Heres a little project I'm working on for marten this year. Last year they would circle the tree but not climb so this is going to be my "remedy". I'm moving my boxes down about two feet off the ground on a down tree, just above what our normal snow accumulation is approx. I usually use footholds but since they can't hang I'm going to use connibears. I wanted to make my presentation as unrestricted and visually appealing as possible so I'm going to a pan instead of wires for triggers. I didn't like the heigth of the pan by just bending the wires and attaching to it so I did it this way. I lowered my pan by 3/8 to 1/2 inch over that method and its also permanent. heres a few pics.

That looks dang good!

man that does look good pretty open

Good luck with your pans; you did a great job with them. I went to using Berkshire coni-pans on my 120's a few years ago, but very quickly decided I didn't like them. The marten seemed to step over them rather than on them and I had lots of misses. I countered that by bending the pan up at nearly a 45-degree angle so they would fire the trap with their chest, but then I was getting lots of hip catches. After giving them one season I yanked them off and went back to the trigger wires bent out in a "horshoe" shape with a light wire between them.

I, too, tried the Berkshire's. Not impressed. However, I am going to try ONE 120 hardwood pan, and ONE 160 hardwood pan this year. They are much wider than the Berk's, if that matters at all.
Jury is out 'till Dec.

Thanks for the comments. I'm curious if bait placement will help with the stepping over. I shortened my boxes hoping that by putting the bait closer they might not step over but on it. I have always used #1 coils before this and never had a problem with them stepping over those pans. We'll see!

I use a relatively long box and set the trap about 4' in front of the bait and get a humane catch 99.9% of the time. You will find details in this thread http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthrea...tml#Post2593936

Good luck. I have fought with this delima for longer than I want to think about. As most of you know. I would venture to say that I have had in the neighbor hood of 60-80 marten give me the cold shoulder on one check of my line at times checking 150-200 sets. It sucks. I quickly realized that my non climbers needed a lower venue but it doesn't work nearly like you would think in my area. I thought I had it a few years ago when I hit the 50 in one check on a new bait. But it hasn't panned out since. Not uncommon for them to walk under the set and pee. Inches away from entering the set.
I have almost thrown in the towel on them. Almost. And I have given it a pretty good shot. I have some ideas this year as a new approach.
I don't think it has anything to do with less restriction, more open looking etc that keeps them from committing. I think it is very much tied to how they are keying in on the food source. They seem to get a one track mind. Warm dinner vs cold.
Personally I think if a person was to play with trigger scents it would have a lot more to do with changing your success than with the looks of the trap. But man if you figure it out let me in on it.

If you're using short boxes I'd suggest you wire down your bait. I went to shorter and shorter boxes and found my mis-fires and nose catches steadily increased the shorter the cubby box. I just toss bait in the back of my cubbies though in the pursuit of speed. 16" deep seems optimal to ensure a good catch. I used to think a catch right behind the head was pefect but actually a suit-cased marten is probably what we should be aiming for.

Len-I think there is more to it than that. I think visual is key to the overall formula. You put your bait in a bucket facing down so I feel (just my opinion) that you have no visual appeal at all unless they are already under your bucket Curiosity, odor, and hunger are all factors as well I don't think they all trigger by the same thing. I wouldn't use the same bait or lure on every set I always alternate it you miss it in one maybe the next one will appeal to them. Beaver is good bait but not one of their main diets so IMO grouse or vole is more atractive to them but alternateing bait is always best. First and foremost is lure to get them there otherwise they have to "stumble" upon it. You obviously have quite a few where you are so I'm sure it happens where you are

Bushman-do you use pans or wires? I fasten my bait to the back so they have to work at it, I think it raises the chance if they are pulling on the bait rather than picking it up and running out plus if you miss that one you're still baited up for the next one.

Thanks for the input everyone.

To consistently doble strike marten,place box on tree with opening down screen to top.Set 120 mag with trigger in an L shape with one side of L by the tree side.In this area it will catch every weasel that goes into box as they sit on trigger(as seen on trap test video) Jay catches are almost nil(about 1 in 50). Also very easy to change bait,just cut wire holding bait and put in fresh.I prefer beaver meat for bait after real cold sets in,grouse is OK early in season.Abit of silver ribbon at set provides a visual as marten have very good eyesight.Pans are also good for humane double strike if set so as marten steps on pan when nose is at bait.

I pursued the visual and some new smells last year to no avail. I spray glued in feathers on my pots. Even spayed what was supposed to be grouse pee. From a dog training company on the feathers to add to the system. Looked very cool inviting. I set a lot of them on the ground horizontally. Risky with a snow fall but I took the chances as I was only going to check once or twice. I saw no difference in their opinion. Some drainages produced better. I don't have any trouble getting marten to the set. Just interested in wanting what is in the pot bad enough to go in. Or climb. Beaver, tainted grouse.



