last year got 5 marten and 5 fisher in them out of 36 traps.

Set 6 Marten sets today and 3 mink/muskrat sets. My exclusion devices are made out of wire, but I have one that I made out of wood to try out this year. I set the wooden one on the ground the rest are wired to leaning or downed logs. Anyone set their wooden boxes on the ground and any advice on setting them on the ground?

Caught 114 muskrats and a mink.Not going to trap marten and fisher untill they do away with the exclusion cages.

I do believe that there is a strong possibility of this.

Today's first run of the whole line netted a large weasel, with some brown still on the back

Alex

In a perfect world, SAM could lobby Gov LePage to work with the Trump Administration to resolve this non-sense of an endangered specie. The Wikipedia definition of endangered specie is as follows; " An endangered species is a species which has been categorized to become extinct"

How often will you be running your line?

Its not that cold yet.Want to keep an eye on that 3 day check.

Seems like it should be a good year for otter. Sign is plentiful.

Alex

Alex, what sign are you seeing with otter? With the exception of toilets and crossovers, otter do not leave much sign.

Got a nice marten this morning in a wooden box with the 4x4 opening.

Alex

Too early to tell I think. Half of my boxes are 120, half 160 size. Can't tell any difference yet. A little more snow will help see if I'm getting any refusals. Fur doesn't seem to be moving much right now.

Hey JWood, if you are driving by my place you have seen that my boxes are still on the porch. When are the bears going in? Where did you find snow? I might start in a week or so.

Had bait chewed but trap unfired in a wire box today. The way my traps set in the boxes I don't think the animal had to fully commit to step on my coni pan. The trap was too close.

Alex

Mouse? or weasel?

Checked the sets the other day caught 1 big male fisher in a big set and had 2 bear hits. fisher measured 33 inches from nose to skirt.

If you know where the Martin are I'm sure you can do better than that but I'm setting blind hoping for some fresh snow soon.

I set on sign in a few spots and it paid off. I've been having action at all my sets I set on tracks from the snow 2 weeks ago. But I am also running a much shorter line than you. Did you prebait at all?

Alex

I intended to but never got to it. Might be a good thing I didn't, what with all the bear activity. Finally no bear hits today.

Here in Maine the trap is measured when set from inside center of jaw to inside center of other jaw going straight across trap pan.You don't measure from where jaws are attached to the frame.That measurement don't matter.

Thanks for the compliments on the bear, guys. I wish it had showed up in September.

Trap question for you guys in the units restricting trap size to 5 3/8th inches. How is the figure arrived at? I just bought some MB 550's based on their description of trap size but I'm thinking they measure inside center of jaw to inside center of jaw when the trap is set.

It looks bigger than that where the jaws attach to the frame when the trap is set. I don't have a tape handy. How is Mr. Warden going to view this?

Thanks for helping a new guy out, Bruce. I appreciate the help.

No problem with the 550's in Maine. The 550-RC has an outside jaw spread of 5 1/2” and an inside jaw spread of 4 3/4”. Here is one at work in northern Maine from a few weeks ago. This was a mean old red 'yote & got a second one here two days later.

That's a nice looking animal. I have a friend who just moved here to live off the grid. She told me she heard some coyotes outside her cabin the other night so she grabbed her light and handgun and went outside to see what was going on. She claims there were at least twenty sets of eyes she shined. I find it hard to believe but she is sticking to her story.

Whats everyone using for posting pictures?

My photobucket says its full even though Ive deleted a lot of pics.

Thanks

Well I pulled the line today. Work and school obligations didn't leave me any time to trap and enjoy it. It was a good little run, catching a marten, fisher, weasel, and muskrat. Doesn't sound like much to many, but it was nice to get back trapping

Alex

Cleaned the skull yesterday

Nice pics everyone . Ive had some so bad luck this year on the marten and fisher line, one fisher thats it. Must be a bad year for marten or is it just me?

Pretty sure the exclusion devices don't help with fisher or marten harvest

My wife convinced me to take a break from cleaning up the aftermath of the fur shed fire and go check traps in the woods (she's great). Nothing like a trapline to get your mind off of other issues for a few hours. The antler was a nice bonus - earliest one I've ever found!