Well I've made a few firsts for myself this year. For the first time I ran a line before our rifle deer season. I've typically never ran until after Thanksgiving a line of any size. I also decided that there's nothing better than an education. So I had Ed Schneider from Kansas Trapline Products come with me for two days on my line. It was an eye opening experience, and although it was only 48 hours I learned more than I could have imagined. He pretty much helped me set out the coyote line. I'm about halfway through my first vacation of the year, and it's been a blast.

Also I've never trapped these thirty miles as I had to get on ground I could before season. I almost feel like an ADC guy in the fact that I'm very close to town on properties that many people don't deer hunt. I've been trying to snap as many pictures as I can, but after Ed left I'm on my own, and I've been staying rather busy keeping everything going. I've been paying attention to the moon, barometer, and temperature. What I can tell you is what I already knew, the full moon was very, very rough. Not much of anything moved, and I even had rabbits/packrats in blind sets that went uneaten. Patience has been the key, and the weather has cooperated enough that I've got on some animals now. Everything really picked up when we dipped about 15 degrees, and the barometer dropped about 3 points. It stayed steady the first three nights, along with the moon.

I'd encourage anyone that's ever thought about instruction to give it a go. It's amazing when a guy like Ed can hit a place, and look at google earth, and tell me where we need to go look for coyote tracks. When I thought our ground was tough to find tracks he'd prove me wrong time and time again. It was a pretty humbling experience. I consider myself pretty solid on trapping fundamentals, but it was the big picture I'd been missing. I feel like I have that now to apply to my larger line later in the year.

Here's the first hurdle. As Ed pointed out I'm alrite coon trapper, and a horrible coyote trapper. In all honesty I was setting locations that might have a coyote, but there were six coons to get through first. I did my best to expand away from the coons, but in all honesty I've grown up on coons and I love the little buggers.

Here's some coon trails along the line, you can't just not set them.




First night skunk/coon and second night possum/coon. Look hard at them.



I've just been blind setting for the coons on the trails. Mostly where I have coyote sets nearby that I want to negate them getting into my sets. Here's a few more trail coons.




No matter how hard you try to keep them out of the coyote sets it doesn't always work. Some of these boars are out in the middle of nowhere.




This coon was in the middle of the pasture 1/2 mile from the nearest tree, and he was one big boy. Why I find this picture interesting is as soon as he saw us coming, he hid his eyes. This guy survived I'm sure a number of spotlighters in the area, but he didn't make it past the dirthole.




Here's a few coyote sets I snapped pictures of.




Luckily I put down two sets here, bandit couldn't plug them both.


This was the remake from that set.


This coyote was caught at the same time, just up the fenceline.



This coyote fell to a stepdown on an edge of a waterway. I had no idea this waterway even existed over the hill until Ed suggested we go investigate.



This is a hot location which has coyote tracks coming and going up a ditch. The first two nights it was plugged with skunk/nontarget. The next two nights was coyotes. Hoping for a third tomorrow. Caught using Ed's die hard C, both the first and second.



Remake

Nice catches.Way to go.

good job bud!!

Nice job

Seen loads of beaver / rat sign on the way from Omaha to Lyons....

Great .
Looks like your post got long before you add the last pics .
If you think that might happen, load pics , then do your typing.
Preview reply is a good way to check.
Great pics !

Just noticing that I'll edit it

Here's the rest of the post the pictures didn't load the first time.

Talkative yote on a llama farm.


Never did see anything but coyote tracks, but those cats always amaze you. High ridge of a horse pasture. Second picture he's not hooked up anymore. He'll live another day.


It isn't a Nebraska trapline without catching a shovel.


Being on new ground I talked myself into setting a few traps on some walk-in only ground. I waited until after this weekend with bird hunters, and set yesterday afternoon. Now I remember why I don't set public land. Second trap stolen in five years, and the worst part was it had my 6th coyote of the day in it on my 24 hour check. They opened they J-hook after they failed to cut the cable. Beautiful catch circle. It's trapping, and I'll hit again tomorrow just the same!

Thanks for looking! I'm now up to 22 stinkers, but I didn't think anyone wanted to see that many skunks. Ha.

Nice pics .

I know someone named Wade Ryan here in Alaska. He's an eskimo.
mt

Great post
Thanks

wow 22 skunks eh? thats pretty good haha

Cool pics Wade. I just was wondering if the fur seems like it is prime all the way. I never trap this early usually. Years ago when I ran dogs and the season opened the 15th it seems like there were lots of coon then that needed a week or so more to really prime up. But the weather is nice and coons, though cheap are thicker than frozen snot. LOL. Had a farmer ask me to thin them out around his feedlot, one nite he drove into the old yard and a hundred eyes or more looked like a huge X-mas tree on his silage pile. So today I set 17 conis, dp and a few coilsprings. Well see how I do. I won't put any serious steel down till around Thanksgiving. Even then I usually have to turn a cat or two loose.... till Dec 1st.