I pulled the bait out here to show what was in it.



I set them up on tipups. Pretty easy setup I cam up with for the attachement.





Oh wait there is a warm vole over their. Pizz on you.




The fact that I get many marten to my sets with no interest leads me to think that a trail set set up with a gland lure of some kind might be a possibility. So much fun has gone out of pursuing them after the last few years I really think that I will start pursuing something else. I am not going to pursue in March any more as the refusals seem to be at their worst. It is just the best access time for me. Will see what the year brings this year. I have a couple ideas to float around this year.

Len I wonder if the time of year has anything to do with it. Since you only target them for a couple weeks in the spring. When do they start to mate? Could they be in a mode where nothing else matters but finding a mate that time of year? It certainly works that way for Lynx!

Len,

Are you going to start farming voles and putting them in cages in the back of your pots this year?

I have a small section of line where they do the same thing. Come running in on the bait or lure smell and then just look at it. Some even climb the pole and just look at it. I'm switching up the bait this year.

Every one has a different idea which is nice to read as we can take, leave or try different ideas from others and form our own procedures. Heres my take
The marten in this area will climb I get refusals everyonce in a while from a few that do not.
When I 1st recieved a trail camera it put it to use right away taking pictures of how the marten worked a set- vertical vs horizontal.Since then its not very often I set vertical.
I make all my horizontal sets very easy for them to access,leaning poles.horizontal stick past the face of the boz etc.The other thing I do is large boxes to hold large amounts of bait,10 lbs or more is the norm.To a marten this represents a huge windfall. The walkers will climb then!Keeps them around and working that set.Sooner or later they get caught.Lots of times I do not use any other scent.
Larger baits also will have a marten working the bait while another is hanging in that 120.
If a storm blows in with a big dump of snow and you cant run the traps that hanging marten is good for a long time before anything gets around to eating it.
Only draw back is you have to haul large amounts until your boxes are full.The wolverine also like that bait too and can and will make a mess.These pictures have been posted before. Some anyway


Trail camera at work

Wolverine working the large bait.Notice the bush repair jub to that marten box as he had visited before

Some of the things that work for me.Feel free to take or leave
tHANKS
dAN'L

I find this thread very interesting as I have never experience marten or fisher refusing to commit to a set except very rarely. I have heard this from others in the lower 48 also, thus causing my curiousity to the conditions causing the refusals. I have never used the plastic flower pots or newspaper tubes, just wooden boxes. My bait is basically beaver and occassionally deer or moose scraps with a sweet anise/raspberry jam or beaver castor/anise lure. Cold metal and plastic has a less desirable feel than cold wood and the marten cannot grip plastic with there claws like with wood. Thus I wonder if it could have something to do with the plastic along with some other factors?

Nothing new here, but figuring out that using leg holds on the ground will up your catch % greatly. I have almost NEVER had a refusal on the ground, but also realize that there could be damage to the marten from voles. I think that using conibears are the problem in my opinion. I've never been sold on 100% conibears and not even 50%. I like the vertical can sets as nothing stops them from working, but there are a lot of refusals with conibears. I bet I run 90% leg holds on poles versus boxes or cans with coni's. JMO though.

do you shoot them birds

Len,

You need to try out some footholds on those tip ups if they are at least coming and looking under the bucket to see what is in there.

-TJ

You definantly have to keep them off the ground with the fox population we have around here..or they will ALL go to very expensive fox feed.

I just dug up the study that was done here in our area.
STUDY SUMMARY: A marten trap testing study was conducted in the boreal forest of northern Ontario in the Geraldton,Hearst and Kapuskasing Districts of the Ministry of Natural Resources.Trap testing Occurred from 25 Oct to 28 Feb in each of 2 years 1988 to 1990.by 23 registered trappers from the area. Director of the study was Milan Novak,MNR Ontario.

TRAPPERS OPINIONS OF MARTEN TRAPS AND SETS FIELD TESTED FROM 1988 TO 1990 IN NORTHERN ONTARIO

To summarize;"22 of the 23 trappers ranked the wooden box on tree trunk with the opening facing down as their preferred set out of the 5 tested. This was also the set that caught the most martens".


