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Re: Mountain Journal 2014 [Re: trapper ron] #5650449
09/23/16 02:44 PM
09/23/16 02:44 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 138
Ohio
R
Ridge Reaper Offline
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Ridge Reaper  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 138
Ohio
Originally Posted By: trapper ron
I'm going to add this for those having trouble making a round loop. I have used this method but prefer the method used by Boco, mostly because it is what I learned about 40 years ago.

One of our Instructors who harvests wolves consistently every year has a technique he has demonstrated at our Instructors meetings and at several of our convention. If you are looking at the snare he likes the lock to be at about 10 o'clock so it will drop very fast. He uses a "W" at the end of his support wire. What he does is take a very fine wire, a really light strand of copper wire will do, and he wraps it around the support wire, then winds it around the snare cable loop about 8" back from the lock. Just enough wraps so it holds but will pull out with very slight pressure. This will make even 7 x 7 wire make a nice round loop. If you look real close you can see that light wire holding the loop.

xxx

Re: Mountain Journal 2014 [Re: Family Trapper] #5650450
09/23/16 02:45 PM
09/23/16 02:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 138
Ohio
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Ridge Reaper Offline
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Ohio
Originally Posted By: Family Trapper
I had put this up in a post a few years ago but I will add it here as it pertains to the discussion and it should add to the conversation.
Brian if you want the post moved to a new thread just say the word.
My take on loading came from models of prebuilt snares I got from Rally Hess. A master snareman and someone that believes heavily in loading. The terminology and such that I put on here is my own concoction to make it more clear. The cable I am using is 1/16th 7 by 7 and prone to be a teardrop. I post this here to show that loading can have huge affect on shape.
Yukon you ask why people dislike a teardrop. A lot more taken with tear drop than without that is for sure. But that comes from far more snares being made without than with IMO. As well as trapper not knowing how to load them. I use the same method as Bctomcat.
When I look at a teardrop I see a snare shape exactly opposite of the shape I would want for the target. A large mass going in on top. (the head of a wolf or lynx) and a large opening on the bottom. (the feet). Creating a snare that I believe would be more prone to a leg being alllowed to enter the snare with the head. It just feels better to me to have the rounder shape. And one more conducive to the head up high in the snare. And I think you can get by with a smaller opening as so much of the loop is not having in a non target area. Creating even more weight on the snare distorting the shape.
I like the idea of having the large opening up high where the head is entering. Also it covers a wider area of the trail where the target is coming through. (the head).
That can't hurt. But more importantly is the speed. You have to drag closed a teardrop shaped snare all the way to the end. Compared to a loaded snare that naturally wants to close. Causing less pull on the animal and less likely for detection and backout.

Example of a 7 by 7 1/16 inch cable snare


Take that same snare and build in some lift on the cable behind the lock and you begin to get a shape that opens up the snare for better head entry.



Take that same snare and load and shape it and you will end up with this.
Granted this is not a wolf snare but I bet you can go a long way to opening up the shape and make it a lot faster with loading it. The picture like the ones above were taken with the snare held vertical not laying down. This is the hanging shape.
I achieve this by loading and shaping. The loading and shaping zone are described on the box.

Heavily loading the first inches past the lock dictates the direction of the cable as it circles around. I like to shoot for a horizontal direction rather than the slanted one you get with a teardrop. I continue to load further but with a lot less pressure. I also like to shape the cable in the shaping zone as well to round out the opposite side. Done the same way as loading but with a lot less pressure.
And wow fast in comparison to a teardrop is saying it lightly. You just can't compare how a teardrop snare closes compared to a loaded snare. A



Here inlies the issue you have to be very careful when loading snares. Many snare you build are not set up to take loading. Thus a good reason to make your own.
When you load heavily you need to account for the curling of the cable within the lock. Compare the two photos below.
This snare can not be loaded.



This snare can be.



Resulting in this.








When I look at this snare I see a small opening that could possibly brush up agains the side of a wolf's head and cause him to defer to the right or left or even back out. haha. Watch you will probably get a perfect catch in it. ;0)


Hopel this helps some guys new and old to snaring. Brian I hope it adds to your journal.
We can move the discussion on loading to a new thread if people are interested in carrying it on further.
xxx

Re: Mountain Journal 2014 [Re: Bushman] #5650490
09/23/16 03:41 PM
09/23/16 03:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
B
Bushman Offline OP
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Bushman  Offline OP
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Alberta
Taxi - No i have not measured the skull, good idea I will. It was missing one canine so I took a large wolf tooth and inserted it into the spot. Looks good but the cougar has bigger diameter tooth.

ridge Reaper - not sure of your posts intention but thinking you have made a mistake. Either that or you have been up on that ridge drinking moonshine.

Re: Mountain Journal 2014 [Re: Bushman] #5651151
09/24/16 11:04 AM
09/24/16 11:04 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,459
Montana
Taximan Offline
trapper
Taximan  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,459
Montana
Originally Posted By: Bushman
Taxi - No i have not measured the skull, good idea I will. It was missing one canine so I took a large wolf tooth and inserted it into the spot. Looks good but the cougar has bigger diameter tooth.

ridge Reaper - not sure of your posts intention but thinking you have made a mistake. Either that or you have been up on that ridge drinking moonshine.


