, something, or Eden just a urine post set. Hell, we've tried everything around here, and nobody's catching anything. I even put a pumpkin out in the field and set by it. I'm out of ideas.

[sws002]

No, I only set flat sets by a dirt hole if I have a digger, or a sneaky one. Just about all my dirt holes have a visual attractant as well, whether a pile of corn shucks, a reed with feathers on it, an old deer bone, something, or Eden just a urine post set. Hell, we've tried everything around here, and nobody's catching anything. I even put a pumpkin out in the field and set by it. I'm out of ideas.

If a pumpkin won't do it, I can't help you!

[assateague]

[quackhead]

What about blind setting their trails?

[assateague]

I thought about hanging a snare. With the snow, I don't know that it would work. But when there's no snow, you can hang snares in the middle of a cut bean field with absolutely nothing around, right in the track from a wheel of the pivot irrigation system and those bastards will walk right into it.

I'd like to do a walk through right on some of those trails, but don't know if I could make it look good enough with the snow. I don't have a lot of experience with it, since it's usually gone within a day or two. But it's not supposed to get above 30 degrees until next Friday. Can I sift snow back in too like dirt? Will that work?

[BrewGUN]

I thought about hanging a snare. With the snow, I don't know that it would work. But when there's no snow, you can hang snares in the middle of a cut bean field with absolutely nothing around, right in the track from a wheel of the pivot irrigation system and those bastards will walk right into it.

I'd like to do a walk through right on some of those trails, but don't know if I could make it look good enough with the snow. I don't have a lot of experience with it, since it's usually gone within a day or two. But it's not supposed to get above 30 degrees until next Friday. Can I sift snow back in too like dirt? Will that work?

Just set it and see, if they walk up to it and turn around you know theyre onto ya

[quackhead]

I thought about hanging a snare. With the snow, I don't know that it would work. But when there's no snow, you can hang snares in the middle of a cut bean field with absolutely nothing around, right in the track from a wheel of the pivot irrigation system and those bastards will walk right into it.

I'd like to do a walk through right on some of those trails, but don't know if I could make it look good enough with the snow. I don't have a lot of experience with it, since it's usually gone within a day or two. But it's not supposed to get above 30 degrees until next Friday. Can I sift snow back in too like dirt? Will that work?

I wrap my trap in a produce bag (the thin ones you put fruit and vegetables in) then lightly sift snow from up high or throw the snow into the air. It collects air so it won't freeze solid once over your trap. You could also dig your hole back from a track and slide your trap under another track. Make sure to brush you tracks out with a broom or pine bough. These sets should work for ya.
Are there no trails in the trees that you can set snares on?

[one2many]

Assa how are the fur prices right now? do you make raccoon or coyote hats and if so how much would one cost with shipping?