Mabey you guys could get a scientific study going to find out which set is most productive in your area?

bctomcat
My experience in the lower 48. western Montana was the same as yours. If I saw a marten track anywhere near a set I knew I would have him or a miss. They just didn't refuse.
Funny thing is that 20 years ago I trapped not too far from where I am now. Out of Kotlik. The marten were voracious then. I was using fish for bait. Which by the way is something I haven't tried in the last 5 years of long lining. I remember that they would dig down in the snow to get the crumbs from me sawing a piece of bait.
Boco you have hit on the one thing I have found that keeps them interested. Big baits. But I have resisted as it is just not conducive to what I was trying to achieve. Lots of sets put in efficiently. Putting out 200 sets with big bait is a whole different operation. Not one I have had time for. I will scale back and experiment more.
Thats where I am going this year. A lot few sets, multiple traps per set and large baits. If the beaver cooperate.
I am also going to give it a go earlier. At least in some areas I can get into early. And then again I might just try to concentrate on Homer where my kids are and be close to home.
TJ I have thought about the foot holds but also resisted the fact that one snow puts you out of commission. Not to mention that I just don't have any small foot traps anymore. I thought about building simple leantoos with plastic to keep them working.

After reading over all this I had an idea... FT I believe you like tip ups from what you've said in previous posts- has anyone ever tried one with a foothold? Something on the principal like the stoploss traps for muskrats maybe? Trap fires as usual and when the marten starts to struggle it pulls out a pin connected to the trap chain and voila marten in the air! Just an idea that popped into the head. Only have used footholds on pole and limb sets so far for them. Maybe use in conjunction with a cubby of some sorts?

Getting the tip up to work is not hard but getting one to work past the first 3 inches of snow is. Anything is doable on a small scale.
I was totally keyed in on large number of sets.
When they cooperate it is a good combination.



I gave a dozen leg holds a try a few years ago. It was still getting them inside that was the problem.

The ground cubbies worked better than pots. But time consuming.


Hopefully I can be there some year when they have a change in attitude.

Nice catch there in front of the tent. With that one on the pole how are you configuring the tip up? Cannot tell by the pic.

Any more pics of succesfull marten sets? Anything in archives maybe?

Hello Family trapper. I am new at writing here. But i been reading for a few years though. I like your marten tip-up set. Are the walk by's consistent in certain areas of your line or is there an area where it happens all the time. Possible idea, in an area where walk bys are consistent. Set your tip-up on a bigger tree (12"-18") using your coni-bucket. one pole on one side for the coni and on the other side have another tip-up using a #1 under your bucket. See if that helps on getting the picky marten. Thus keeping you your set still working. Seems a bit much but then a 70-80 dollar marten leaving is no fun either. Even if you add it every ten sets thats only 20 #1's for you 200 set longline. Idea on ground cubbies, add spruce bows to the sides of you low bucket set. Thanks for all the ideas you gave me over time. Good luck this year, we are still fall here, not frozen and no snow :-(

Travlinnorth this is the link to the marten archive.
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/32032/

Yukon
I don't think it is the way I set the trap that will make the difference.
I really think it is the trigger that I need to find that will get them to move in.
The right gland lure but most likely not in a tight space like a pot, or large bait. My wolverine are much the same way. They ignore anything that isn't substantial. They walk right by my marten sets. At least the last few years. But big baits like a beaver will hold the interest of both. When ever I put out a beaver for bait. The marten are on it. But they will walk right by a small piece time and time again. I can't figure. I have to transport my bait quite a ways. Along with camp etc. Time to change my stategies.

I have seen multiple marten hold up on a beaver. I am hoping that by working less sets with larger baits and more traps at a set will bring more marten home with me.

Castor I set so few with legholds I don't remember exactly. I think I took the tag end of the wire that was left on the trap chain and gave a hook through a fence staple. Something that with a struggle would give way.
I found a great way to make a ground cubby release for a conibear and tipup.
By cutting a tree that the conibear will just fit over when unset will hold very firmly when set. I just poke the tree into the snow and pack firmly. Attach conibear and then build my cubby. This made a difference but still was not as consistent as I would like.
I built the cubbies out of black spruce tree tips. One side shaved down. They worked quite well.


Something that I did last year. As mentioned above was to keep a can of spray adhesive in my coat. At a set I would spray the tree and apply feathers. Same inside the pot. How much eye appeal do you need? The method worked really well in theory. Marten were indifferent..

FT, i know what you mean about room and space while out on the line. I aswell run a bravo. I been pondering using 3in PVC one end heated up and closed then adding bait through the other side. Using the Closed end for hanging and attaching to tree. Jus trying to find how to set up with coni or trap. Use on leaning poles or on verticle trees. I mainly use fish for bait most the winter except when i come accross beavers. I liked how you had hanging beaver bait awhile back been wanting to try it this coming winter. On our lines we mainly use pole sets, more permanent sets are 12X12 boxes 5 feet high. I use alot of small wood boxes for the lower sets. i use either coni's or #1's depending on the kinda set i am looking to have. It is hard trying big baits in little pots. i think your ideal set can work as long as Gulo don't find it. Alright getting late, long day in the Trap Shack tomorrow.

If you need to haul more gear hook a couple of sleighs in tandem.