Excellent job, awesome pics. Keep setting .

I've only caught one sow, the rest boars. I'd say the big boars I'm catching are ready. Year of young probably aren't. Coyotes look about as good as they're going to get. Few burs otherwise their pelts are flawless compared to December yotes. Best part is I haven't had to break out the peat moss, and I've enjoyed bedding in real dirt.

Yes 22 skunks. I'm to the point I don't even mind getting sprayed. Lol. They are also being caught in the middle of nowhere. Suckers for my dirtholes ha.

Nice job. If you are going to catch coon it just as well be those big old, pasture boars. Too early to trap for me, I like to make sure everything is prime and if I catch a cat its getting a ride home with me.

Great job so far Wade. Good post too!

Good job!

Way to go. Thinks for sharing

AWESOME PICS!

Keep them coming

Way to go, awesome start to the season!
Jim

Good Job Wade!!!

Corey

Nice job lotta work ahead in fur shws congrats

shed

Great job! Funny how those coon make their way into sets that far from where you'd expect them.

Also glad the Trapperman crowd didn't jump all over you like they did on the Nebraska Trapping FB site. Ridiculous!

I've got pretty thick skin, it's going to take a lot more than one guys opinion to change how I do things. It was a pretty slow day today on the line. My hands thanked me for not skinning much, you know it's bad when you have a blister on the back side of your hand from holding traps open to set through leather gloves. Getting some nice 25 degree weather tonight, hoping it has the pups on the move. I could have came home early, but I went back at it setting up new farms. Won't catch anything with traps in my truck. Didn't have any dirt patterns worked that I didn't catch that I could see. Of course I caught another skunk, wouldn't be a day on the line without one.

This is the same trail, only one coon, but in three nights set it's produced a coon every night.



I was beginning to question this dirthole, it's went untouched the entire line. I left it alone. I'd rather see a coyote bouncing, but it's now got some eye appeal. This is on a path that I've often snared for coyotes when the snow flies. They use it as a natural travel route under the fence there. I'm hoping one shows up soon.



This is a location I've often shown when people ask where I set looking for coyotes. I set this corner blind every year. It's tough ground, and I hardly ever can find a coyote track. It's a crop change, bordering a pasture fence with a corner post, and it's got a large powerline that runs over it. The farmer just got his corn out a few days ago. This was a second night catch on an adult male, the first night a deer tripped it, stepdown had him buried in the #3. This location is good for multiple coyotes, last year I think I only ran it for five days, and caught three yotes.


So this next picture goes against everything Ed taught me, but it's needed (I know you're probably reading this). I've been trying out my baits since last spring on this pond dike, and I've got a pretty good following of coons. There's also a nosy badger, and occasionally a bobcat. I know if I drop liver in a hole they beat everything there. I simply placed four traps right here hoping to get a couple of the coons, and allowing the coyotes to come in. I have three checks left so I don't have a whole lot of time to clean out the trash. In the last week I have multiple pictures of coyotes walking this dike, and I've got a clear shot of weather....so I gang set this farm. Very much overkill for Ed's liking, but I want to hit whatever is there, and do it fast. I also slipped the camera on video mode, so things could get interesting. We'll see what the next three checks here brings. If I don't get them all this is on my southern route as well in December. Here's some of the sets I placed on the farm. For the most part I went with all dirtholes. They've been hitting a lot better than flat sets right now. Most of my flat sets have set dormant.

Great Pics

Thanks for taking time to post !

good stuff!

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your pictures.

enjoyed your pics fur looks good and your having a great time cant be beat

Nice catches and pictures.Way to go

Good stuff Wade....

Great pictures, thanks for posting for all of us to see!

How do you set a llama farm?

I recently got permission on a llama farm and I have heard many folks say that the llamas will stomp anything they see in the trap. Apparently lots of folks use llamas as a predator deterrent.

He locks the llamas in a side pen while I'm there. I don't doubt they would, I have them come at me everyday when I walk through the pen with their ears calked back, and teeth showing. I wouldn't set it where they can get to the traps just like sheep or cows.

Nice seeing your pictures,keep up the hard work.

Awesome little journal you got going! I don’t mind catching skunks anymore either lol.

Great post, thanks for bringing us along. I just recently finished Ed's book and DVD, very good information and well done. I'm anxious to put some of his methods he talks about to work. I've no doubt it will be an improvement in my catch. That neat that you got him to come out on your line. Fur is never valued at what it takes to harvest it so just have fun, and stack those critters like a wall!! Quit wasting time on t-man so you can go catch more animals and post more pics on t-man. Lol

Well last night was the first night below freezing for any length of time. It seemed to get things moving. I was very busy with remakes, and I stopped to take a few pictures along the way. Two checks left for me as I've got to pull the line for deer season.