It would be ideal to mold and cast the same canine from a similar sized cat.

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5651302
09/24/16 03:00 PM
09/24/16 03:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 34
canada
T
tucker13 Offline
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tucker13  Offline
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Posts: 34
canada
Originally Posted By: Bushman
Boco that tree is the most massive white spruce I've ever seen. I contacted forestry and they're choppering out some staff to measure the circumference. They feel based on the photo it may be an Alberta record. They would steal some of it's cones for cross breeding as it shows unusual characteristics for a tree in Alberta. The younger spruce in proximity to it are also larger than average, probably descended from this monster. it'll be interesting to find out the rest of the story.

I did score a major find though. As I was hunting an island sandbar along the river I saw a skull sticking out of the sand. When I first saw it I thought bear based on the size but when I dug the jaws out I saw it was a cougar, and a big one. F & W gave me a found wildlife certificate so I've got it home.



Very cool find I am interested in what the cat scored as well. Did you dig around for any other bones?

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5654512
09/27/16 09:29 PM
09/27/16 09:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
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Bushman Offline OP
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Alberta
Skull was washed up on sandbar without balance of skeleton. Been too busy to measure it

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5654553
09/27/16 09:57 PM
09/27/16 09:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
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Bushman Offline OP
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Alberta
I've been on the river in a hunt camp since Saturday. Weather has been a bit warm and even mosquitos which is unusual for fall. But beautiful fall colours and lots of animals moving about



The elk calling has been sporadic and we hadn't spotted one as of last night. I got a couple answers late in the evening so I decided to return to same ridge early in the morn. Buddy dropped me out of his boat and went around the point to walk in from a different direction, while another friend cut through the middle. We were about 1/2 mile apart from each other. I heard two bugles right away but then things went quiet.

I worked my way along a ridge through open aspen forest. I set up on the edge of a clearing and gave a couple cow calls. No answer. I waited a bit to see if a bull might sneak in without calling, very common these days. I decided to give a mature bull call so I let a big bugle rip. Within minutes I hear banging and crashing heading straight towards me. I scanned the bush edge and a cow and calf elk bust into the clearing heading straight for me.

I had camo on my face and the cow couldn't see me. They ran into 20 yards and veered to the right. I thought to myself there has to be a bull around and just then a bull came storming into the clearing and ran towards me. At 35 yards he put the brakes on and was staring in my direction. I had the cross hairs on him so I pulled the trigged and put one into the front of its chest.

The bull ran towards the cows and I took two snap shots but I knew it was a goner. It started getting wobbly and keeled over 80 yards from me. A nice 6 x 6



Before too long my buddy showed up and we started breaking the meat down getting ready for the pack out. My other friend showed up and left to bring the boat back around to our side/




I made 3 trips of about 3/4 of a mile and my buddies made two and we had the elk back at the boat.




I'm heading back out in the morning to help my buddies get their elk.

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5654673
09/27/16 11:48 PM
09/27/16 11:48 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
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alaska viking Offline
"Made it two years not being censored"
alaska viking  Offline
"Made it two years not being censored"
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
grin grin grin Way to go, Bushy! cool


Made it almost 3 years without censor!

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: alaska viking] #5654697
09/28/16 12:22 AM
09/28/16 12:22 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,997
Kelowna BC Canada
trapper ron Offline
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trapper ron  Offline
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Posts: 1,997
Kelowna BC Canada
Very nice. Way to go. smile Hope your buddies score also.


Member BCTA
Trapping Instructor

"It's what you learn after you know it all that really counts."
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5655146
09/28/16 02:00 PM
09/28/16 02:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 34
saskatchewan
S
saskamusher Offline
trapper
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Posts: 34
saskatchewan
very nice bull , our bulls are getting quieter every year not sure if it jus me or weather or jus the poor management practices being used on our elk herds , im blaming the later as we have seen this coming for past 20 years but the govt wont listen to anything except cry baby farmers , oh well great elk elk hunt bushman thanks for sharing it with us that are stuck on the job .


trapping with dogs
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: saskamusher] #5655246
09/28/16 04:17 PM
09/28/16 04:17 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 53
Alberta
M
Moose maniac Offline
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Moose maniac  Offline
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Posts: 53
Alberta
Originally Posted By: saskamusher
very nice bull , our bulls are getting quieter every year not sure if it jus me or weather or jus the poor management practices being used on our elk herds , im blaming the later as we have seen this coming for past 20 years but the govt wont listen to anything except cry baby farmers , oh well great elk elk hunt bushman thanks for sharing it with us that are stuck on the job .
Elk have gotten quite in my area as well, I think its a combo of to many predators and to many hunters in the bush with bugles in their hand.