FT, I'd sure like to see how your marten react in Nov or Dec when there more aggressive, at least around here they are, marten committing to poles on my line in Feb slows way down if I trap to the end.

Hello Takotna, the line i use the we got 60 marten by christmas a few times in the past. We also slow down when trapping till the end. This crazy weather i am sure we won't be anywhere come november... Should put my boat back in :-)

Hello Boco, yea it is possible on the main trail to the cabins, but else where it will suck. My Bravo has a hard enough time jus pulling my main sled i use. Especially having to break trail pulling...On the main trail the bravo does good but if i began expecting to much the bravo knows it lol.

Hey Len what are you using for lure? Is there a possibility that the time of the season they might be wanting something out of the normal? All your sets I've seen on here look like they should make good catches. Darn finicky critters. Maybe over abundance of prey?

Mike

Yukon,You might consider a 600 wide track,alot of the big numbers beaver trappers use them around here and those guys look like their hauling their whole camp lol.I know if you have a lot of open country its tuff to keep a trail open.

I am considering a larger sled. One that I can haul my bravo with to camp. ;0) and maybe a sled of beavers too! Actually I was presently surprised at how easy it was to haul a few years ago when we broke down.
It is looking slim for a cold freeze up in Oct/Nov. If I do trap this year it will be much earlier in the season.

Castor I use a skunk base lure I put together. I have no problem getting marten to the sets. Just getting them to commit consistently. I am sure it is largely due to the abundance of voles. I know that 4-5 years ago when I first started my long lining for marten I went about it like I had on a much smaller scale for 30 years. It was during Dec. but I quickly found it was going to be a problem with refusals even then. In a matter of a month I had to learn a whole new system. I had used pole sets all my life. Was a lot of experimenting going on in a short period of time I had areas that produced well. But the larger part of my area was very problematic. I can't seem to break the 100 mark. 96 is my best. I have two goals in life for marten trapping, Beating the 50 in once check of all my sets and breaking the 100 mark for the season. ;0)
It is all complicated by the fact that I trap 500 miles from where I live.

Morning, i had a 500 wide track back in yr 2000. Put 15K miles on it and sold it. It blew the crank start of the 4th year. I had a 440 Skandic for a few years and that blew as well but it had 13k miles. So in a hurry i got the Bravo because cost to buy it, average distance i go trapping and the cost of fuel.

Well FT I like this saying for these situations: We as trappers are problem solvers. Keep pluggin away.

Dirt, how is the milk jug attached to the tree?

The lower lip goes under the clip. The top opening is nailed with a 16d nail. When I pull them if the nail rips through and stays in the tree the next year I just wire the bait up through the hole in the top of the jug and wrap it around the 16d nail.

Too many bears to leave cubbies out as a lot would get destroyed during the summer and sun rots the milk jugs so I pull them. Too many go-fasters after December so I don't leave traps out either. Clips stay year after year though some are still destroyed by bears. The bears are attracted by my call lure ( rotten hoolligan oil and glycerine).

That is pretty slick. I wonder if the trap would fit inside? You could just cut a spot out for the clip. I think leaving the cap on would make it easy to rebait. My plan is to drill a small hole in the cap for wiring the chunk of bait.

The trap will fit inside. I used to notch the jug for the spring. Just more work. If the trap hits the milk jug ( the spring does) it just forces the trap down towards the marten. Very weatherproof set. That is the key to catching marten here as we get lots of snow. You want that set working when Mr. marten shows up. Fast to put in and take out. Jugs are lite, but a little bulky, however they do fit into each other up to the handle.

Picked up the milk jug idea from the Hall of Fame trapper across the River. We used to compete for milk jugs at the local dump.

Dirt I like the idea of clear plastic. Maybe the bait would show up better. Have you any comparison in your area of black nursery to the milk jug?

I use white, clear, and yellow jugs. Never noticed any difference. I don't see this as a cure to your situation. Marten here refuse at times, but not that often that I consider it a problem. Refusals I just consider seed for next year. I used to have patterns of refusal in rabbit patches, but eventually they show up hungry and work the set. Always tended to be big males that owned the rabbit patches. This area has a low rabbit population and very few lynx. As far as I know it's always been this way for at least the last 100 years.

Well i picked up 6-1 gallon cans to try and set up with 110 coni's, i tried coffee cans before but had better luck with plywood boxes with 3/4" holes driled around the bait side of the box. for light and scent to go through. i have about 4 dzn 110 coni's to try this year. also picked up 280's for wolverine boxes. My little trap shack been busy lately... opening on the first of nov. but not for snowmachine for awhile.

If you use 110 for marten you will get some fur damage with single strikes behind the head.They will rub a hole in their hide where the jaw contacts the neck.120 mags will prevent this.