This first coyote was caught on the first farm of the morning, out in the middle of a cornfield. It's on a place with a hog unit, and being a coon trapper I had a few sets pretty close to the actual hog unit. Ed pulled out google earth, and here is what we saw.


Smack dead in the center you see the two drainages come together, and run to the hog unit. We stopped there, and there were plenty of tracks. It's been cold up until this morning. Caught this coyote on a flat set. These are the type of locations I'd been missing.



Closer to the hog unit, you guessed it one of my dirtholes took a coon. Not just any coon though. I had to take a picture of him. The weed behind him is about 7 feet tall and here he is compared to the adult male coyote.




Couple other coons decided to run in the cold last night, all boars.



This is the third coyote caught in this remake in four nights since I caught the first. Large adult male. I reset it, but it was pretty potent. Might be the last dog I take there. Here's a remake after three coyotes as well.




Here's a pretty good looking coyote caught on one of the stepdowns I showed a picture of earlier. Buried past the pan, as most of them are.


Here's another third coyote in a set. This one is sure getting tough to remake. Catch and remake.



This trap was literally set with the pan in a coyote track on a narrow trail over the pond dike. Well the trail got a little larger today.


Was another good run on the line. Hands are tired, but I've got two checks left to go. See how many more I can get caught. The pasture I set heavy yesterday was a complete blimp. One lonely possum out of the bunch. I left them undisturbed. There's not much human activity out there, and most I have on camera seem to be very paranoid. Two more checks will tell. Thanks for looking.

nice job thanks for sharing

Must be alot of coyotes this year as I already have half of last seasons catch in 8 days.

Another great day!

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. Did you weigh that coon? It's gotta be a 5xl from the looks of it.

Thanks and good job.

Nice pics! Good thread! Hope to see more!

I had planned to, and then it hit me it doesn't really matter. Just a big coon, they come and go. It'll stretch 5xl pretty easily looking at it hanging next to another large boar.

Good luck today Wade,enjoy the pictures.

Slower day on the line today, coons didn't even run. Still had a good time although I'm glad this run is about over. I've lost 15 lbs in the last week, probably needed to. Possums gave me a few fits, and it's going to get the coldest it's been yet tonight so I've got my fingers crossed for one good run.

Interestingly I had no action on the pond dike again. I went over pictures up until I set and had multiple coyotes/coons/badger pictures. I set the traps, and it's like poof no action. So I had the camera on video mode hoping to get a coyote working a set on camera. I got one video the last two nights, and nothing else. I'm pretty glad it had no interest in my sets. Already released one, and they don't come in until December here. There's a set right in front of that rock.....phew





Anyways ran the line. Possums sure were active, first bunch I've got into in any numbers this run. This poor guy I think I did a favor. He wasn't going to make the winter.



Then I went from one of the worst furred coyotes I've caught to one of the best. This was a top dog. He kept looking over me like he was ready for the cavalry to come and the war to start. He was not afraid one bit of me, popped the chain at me a few times.



Still two coyotes today, but much slower than it has been. One more run in the morning. Pull the whole line for deer season. Thanks for looking. I'll be going south for about a 60 mile run in December. More to come.

Your sure piling the fur.Way to go.

Seems a little early for Kansas coyotes

There's always one guy. I think they'll do just fine, and I've had a blast catching them. For once my hands hurt from skinning instead of freezing. Half tempted to put up the coons I caught so I don't have to hear everyone tell me how blue they still are.

Well I was able to get all my traps pulled today. Got them all in, and have some set out for repairs. Powerwashed all the dirt and blood off most of them. I'll be taking a couple days off with the family now, and then back to work till December 5th. Then I'll get a full line going again. The weather which has always been my biggest factor held out for me. I was able to run the entire time without peat moss. The orange army comes out tomorrow, and although I still have three days off I just didn't figure it would be worth the headache. Have a front coming in tonight, it would be nice to see what one more day would bring, but I am satisfied with where things ended up.

Here's the second badger in the trail remake. Apparently they really like my homemade lure, I had high hopes to have a cool picture of a yote on top of that dike.


Pulled out in the middle of nowhere in the cornfield again this morning right at daylight, and had a coyote in a remake. I used Ed's die hard C here again. That bait caught a good number of coyotes for me. It's made from baby chickens, and it sure gets them to work the set.



This set was on location at a change in fenceline/pasture/crops. This set was unworked all week, but it was just too good of a location to pull. Glad I didn't.



I've got one large deep freeze getting pretty full of skinned fur, and I have two more to fill. I'm glad I get a little break back to reality, but I'm sure I'll miss it when I'm not out there every morning. Thanks for looking.

Good looking line, Wade. I can't wait to get started this weekend!