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5655963
09/29/16 10:27 AM
09/29/16 10:27 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,831
MT (Big Sky Country)
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Allan Minear Offline
trapper
Allan Minear  Offline
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MT (Big Sky Country)
Congratulations on your bull elk Bushman that's one to be proud of how wore down are the ivory's ? And are you going to make anything with them ?
In some area's down here the elk no longer bugle or very rarely due to increasing grizzly and wolf numbers, but where those predators aren't as prevalent they still bugle and carry on.
Allan


Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5656270
09/29/16 05:36 PM
09/29/16 05:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 342
Montana
Hiline Bob Offline
trapper
Hiline Bob  Offline
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Posts: 342
Montana
Awesome! Congrats on a nice bull.


Bob
"Everybody told me you can't far on $37.00 and and a jap guitar" ~ S.E.
"Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana." ~ M.H
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5656628
09/29/16 11:42 PM
09/29/16 11:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
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Bushman Offline OP
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Alberta
Well back in for a couple days. They're calling for rain and snow for next 48 hours and then weather smartens up. I'm leaving for the mountains with Dad on Monday in hopes of getting his moose. He's as determined today at 86 as when I was kid following his long legs through the bush of the NWT. My Dad is a cool guy.

My buddies didn't have any luck while they hunted and I spent my time repairing a trapping cabin roof that was getting pretty rough. I hauled in material in boat and framed up new roof system on old roof. We'll tin it in a couple weeks once I'm done hunting.




And this is my $40,000 Mokai replacement. Crazy company wouldn't sell me one of their units so I bought myself a real boat instead.





still wouldn't mind one of them Mokais though

Last edited by Bushman; 09/29/16 11:45 PM.
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5658385
10/02/16 12:00 PM
10/02/16 12:00 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,043
NE ON
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LeverAlone Offline
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Posts: 1,043
NE ON
Nice elk Bushman! Love the other pics, thats a giant of a white spruce, must be at least a couple centuries old for sure. I wish we had rivers that were runnable in a boat like yours, would beat paddling and portaging for sure lol. We are near the edge of the Canadian shield here, so we get lots of drops and ledges, which are impassible by boat and even canoe in most cases.

I'll be out on the river again soon for another moose hunt this year, cant wait.

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5659223
10/03/16 09:46 AM
10/03/16 09:46 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
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Bushman Offline OP
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Bushman  Offline OP
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Alberta
Ok confession on the Spruce, two trees, I had my son line them up to look like one. I was sure family trapper would spot it but he must be chasing fish or moose sheds.
We cut up the elk yesterday. Got to love those back straps as I cut 55 steaks out of them. In regards to elk ivories they are a nice amber colour. Off moose hunting with my Dad today.

Last edited by Bushman; 10/03/16 09:47 AM.
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5664521
10/09/16 10:05 AM
10/09/16 10:05 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
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Bushman Offline OP
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Alberta
I've just returned from five days out with my Dad. It was a bitter sweet experience. To be able to still hunt with your 86 year old father is a blessing that few will ever experience and one I treasure. Yet at the same time it's hard not to be sad as you watch the inevitable changes to a man who was once a giant to you. And at 6' 2'' and 225 solid pounds he was a big man.

My father took me hunting and fishing from day one. As a young kid I remember hurrying to keep up with him as he cut circles through the bush chasing moose. It was around camp fires and sitting in cabins I learned my families history from him. And his stories mostly revolved around hunting camps from his youth spent with grandfathers and uncles, as his Father died when he was 7.

Dad is a story teller and a people person. His mind is a sharp as ever and he was able to hike a couple miles with me in some hilly terrain, but only for one day. After that we posted and called for moose, but no luck so far. The bulls only started moving a couple days ago and we're getting snow right now so maybe next week.




We did harvest a respectable mule deer though. It had 2" of fat on its back and looks like some good eating. Another great hunt with Dad.

Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5664661
10/09/16 01:16 PM
10/09/16 01:16 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,831
MT (Big Sky Country)
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Allan Minear Offline
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Allan Minear  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,831
MT (Big Sky Country)
Congratulations on the nice mule deer my favorite memories of my dad also revolved around hunting and fishing then family time and work. Good for both of you and I hope you get a good moose for your dad .
Allan


Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5666366
10/11/16 02:05 PM
10/11/16 02:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 342
Montana
Hiline Bob Offline
trapper
Hiline Bob  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 342
Montana
Still out there at 86...that is impressive! Congrats on the kill and memories.


Bob
"Everybody told me you can't far on $37.00 and and a jap guitar" ~ S.E.
"Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana." ~ M.H
Re: Mountain Journal [Re: Bushman] #5672007
10/17/16 03:14 PM
10/17/16 03:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
B
Bushman Offline OP
trapper
Bushman  Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
Winter weather has struck, predictions are we're going to have a real winter this year




Which makes me happy as I'm hoping to trap hard this winter. I've spent a lot of time on wolverines last few winters so it'll be nice to concentrate on straight up trapping. When I'm cutting up meat I save all the scraps and fill up bait bags for trapping use. I bought a 1000 bags in bulk and they've lasted me for years. I was able to fill up 4 dozen bait bags so far this year so I have a good head start for the season. One bag generally lasts all season and because of their size seem to stay attractive to furbeares.




I stayed home for a few days to let the weather settle and finally tackled a project that's been on the back burner for a while. I collect beadwork and was looking for a free standing design for some shelves. I came up with my own design and it does the job. Only problem is I need a few more now


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