Hey Everyone,
Just want to say hello and introduce myself. I have been reading the posts lately as I am just getting started trapping and looking for any info i can find. Going to be targeting pine marten this winter here in SW Montana.
Does anyone have any pointers for a total rookie??

Brent

Marten Archives is the place to start.

What does everyone like as far as length goes for a marten cubby?? I've gather everything from 8-24 inches on here. just wondering if i should split that and go 16??

What works for me is a 10 inch box with 1 x 1 screen on one end.

RIGHT ON, With a pan trigger trap set about 4" in front of the bait at back of box.

Hey boco, you ever add a spring to them 110's to make them 120's...thinking bout ordering springs to make them 120's. Montana Brent, i prefer the 10" deep plywood coni-boxes. Except i use a 3/4" drill bit and drill holes around the bait side of the box, faster for me to seal the back and drill holes in it. Stronger also. IMO. BTW we didn't freeze over quite yet. Happy trapping!

yukontrapper, after all the expense and work is done, you would probably be further ahead to just buy 120's and keep the 110's for setting for mink or rats, or as a last resort on marten.

-TJ

Yukon- thats what i was considering over the mesh. I want to try them straight up on the side of the trees to keep snow from burying them. I also want to keep snow out of the box. We are expecting quite a snowpack again this winter here around Bozeman.

Also, i was told by the trapper supply folks here not to use anything less than a 120 for marten. Whats y'alls take on chicken pieces for bait?

I have boxes that are 12"-16", and I doubt it makes much difference. As for the back of the box, I've used wire mesh, and drilled holes of all sizes. What works best for me is to just cut a piece of plywood that is the same width as the box, but 1-1/2" shorter. Say the outside dimensions of your box is 8"X8", (just as an example).
The back of the box piece would then be 8"X6-1/2". center it on the back and this leaves 1/2" or so gap on the top and bottom.
This allows a bit of light, scent dispersal, easy bait attachment if you want to secure it, is strong, and fast to construct.
As for adding springs to 110's, I have done that to a couple doz., and it works fine. Remember to buy safety hooks for at least one side. However, I would recommend just buying 120's in the future.

Brent-110's are to weak to kill a marten quickly and the resulting struggle will often result in serious fur damage. The marten is a generalist feeding on a wide variety animals, birds and carrion when it is available. For bait I do not believe you can beat BEAVER but if you do not have that then the next best IMO is moose, elk or deer scraps.

110's work and they are easy to set and deal with when your out freezing your butt off. Don't waste your time and money to make 120's.

I prefer 110 for my sets. I used to trap around Livingston.
Something I used to always use was tainted suckers, fish of any kind but suckers were very oily. Taint and mix with glycerin as a call bait. Along with beaver, or scraps. My dad always used fish scraps from a market. He liked salt water fish.

I have used 110s alot, and never had any pelt damage. I do use 120s also, recently I obtained some Belisle 120s, darn if they do not fit in any of my boxes or even mail box tubes that the victor connis fit. I also now have a new respect for them, as while trying to shove one in a box it went off. after about a 15 minutes of trying to get out and my finger turning purple, I put my tail between my legs and taught my wife how to compress the springs and put the saftey on.

I used 110's before, they worked out fine. I already spent a bunch for trapping this year so i am jus going to use them as 110's. i have 2.5 buckets of number ones for later on also. For bait a buddy puts up fish for me to use all winter for bait, and what ever beavers i come up with i use for bait. I use sable oil, gusto, marten magnum or what ever i got on had for lure. i wanna make FT's tip ups where ever i can. Like how he hangs that fur up high. I been thinking of a way to use his style set up with a number one victor in a portable cubby to hang them up. Mix up the sets some.

One of the best things about the 120s is the ease to secure them to the marten box. If the box is properly sized, pressing the springs up against the outside holds the trap very securely, no need to fart around with nails and such to hold the trap.

Yukon just let me know if I can help out at all. What are you meaning by a portable cubby. The black spruce cubbies I made worked out quite well for the 110's and my most effective set with my finicky marten. Also made a few with foot traps. A lot more time consuming than a pot but I have some time saving ideas from doing them that I would be happy to pass on to you.

Morning. FT, portable cubby as in plywood box, plant pot, coffee can etc. What ever happens to be the cubby. Sure anything to save time making sets faster helps. I was thinking about pre-cutting a buncha of poles from town here and one day adding them where i see marten sign, and or at places where i think might be good location. Well the fur shed is almost caught up, i jus have to finish making wolf snares, then get my supply of marten boxes ready. Then go pick up my bait supply.

Somthing I'm fooling with this year. This is a Belisle 150.



The screw stabilizes the trap and is rock steady.

I also have boxes with a small notch to allow the dog free travel through the bottom of the box. We'll see if it matters.

It may be obvious AV but if you bend your spring down it helps raise the dog off the bottam of the box when using connipans.