Good job Wade. Great description and pictures. That top dog looked like it had some fat on it.

Ive never used blind sets for coyotes, going to try it this year.

Been at work for four 12 hour shifts in a row, and it looks like I'm going to get a clean shot at some weather. I decided that I'm just going to have to go with less sleep than normal. Got school done two weeks early for the semester, and I'm going trapping. Probably string out a line along 30-40 miles tomorrow. I'll be off for 11 days in December, but I can't see not going after some coyotes while the going is good. Have to leave for my part time job by 0530 so I'll probably be running the first morning from 2 a.m. on.

It'll only be about 2 traps per stop so not a full line, but it'll keep me busy before work. Can't recall the last time we had a November this warm, and dry. We've had a couple days of minimal moisture, but still not enough to where I have to break out the peat moss. Will hit 17 degrees on the first night, should have them moving.

Unfortunately I'll be running them in the middle of the night, so if I do come up with pictures they'll be in the headlights or at home. I do enjoy taking pictures of those coyotes in the daylight. Hopefully can start targeting some cats on vacation too when they come into season, I've seen a lot more sign than normal.

good job really working on them yotes

Thanks for sharing

Wade,I pulled up to a gate this morning,saw a coyote spin where I caught several already,so I thanked the Lord,proceed through the field and it took off across the field,lol. I showed up at the wrong time.

Thanks for sharing, love seeing them in the circle.

Nothing like pulling up, and one of your doubles runs off. Ha. Not often, but I know the feeling Scott. I haven't had any steel in the ground for 10 days. It's been too long. Now that gun season is over I couldn't overcome the itch. Hobbie I'll do my best to get you a couple circle pictures in the headlights. I'm just at a point I'm enjoying it too much to stop. I'm not going to let work get in the way. I'll skin after work if I have to, but I am going to run as far/hard as my body will let me.

We sure have been blessed with dry weather.Go catch them.

Great job and I love the pictures you having a great year.

Question, how do you anchor traps for badgers so they don't dig them out?

Those were held with 12 inch wolf fangs. I have some 15 inch but they're too much for our soil. The badgers tend to dig out at chain length, I've never had one dig straight down, if they did they'd be gone. I still had to use a puller on those. I've held them in the past easily with rebar. Amazing diggers they are. This line I'll likely hit quite a number of them. Lots of holes.

Great journal! Thanks for sharing.

great job keep it up

Well I've still got a little zest in me. I put in a few coyote sets a couple days ago, a little drive from home, but on new country. I'll be running it until December 15th. That being said I'm still working two jobs, and school so things will get a little tricky. I ran the line the first morning at 2 am, it's not all that big yet, maybe a couple dozen traps as I have to sleep sometime. I got up ran the line, drove an hour for work, and then worked 12 hours. I stayed awake the whole time to sometimes I amaze myself. Weather looks alright for a while I'll probably keep it going, and add to it. I dropped another half dozen in today on the way.

First night check 2 am we dipped down into the teens, had things moving a bit for a first check only 9 hours into dark. You know it's chilly when the blood is steaming.



First fox of the year, we don't have a whole lot of them, but I have a couple locations that I can catch them pretty good.



Had today off so got to sleep in till daylight, and even better my daughter was off of everything. She loves going on the line, and I've had her out for about three seasons now off and on. One thing is for sure I have some of my best days with her along even if we don't catch much. I must say usually when she's in the truck I have some pretty good catch days. Today wasn't all that great. Little warm up, and the possums moved pretty well. She asked if that was all we were going to catch. Last check was a remake from the fox before. Expected the female mate, but now two males. Should have the female pairs soon.



After two coons, and two fox. This set has some major eye appeal.



Work 12 hours tomorrow, so it'll be back to deer in the headlights for catch pictures. Happy Thanksgiving.

Wade, looking at those pictures just don't look like it normally does during an average Nebraska fall and winter. I mean that DRY dirt..... almost looks like dry sand. Kinda fun trapping when it ain't raining, freezing, snowing. We get a year like this so far every once in awhile. It will probably change one of these days. But I personally think it will stay fairly dry. That's a good thing and a bad thing. When we have a dry spell after harvest is done, those guys who think that extra 3 or 4 acres will make em rich get the dozer out and take every tree out what's left. Or every waterway or bits of pasture that's left. But looks like your having fun. Enjoy!!!!

Been enjoying the heck out of this Nebraska weather. This week I do 5, 12 hour shifts while running the line in the morning. Will make for some interesting days as the sleep isn't all there. I'll be setting the entire line on Friday as our cat season comes in, and I've been holding off on the cat properties up until then. I wasn't really interested in releasing a bunch of bobcats in the middle of the night. Coons have ran a few nights we've been pretty warm. Last night the low was 50...pretty much unheard of, but it does have its drawbacks as the coyotes movement has really slowed down. Just 0 activity at sets, but occasionally one stumbles through.

