Some of the things we learn over the season stay with us forever. Others we forget in a short time.
So while the season is still fresh in our minds,what did you learn this season?
I learned how to release an animal from a CR without a catchpole.
You need a hammer, 5' PC rebar and cable cutters. Drive the rebar into the ground 2' inside catch circle. Then chase the critter to the rebar and it gets tangled. Cut the cable at the neck or body which ever the case my be.
But I have not figured out a way to keep from getting run over. Lol

I learned that you need to buy a cellular game camera to catch a trap thief( and camera thief) really expensive but worth the satisfaction of catching them.

Don't pound chained stakes into frozen ground, and don't loose your driver on the line.

I learned to double check cable earth anchors if your pounding them into an area heavy with sand stone. I always yank a couple times when setting the anchor, glad I did, on the second or third tug the cable popped off the anchor and I went tumbling. The sandstone had cut through the cable and I never felt the resistance when driving it in ( I even use a drill with a concrete bit to "pre-drill").

I learned a lot of stuff! 20 gallons of wax dirt is not enough to keep my line going as long as I'd like(especially if you run out of peat). Don't be afraid to cable off a mb550 to a sapling or post if you can't drive a stake(trapped in gravel and frozen ground). If you have one dig your trap up...make a fresh set a few feet away and collect him in the morning. I still suck at snaring. And finally, you never get over having to let bobcats go and watch them run away educated(no season here but plenty of cats).

With this being my first season I learned a lot. A lot about location, location, location. I learned what it's like to start your season when the ground is frozen solid. Honestly, I can't even begin to put into text all that I've learned in the past two and a half months.

i learned i know i should be trapping canines instead of mink but am powerless to stop.

Going to set my pan tension at around 2 lbs for next year. Cold weather really stiffened them up this year.
More wax dirt
Fencing to guide the paw I had 2 sets that they stepped on the dog or lever
Safety glasses for digging trap beds in frozen ground got popped in the eye with a chunk of frozen dirt hurt like heck.
And lastly windshield and heated grips for the 4 wheeler made running my small line a whole lot more comfortable.
J

Place the ramp on the tailgate before backing the ATV out of the bed of the truck.

OMG!!!

Laz...say it aint so! (hurts just thinking about it)

I learned a few things using cable restrains on coyotes:

-1x19 cable is a must
-Set cable restrains 10 feet or more off the atv trail
-Wash your coyotes after skinning
-Use a hammer and a winch to skin coyotes
-Set smaller loops closer to the ground to avoid deer
-Set 75-200 yards away from a bait pile

It was my second year trapping and my goal was 12 and ended up catching 20. I had a great season and can't wait until next year.

3# pan tension on a 4 coiled 550 is too much for fox. Lots of pretty little footprints in the pattern, tho.

Ouch! I bet that got your attention quick, fast and in a hurry. You are still stacking up cats so I assume not a lot of harm was done.

I learned there is no offseason. Preseason work (scouting) goes a long way to set yourself up for success during the actual season. Also running out of traps in season is no fun, sorry honey, I need to buy more traps

I also learned setting traps in frozen ground that stays frozen is very nice. Just wish we had more of it around here. Just don't forget the cordless drill and 1" auger bit for cable stakes.

Didn't really hurt. Until I landed. With a 600 pound quad on top of me.

So excited to get started opening morning . . . in the dark . . . untied the quad, got on to warm it up and then just put 'er in reverse.

wow Laz,first deer with a bow was outta the old baker climber and i got so excited when i saw him tip i walked right off the front without thinking.about 14 ft.we all pull one once in a while.

When doing a dirt hole set ALWAYS put a trap on elevated backing. Saw coyote tracks at 5 of my dirt holes on the elevated part to get a better look I guess. Committed to back side of dirt hole much more often than the “front”

WsternPAtrapper next season try setting from the back side of the dirt hole. It takes practice, but l think it makes a difference. Just what I've noticed. I point my dog at the hole,it helps determine direction of approach, by foot placement in the trap.

Sometimes it's better to power through the snow drift than stop......