I do that with double springs, but with the single, it seems kind of tippy. I think that the notch will be the way to go with this particular trap.
The thing I like about this trap is the obviously larger opening, and they are extremely powerful. Always looking for improved dispatch.
Several years ago I tried the Barker coni-pans and was NOT impressed. However, I am willing to try the hardwood pans.

could be just me, but boxes i made out of plywood and osb 4-5 years ago are almost useless now because some critter eats them up. i'm guessing the glue attracts them? maybe mice,porcupines, maybe squirrels. i'm not sure who's doing it, at first i thought it made them look better. now i'm haveing to replace them with lumber i've milled myself. had i known this, i wouldn't of used plywood. anyone else have this problem?

Yes, its the glue the mice, porkcupines and SQUIRRELS like. As scrap plywood from the dump is cheap I just consider box repairs a normal off season maintenance job. Boxes made from non plywood material get damaged/destroyed by bears also.

yeah that's what i figured, i'll just keep on building more, but nothing with glue in it. i have some plastic boxes out but prefer to use wood. it may not make difference, but then again it might. if i was a marten i would prefer wood over plastic eh?

AV - Pans are great for conibear trapping marten. I have used them for years but with an almost square pan. The one in your picture appears to have very little depth and unless set very close to the bait I suspect some marten may jump over rather than step on it. On an earlier post I recall someone having this problem. I set my pan, which has a depth nearly the same as the width. about 4" in front of the bait and the marten fires the trap standing on the pan while working the bait and results in a suitcase catch virtually every time.

Thats the catch to strive for.Double strike to neck and chest results in the quickest most humane dispatch for marten.

bctomcat x2 on that pan positioning that is the best way too go.Agreed, with the pan on the inside jaw bent that far down will let the marten get way to far in before firing the trap and youll definatly get a high percent of hip catches.AV other than that pan position that setup looks deadly.

Here are some more pans that work well. Like BC tomcat I am a big fan of pan traps for mink, ermine, and marten.

#1 Corrugated Plastic spray painted. The trigger goes into the corrugation holes. This is the easiest to make.



#2 Wood with trigger wires bent and stapled:





#3 1\4" screen mesh. Trigger woven into the screen.



#4 old style rivit trigger replaced with tin and wood pop riveted on. This is what I used mostly prior to getting all the new style LDL traps

I have never had a problem using pan trigger here in maine. I use barkers coni pans and swear by them. In the last 5 years or so I have only missed ONE marten with these triggers! I put them on the outside jaw with them tilted up at about a 30° angle, I don't lay them flat and 99 times out of 100 there suitcased in my viictor 120's. I use the newspaper tubes mostly but have also used the flower pots too and had success with them. I like the depth of the tubes better and they tend to work through the snow better than the pots. We all get refusals from time to time, ots generally the females in our area that will not climb and I consider that a good thing! Although if I was getting the refusals thay familytrapper was getting I too would go crazy! I use only beaver, a fresh not tainted fist sized piece in the back of the box, skunk/vaseline in the tree above the set, and a smear of newt sterlings sexy sable lure on the bait, and that's it! That sexy sable lure has made a BIG difference the last few years! Its good stuff and id be curious how you guys in alaska do with it! We have to trap on poles not larger than 4" in diameter, greater than 45° in pitch, and trap must be placed higher than 4ft above ground or snow and some critters will just plain refuse a set like that, but one thing that I've gotten back to in the last cpl years that's made a HUGE difference in the number of refusals I get is toning down my sets and getting back to basics! I used to squirt fish oil on the pole and around and get carried away with lures. I think its just too much, and just one more thing for them to refuse. I've gone back to the less is more approch, a good bait (beaver) a good lure(sexy sable) and a good call(skunk) and most important a good location and that's it. I also agrre with you guys and don't think its a bad idea to throw a few random sets here and there to mix it up, but the less is more approach works best for me with least amount of refusals
Brian

Ak Viking - keep an eye on the trap to make sure the wooden pan doesn't have a chance of getting wedged between the jaws when it goes off. Hard to tell from the pictures but with a little down pressure it looks like it'll be close.

Do you guys use the pans on vertical sets or horizontal? Just curious if it make a difference. I am almost 100% 120 conibears now, but don't do pans.

[quote=Trapalaska]Do you guys use the pans on vertical sets or horizontal?

I usually use boxes on leaning trees or windthrow but will occassionally set more or less horizontal. I have never tried vertical as my system has worked very well for me.