With the coyotes slow I've been getting the coons in, and three of these guys. This last one took some work. With all the powder it was hard to direct him. He dug me out twice from the back side as the ground was so soft he could just burn right through it. The third night I reangled the dirthole, and offset just a hair. Three males now from this trap. Not sure where the ladies have been hiding.



This coyote was kind of an interesting one. The picture doesn't show just how big and mean this dog was. My father watched him slip into this property after what he thought was outrunning four greyhounds, from a hunter. This was I believe three days later, and this dog had quite extensive damage in his fur from the fight. He didn't outrun them, he just fought them. My dad had told me it was one big red dog, and he was right. I bought a dozen used #3 dukes because the price was just too good, and I got to remind myself what happens when a big coyote hits them. Destroyed the pan to the point I never did find it, and destroyed the dog completely.


I like this picture it shows the location. There's just a few weeds, with two old badger mounds, in the middle of the bean field. When it snowed two seasons ago I watched where three coyotes took a gate plug, and ran right up the drive to this location. It's caught me coyotes every season since.



With the warm out as it's been pointed out by NebrCatman the farmers are out in full force with this weather. I had one particular farmer knife half a dozen sets with his anhydrous, and terrace work buried a few sets I had to dig down to find. This particular farmer owns 3000 acres so I just take it in stride. He even shot one of my coyotes for me, luckily he got to her right before dark as it was 80 degrees during that day. No green belly the next morning luckily.



Another location I've caught coyotes in the past. CRP meets alfalfa which meets two fencelines. I don't even look for sign, just set this location now. First coyote of the year by the hind leg.



I'm pretty pumped to get the whole line rolling, and I'll be eating, sleeping and trapping for 10 days straight here soon.

Finally I've got the whole line going. Ran all night before work today. Got to check yesterday in the daylight my couple dozen traps while setting the rest out. Boy things sure are different in the daylight, but it was kind of nice. I've got 50% of the line freeze proofed, and I'm considering doing the rest. Weatherman are horrible at predicting rain around here. Temperatures are still 60's, but we're looking at a cool down for sure this week. Highs will be in the 30's a few days. Should get them moving. Still able to avoid most coons, but Monday I'm going to set a number of blind trail sets.

Here's a coyote on one such blind set. I did set a few I can check as I buzz by. Couldn't get him to stop howling long enough to take a picture so you get the action shot.



This coyote is in the same trap I caught the large male that was all beat up. This is another male. I kicked a coyote digging at this set at about 3 am the second morning after the first catch. Seemed like it didn't want to leave the set just trotted off. Didn't have my drill on me so I made a flat set with fox glands on a rock. He came back. I also had a picture from a distance. You can see that it's literally a couple weeds, and a badger hole in the middle of an open bean field.




This coyote was caught on what I would consider a coyote toilet, low spot in the field with nice soft ground. Multiple coyotes using this. Surprisingly it took a while to get a coyote. Coyote and location. I had bird hunters here, there dogs kept coming after the coyote. The one hunter about stepped on a coon I had caught in a trail set on the pond dike while trying to call his dogs off the coyote. Was a near disaster. Glad I was there otherwise I feel as though I'd had a coon, and coyote filled with bird shot.




Finally set those cat sections yesterday. First night and results. There's a reason I didn't want to set those sections before we came into season on the 1st. Set was only in the ground 8 hours.

Nice post, and fur

Excellent job, you are racking'um up.

Great work! keep the pics coming.

Got off work last night at 1900, and tried to go home to lay down. Rolled around for two hours, and decided I'd be up in two hours anyways I may as well just go run traps. Animals moved early. I cleared out a pretty fair number of possums, and it was the first run I really got into them. Caught a lonely boar coon in the middle of nowhere. It had only been dark for a few hours. Pulled up to the cat set, and I had the male half.



Good start to the cat season for sure. I switched over a number of sets to zonolite insulation as they're talking possible moisture with a good dip in temperatures this week. I've never used it always peat, but I got the idea from a local coyote man I respect very much. I haven't decided how I feel about it yet. I've had very few if any dug up traps this season. Main set offs have been deer. He told me that he hasn't seen any cases of coyotes smelling/digging flipping traps. I did have three sets that they seemed to scratch at the surface, and just hit the trap then stop. I'm not sure if it's the bright moon, and some reflection off the zonolite when they scratch the surface or not (I added wax dirt over the top of it, but they dug deep enough to expose it). I will say I had three sets worked last night with coyote tracks in my pattern that should have been sleeping dogs. We'll see how it goes I might go back to my proven peat if they keep digging.

Overall I'm glad my midnight runs are over. Tomorrow I'll be able to evaluate things a lot better in the daylight, and see if I can get all my traps running. If it gets cold enough I might even drop in some snares.

Very impressive Wade, hats off to you. Best of luck

Well been pretty busy out on the Nebraska line. We had a spitting of snow, and then it got downright cold. Love it. Hoping it does the number on the dogs, and gets them moving. It's been a fun run. Got a week to hit them hard here. In usual fashion I'm down a truck. Hit something and broke the bracket that holds the oil filter, no Bueno. Oil dripping as the hose got a hole rubbed in it. Mechanic says "I'm going to have to get creative to fix it." That'll make a guy nervous. Luckily I've got a good friend that talked his son out of his truck for now. Tough to check a full line out of a Hyundai Elantra.....Got a minute or two here so I figured I'd post. Andy came in to join me from Chicago. Got to see his first Nebraska coyote on the first check, and his first Nebraska cat on the second check. He's tearing up the coons, and today a skunk. Hopefully he can catch his first badger, fox, coyote and cat while here for a week. Quite the bill to foot, but I'm doing my best to put him on location to make it happen. Matt couldn't come to join me from Indiana, and I posted about it on here. Andy was quick to join in, and came out full force. He's picking it up pretty quick. Definitely a fun season to trap with someone that's never seen those animals caught.

Anyways here's a coyote I caught on a drainage that has produced the last two years. Low spot they like to travel on the open field to stay hidden.



Remake on a previous caught dirthole from a couple days ago. I've caught 5 males now off this 80 acres. No females to speak of.



Here's a remake from a coyote I caught on my first trap check on this line. Took a few nights to connect, but when another came thru I was waiting. Shows the location well. Mowed strip leading to the pond. Set the crop change in route. Even though I've got this dirthole facing north with a north wind, the step down dirthole forces them to work it from the north side. It's been my go to set as the wind is switching with our different days. I'm dictating where they step.



Andy's first experience with a Nebraska cat, and he was a bit feisty. Fun had by all. This set took 3 cats, one coon, and one empty check on 5 checks. I hope it keeps producing. I have three more cats on this 40 acres on camera that haven't been caught.



We had a cold snap last night. I've been checking my bait pile no dice. We've got to set at least 30 feet away in Nebraska. I had this coyote on camera multiple nights, but when the cold hit she never forgot a free meal. Hooked up with her on the first cold night I had it set.



15 degrees when this picture was taken. Only smiling because I've got a coyote in front of me.



Managed to think to snap a pic of Andy today. Interestingly enough I've been staying out of the coon pretty well. That all changed today. With the cold I thought they'd hold up, but boy did they run. We spent a fair amount of time cleaning out raccoons, and possums today. Andy was remaking a nice cubby set for a bobcat. He's caught a coon there each night he's been here. Might have to call it a coon cubby soon.



Found a dead cow on a pasture today. They've been hitting it well. Half the cow is gone. Set a couple traps within the vicinity, but I think we'll cover all approaches tomorrow. This cold weather, and a free cow. I have no doubt we have a few coyotes to catch there. We're going to hit it hard again in the morning, and see what we can get caught for Andy. I'll try to remember to take some more pictures.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing

Been a fun time out on the line. We've had a pretty good run of weather here, it's almost too good. Warm and things are moving slow. Powdery dirt to work with is new, and has been nice. Had our third day of 40 mph winds today this week. Will really make things interesting to say the least. Still catching animals. I'll be pulling either Thursday or Friday. It's been a fun vacation. Freezers are running out of space so that's a good thing. Andy is with me, and he's finding out some tricks I hope. He's catching things, couple skinning freebies, and seeing what a real trap line is about. When he came here he'd run six traps or so on a small parcel I believe about 10 acres. Little bit different out here covering some miles and acres.

Here's one of the best looking Nebraska dogs I've come across this year. Pretty good sized male. Was glad to take him back home with me.



With the warm up the ditch diggers are out in full force. Caught a coon in this set the two days prior. Biggest female I've ever encountered. Very docile. Wasn't really scared, but wasn't really the typical teeth baring badger either. She was just content.




Andy had never seen a badger, and he saw that female. However he really wanted to catch one. I'd been watching this one on camera at our pasture for a while, and made a suggestion to put a dirthole at this location where he'd dug already on our first day. It paid off. Andy was pretty pumped.



Andy had never seen a fox in real life. Not only did he get to see one, but it was in his bobcat cubby I'd showed a picture of him building earlier on in the week. Got to see and catch his first.



This set has already caught three coyotes. Things are getting tough. Lets see if it can catch a fourth.




One section of ground I almost consistently catch coyotes has been slow to produce. I think I found my answer. I did this guy a favor. Was heading up towards my father's cattle.



If we can get a little cold snap I think this will be a gold mine. Cow half eaten here. There's droppings on about every cattle trail leading up to this thing. We have to stay 30 feet away in Nebraska. I've got a few footholds surrounding her on the entry points.