Well trapping finally opened here, but can't go anywhere yet because it hasn't frozen over enough for the snowmachines. Was thinking about jus making a verticle pole set with the conibear romex stapled on the upper jaw against the pole and the bait wired above the coni. Then covering the bait with spruce boughs. I think i'll try this set alot more this winter especially in thick spruce cover. It'll help with snow covering the set too much. I saw that set in a older marten post. I'd say around 4-5 foot high. Or with a coni-clip to hold it and then have the trap chain wired to a higher limb or onto a tip up... so it'll hang away from the baited pole...Whats your view and has anyone tried it?

I've tried that set. I think White or someone said our spruce don't have the needle density to make this quick and efficient. I think you would be better off finding scrap plywood, milk jugs, flower pots or ordering up some mailboxes.

Yea, i was jus trying to find a way of getting away from the boxes and cubbies. Thus making my bravo load lighter. I wanna travel lighter cause i roundtrip twice a week with the bravo. I usually have in the sled = One wolf box with traps and snares, one marten box, bait box, and i carry a few lynx traps, plus all the assorted gear and tools. Gets a little crazy in my sled. I can only put three totes, dispatch pole, small shovel, axe, emergency gear, lined duffel for catch, small tool box, come-along, 100ft rope,3-330mags, ice pick and snow shoes. I used to try stash a tote of gear on each end of the places i trap but quite a few trail riders around sometimes. Jus don't wanna lose gear. I was thinking of using 12" stove pipe sections and making more permanent sets with bait in the middle and a coni on each side, but that can get spendy...hmmm

might think about a #1 ls on a piece of 2x4 nailed to tree?Trap wired off over head to a limb or to 2x4.....been thinking about that set for marten

well if i was to use a number one it'll be the good ole leaning pole set, or a tip-up on the base of a tree. Thing is one snow fall your re-setting everything, so i am leaning to more a verticle set...i think i have no way around it but i might jus have to stay with some sort of cubby.

I was thinking if 2x4 was under a thick spruce it would help keep snow off of it.But flower pots are light and stack pretty good even with the bait already wired inside of them.The one thing I found about the coni clips is that the some spruce bark is thicker than some like on the really big trees and I had to make a flat spot on tree to get 120 into it.

Be careful of snowload. might fence staple the limbs into a v. to form a cubby.

[quote=bdonaghy] and a smear of newt sterlings sexy sable lure on the bait, and that's it! That sexy sable lure has made a BIG difference the last few years!

Where would a guy find this stuff?? Also, any input from anyone if this would work here in Montana??

Years ago I tried the spruce boughs as a cover. Marten, as well as weasels simply went through the side of them. Didn't catch a single thing. I think I saw it on an old video.
Switched to flower pots and have used them since. Light, can stack a bunch with minumal room, cheap,(free for me), and pretty much weather-proof.

X2

I have access to flower pots. I can jus bring along 3-5 everytime i go out in the field incase i find more places. But i usually have more permanet sets out there. Well i'll test try some sets once i get started.

Yukontrapper.Have you thought about a set like these.I cut scrap plywood squares and cut an exagerated keyhole shape in them.With the chainsaw cut a square in a tree,not all the way through.A little pop with the ax and youve formed a reccess to put in bait.Use 2 three inch nails to hang on tree,these nails can be left protruding to hold the connibear.Usually stick a conifer bough in front of the bait to hide it

This picture doesnt have the cut above the set but
Another horizontal cut can be made with the saw and a shingle, split of wood,tin flashing,stiff plastic inserted.To hold off snow load,not needed here as the tree provides the cover
These plywood plates can be stacked and many carried.I have some that have been catching marten for over 30 years.
only drawback is you need big trees,
Dan'l

here's my take on boles set, really don't need the plate. but i'm sure it doesn't hurt.

[img:center][/img]

i do the same with 330's

Boles/braggadoe, that is a pretty neat set, but i lack the tree size. I have some good size ones out there, but usually in the pecker poles to 12-15" at the biggest ones. I'll prolly kill them if i tried. Great idea though. Otherwise on the good note the Yukon finally stopped running ice now wait for it to freeze over good then i am in buisness again! Been snowing great here, jus need to get better freezing temps. While we wait the fur gets more prime, usually towards Dec. Marten and Lynx are pretty good. So the wait is also better for that reason and i am not killing my machine trying to get out. Happy Trappin

Hello FT, How are your Trap pans coming along? How many outta your long line are you going to set with new Coni set up? Well i got 6in PVC tubes drilled and set up as bait protectors, we get alot camp robbers and them voles eating up the bait. I am gonna try use them on the leaning poles sets i have out from last year. See if that helps or hinders since the bait won't be entirely visible, may try hanging a foot or so above and about a foot forward from my trap. See how that go's.

Been planning on trying this out...maybe not - thanks for the info.