We're seeing some cat sign, but there's no reason for them to get moving. Prey is pretty abundant. We're set up though so if they decide to take a stroll they'll likely encounter some sets. Thanks for looking!

That badger was on my first dirt hole ever (I'm an unashamed coon trapper), first trap of the season. Fox in the bobcat cubby was the third critter in 5 checks (6 checks today). The previous coon (same set) was 3 feet away from bobcat turds, but I haven't seen the cat yet (phantom pooper?). Had more than my fair share of opossum, but that comes with the territory. Hoping to get another canine or a cat before my trip is over. Been pretty awesome so far. The week after I get back, I pop the question to my girlfriend, so a bunch of excitement in the month of December.

Good job Wade! I'm glad Andys pulling a few critters from that Nebraska ground. Keep going strong enjoy that soft dirt!

I can't remember the numbers exactly, but I believe Andy ended up with 20 coons, his first badger, and first fox. He also got to see his first coyote, and bobcat in the wild. So I think it was a successful trip for him.

I pulled the line when he left, needed a little time to recoup with the family etc. Luckily I've got a pretty understanding wife that lets me go crazy from time to time. We've got a heck of a cold shot coming here the next week or two. I really don't think I can not have cat traps out. They should be on the move. I'm considering about a 30 mile before work line for a couple weeks to see how things go. The problem catching cats here isn't the actual catching them, it's the waiting for them to travel through. The population is scarce, and I've noted cats on camera with anywhere from 1-4 week circuits. You've got one shot at them usually on a line, and that's it.

Here's a couple more coyotes from when I pulled before. Both these coyotes were caught in the same set as the only mangy coyote this run. This draw leads to about 50 pairs of cattle from a timber.

Great stuff !

thank for sharing

Well I had to scratch the itch a bit. We're about to hit some awesome temperatures for cats. High's in the 30's and lows in the single digits. Nothing gets me more excited about chasing cats than straight cold weather. I had a chance to set a small line a couple days ago. It's raining outside, but I ran 50% exposed and 50% with wax dirt to keep them popping. The first cold comes tonight. I've got about 20 sets in, just to keep me happy.

I couldn't set traps on this place without throwing a couple coyote traps out. They're starting to break down, but I might take a couple more.



I have guys that ask me how to make a cat set. If I'm trying to kill cats, I literally make it look like a four year old made the set, and the only place to step in the trap. Here's one such set that looks crazy.



I'm also a big fan of flat sets for them on travel pathways. Here's a couple such sets. If you look close in the first one you can see a personal favorite that's been working this season for me.




Best part of running traps exposed is the weather really doesn't bother me much other than getting to the locations. Luckily even with the rain we got today it's going to be cold enough I should have no problem accessing the traps for the next week.

It didn't freeze last night, so the traps were only on their second night, and it was around 1 am when I ran them. I had to beat the rain or I'd been walking miles into sets. The only issue with cats is they seem to like it thick, and they like the remote areas. I knew with the front coming things would be moving.

I actually pulled up as this female cat was getting pretty scrappy with a coon. My eyes rolled as I saw the coon bouncing around, but he ran off. This cat didn't.



This tom was pretty well impossible to get a great shot on picture wise. He was feisty as all get out, and was quite a rodeo with the catch pole.



Not a bad run for 20 sets, and the second night. Had one grinner caught. Surprisingly they weren't plugging up my sets as I'd anticipated. Probably have to fight some off on tonight's run. I work 12 hours tomorrow so more headlight pictures. Sure is more fun taking them in the daylight.

Thanks for sharing WadeRyan. Love looking at those cats.

Dave

Nice Cats

Well it's definitely cat trapping weather. I get all excited when the white stuff comes out. I get to wear this hat about three times a year. I had a t-man member make it out of a coyote probably four years ago from Alaska. I tell you what the temperature has to be pretty close to 0 to even put this thing on. Even then my ears sweat. Best investment I ever made for when things get tough. You're only as warm as your head is!



Was an awesome morning. We got about 5-6 inches of perfect trapping powder. Can't ask for much more. I left at 4 am and was the only vehicle on the backroads. Got to make my own trail. I paused right at sun up to enjoy the quiet in the woods. With how crazy the world is, it's nice to get to a place where you can just sit back and take it in. Here's what I watched coming up through the timber.



Shot from the dash as I cruised through the snow.



I watched where a number of coyotes ran straight down the roads hunting the ditches. Even watched a long as a coyote started at a trot, then full bore run, and at the end of the poof was what was left of a dead rabbit. It's neat the things you see in the snow you wouldn't see otherwise. Had coyotes running all over on most of the places I was. Most of my sets are a little too brazen for a coyote. Although I did hit a couple with skunk. I had a coyote within about 5 feet of a set before he was satisfied and turned away. Was one of my most blocked down sets in a brush pile I showed earlier. Would have been neat if he'd kept going into the maze of sticks.

One thing I absolutely love about the snow. If I'm after the cats! Flashy, flashy, and flashy. Won't be a cat that hits the field edge that won't see these sets in a 1/4 mile each way. I brushed my tracks back from the sets, but I'm hoping there's still honest folk out there. I know with the first snow the coyote gunners were out heavy today. I hope they were sportsmen enough to leave my traps alone. I've got about 20 MB550 out, and my tracks surely would lead a curious person right to them.

This first picture is of the remake from the female a couple days ago.



This set has been a real winner for me. A total of three cats, and three coons off it. It's probably run it's course, but it's been too hot not to set it. I did have one cat miss a pan here before the snow by mere inches. Don't think he'll miss the angle this round.



I know I have a few people that follow me on facebook, and a few have likely seen these pictures. However I know there's some here that don't follow facebook.

I took in my fur from the two vacation runs this year. Snapped a couple pics on the way. Always sad to see it go, but sure did open up some freezer space for cats (I almost always freeze on carcass as our cats do better taxidermy than finished).





I ended up selling 30 coyotes. I had five go to mange. They went 11 coyotes @ $30, 3 coyotes @ $25, 12 coyotes @ $22, 3 coyotes at $20. I also had one coyote I somehow skinned with it's guard hairs almost completely blown out (I must have been tired) that sold for $3.

Coyote average on 30 was $24, take out the one I missed and $25 average. I was happy with that price.
Badger sold for $10 on the carcass
Two fox I sold for $10 on the carcass, and I sold one to a local taxidermist for $50.

Coons were pretty sour, and it was to be expected. They did cover most of my gas. All incidental coons with teat sows out, and year of young out was $5 green.

Back to some of my original posts I found it interesting again with my first early run of coyotes. I know a lot of guys really got on me this year for going right out the gates November 1st. I'll do it again. Out of the 30 coyotes I sold I only had one downgraded for being blue. It still brought $22. Six out of my 11 coyotes that sold for $30 were from the first run. I enjoyed that easy trapping much so more than the tougher conditions I've encountered since. I'll keep adding on my little bobcat line from time to time. It's just enough to scratch the itch. I'm still deciding whether I'll give them a full week of all out in February.

Excellent work, sir. Very nice haul on the dogs and cats. Way to go.
Jim

That's a nice lot of fur Wade..... a lot of hard work and sleepless nights!! Congrats!!

Wade if you don’t mind me Asking who did you sell to?

Nice catch of fur.Congrats

Nice catch

That top photo of big male, looks nice, good turd for trapping in circle

This has been a great thread to follow! Thanks for taking the time to post your adventure!

Excellent job, thanks for the post. Way to hustle

great job

Thought I was done for coyotes. Have to go after them, had a landowner call me. He's had a guy on his place for two years, and he hasn't caught a single yote. Said with the cold he's seen them right up against the cattle lot, prowling around like cats. Howling in the middle of the afternoon right behind the place etc. With the coyotes getting worse by the day I'll admit I wasn't too excited to go looking. However this guy owns 80 acres of timber that borders the largest water source in our region the Blue River. Figure if I have to kill a couple coyotes to get in on it for the next few seasons I'll do it. Was -30 wind chills this morning. I waited for the sun to come up. I've caught cats just across the road from this location in the past with less timber.

I'll have to admit I'm glad I went. Easy access. I can drive, but I'll likely walk the 80 acres every day after I get some sets in for the exercise. Didn't take long to find coyotes, multiple tracks leaving the roadway with hair on the wires. Should be a snaring paradise. Best part is there's a good number of cat tracks intermingled with all the coyote tracks, and the coons haven't run yet it's been too cold.

Followed a few sets around, and then I decided to get on the ice and see what I was dealing with.






Best part is it's 10 minutes from home. I think I'll just focus on this little slice of heaven for a bit, and see just how many dogs he's got. Cats that come along will be a bonus.

You hit the motherload!!!

How long since it snowed?

Whoa, nice runway there Wade! Go get em!
Even if you get a few you may get invited back next year and after that and after that!
Jim

Yeah looks like virgin turf, have fun with that.

I know you know what your doing, so I’ll only offer a small suggestion. Go in first with no baits or lures, and only set your snare spots, and your blind sets. Let’s those sets work a week or so, then follow up with baited sets. My thoughts are to keep the area fresh for as long as possible. Once you start catching a few it could go stagnent if your just looking at 1or 2 family groups. Good luck and keep the pics coming in.

I found two natural urine posts on site that I'll likely set with footholds, otherwise I don't plan to do anything but snare. In February I'll likely come back after the cats.

Ttt