Yukon you talking to me? No trap pans in my future.

hey guys, i have a bait question?

i have to heli into my line and weight is allways a problem. i would use only beaver but i just can't carry enough in. so i use a alot of bird carcasses, and raspberry jam. i'll get some beaver once i get out there and use marten meat once i get rolling. i've tried that pellet crab/prawn bait but it didn't seem to work unless i mixed it with jam, it smelled good to me, but wasn't the answer. is there anything else that works great and is light/doesn't take up much space?


thanks!
heading out nov. 11
bored to death right now! really enjoying this site

Mouse traps around the cabin and voles maybe?

-TJ

Good morning. My mistake, i wasn't paying attention and was refering to the actual first post in this thread. akntpr. Jus got mixed up trying to remember who started the thread. Guess i should checked.
Braggadoe, Do you have access to yukon fish over in alberta. The local blacksmith and a musher put up fall split fish and dry fish as dog feed and they usually make a pretty decent bait pile for me. And it is light and fast to work with. Unsure if Alberta is along the yukon in Canada, but thought i'd ask ya.

I'm assuming you are talking about marten bait here. I just use feathers hung above and beyond the trap. I'm using footholds so that won't apply to you but usually I use grouse. I figure I can get 10 marten per bird because the marten doesn't always get the feathers. I'd buy something more concentrated than jam for scent. Something like Paul's Skunky Backbreaker, Gusto, Magnum Marten. Way more stink per unit of weight. I fly all my stuff in also so I understand your problem.

I know you mentioned bird carcasses so this may not be useful. This is what I use.





These are pieces of spruce grouse pre-wired ( excluding the breast meat ). Around 15 per bag and it looks like around .65 Kg per bag. If not too many thaws I can continue to use all season and move them around the line as a I pull sections and set up new sections of the line.

testing testing 123 123

Mr. White17 there seems to be a glitch in the 100 post area?

456 456

Looks OK to me

When I submitted that bait post above it said it was there, but when I clicked on the " marten traps" thread nothing was displayed just your post in front of it. I went to my posts and it was listed and I clicked on it and nothing was displayed except your previous post. When I did the testing post it came up. It was listed as reply 99.

I have pretty much done what Dirt is showing. I can get about a doz baits out of a grouse. Slightly tainted is good. Dirt I thought maybe you had on a heating pad there. ;0)
So I scored last night. A local duck hunter I encouraged to give me a call when he had carcasses called me last night. The wind was blowing and the birds were flying off the ocean to their hunting area. I got about 70 breasted mallards. Replenish my Wings!!
So I have not used ducks before. What are trappers experience using Duck carcasses for Lynx and Marten.

FT, In my experience they are better than grouse

Curious to try some. I would imagine with the oil they would would smell better in the winter. Martenpine have you tainted them for bait or use fresh?

yes, I have tainted them first but I think you are correct about the oil smelling better in winter even if not tainted. I also have taken the fat drippings off when I roast them and used it as a base for lure with castor and skunk.

Every once in a while something like that happens. A few times I have been taken to a page 2 on a thread only to find there is nothing there. It doesn't last long and may be part of the software that accommodates different member settings on how the page is displayed. Just a guess.

It could also be that someone else posted at the same time as you and then deleted that post, thus changing the counter.

I have to ask how you get a doz. baits out of one grouse? Maybe am using to big a chunk cause I get about 6 tops,do you guys just take feathers and tie together?

Wings 4 baits, (4) two lower legs, (6) 2 thighs, (8) back, (9) neck, (10) head with some neck. (11) Tail (12)
They are small but as long as you have some meat it will taint and smell. If your marten are cooperative it works great. It is what I had my 50 in one check on a few years ago.

I agree. The fat on the ducks seems to not freeze solid during the winter and is always putting off an odor. I like to taint, but don't think it matters. Duck is my go to bait for marten and cats.

Ya I use a bigger chunk,2 wings 2 legs,back,head /neck,and tail
Thanks FT

Curious to give them a try. We have a lot of cats in the Homer area now. Going to help my son get a line going here this year.

that's good to know, that your getting results with such small bait. it means i can stretch my birds out farther then i've have in the past.

W17, i should pick up some of pauls lure just too support this site, but i make my own. heating up lard/crisco and then adding skunk. is there anything better?


going to wax my boards this season as i've learned from you guys, thanks for all the great info!!

I think if you have marten that are at all cooperative you would be surprised at what you can get away with. I have experienced it on my line when they have the urge to bite.
When you start thinking of more sets less time and smaller snowmobile you really have to look at where to cut.
I think my combination would be deadly in a different area from my experience. But as most of you know I have a different subspecies of marten in my area. Martes martesfinicany. ;0)

I think anything that helps get their attention is good. They are not too sophisticated or choosy....normally. That Crisco must get pretty hard. Might want to add some glycerine.

FT, what's your preferred lure for those "rocket surgeon" marten in your area? pm me if it's top secret.....we live alongways apart eh!