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Qaluraq's '18 Journal #6394057
12/09/18 03:04 PM
12/09/18 03:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
Merry Christmas, everyone. I started my trapping season this year by going after beaver behind town on our peninsula. The paluktaqs first arrived on our peninsula about 15 years ago. I remember the first lodge back here. The next year there were three, the next 5, then 9, now there's like 32. These are mostly lakes/ponds...deep at the entrances. Difficult to find the entrances most of the time. Ice gets kind of thick in late December; however, due to climate change the ice is a little thin this year.

I only have about 10 decent 330s working right now. I started trapping about 6 lodges. I found the entrances to the lodge to only about 3 of these. The other three, I didn't, so I tried this PVC wired on the bottom jaw set on one lodge. It didn't work. I also tried a 2" piece of live willow wired on the bottom jaw next to a feed pile of a big lodge. This one was a "swinging Susan" set that was let down about 5 feet down (not just below the ice like the pvc set was).

I also had a couple sets that were on one pole, with live willow wired and set at the bottom of the pond, near the lodge about 6 feet down.

I had great luck setting every entrance I can. Caught moms/dads/kids on those sets and cleaned out those lodges.

I had no success on the below the ice/pvc set. I had great success on the one pole 330 with live bait at the bottom of the pond. I also had great success on that swinging Susan set at the bottom of the pond next to the feed pile. I use the ice chisel to make the holes where the ice is thin, but use a chainsaw to make holes where the ice is thicker. Got 22 beaver so far and 2 otter.

On two lakes that I'm trapping, the otter let me know where the lodge entrances are AND the bank dens as well. They made holes at these locations. They're also spots where the ice is the thinnest.

IMG_3576[1].JPGIMG_3931[1].JPGIMG_3941[1].JPGIMG_3964[1].JPGIMG_3969[1].JPG
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394075
12/09/18 03:17 PM
12/09/18 03:17 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
Good stuff !!!!!! That seal is really interesting looking!


Mean As Nails
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394126
12/09/18 04:18 PM
12/09/18 04:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,294
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline
trapper
Osky  Offline
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,294
Northern MN
I think the baited sets for beaver will work out a lot better later in the season when the food piles are eaten down. Those set ups at the lodge entrances are very good and can be double set.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394136
12/09/18 04:28 PM
12/09/18 04:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421
Yukon
Y
yukon254 Offline
trapper
yukon254  Offline
trapper
Y

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421
Yukon
Raising those kids right! Glad to see someone is getting winter! Do you have any marten up there?


do unto others as you would have them do unto you

www.grizzlycreeklodge.com
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394149
12/09/18 05:00 PM
12/09/18 05:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,064
Wasilla AK
HFT AK Offline
trapper
HFT AK  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,064
Wasilla AK
Way to go on the beaver! Like you I have not had much success with under ice sets unless it is right at the entrance. I know there are guys on here like Boco who catch a good bunch of them. NIce moose and I love seeing all those helping hands! That is a pretty cool looking seal as well, looks like you got plenty of good bait for the season! Look forward to the kitty pic's!

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394162
12/09/18 05:27 PM
12/09/18 05:27 PM

O
Oh Snap
Unregistered
Oh Snap
Unregistered
O



When I started trapping beaver he regulations required that you had to be 25 ft. from the lodge and couldn't start until the 1st. of February.. Caught a lot that way so when they changed the law I used it in my bag of tricks. Not starting until February the ice could be anywhere from 24" to 60". Covering the set with visqueen and the type of bait was the method to be successful. If you wanted to trap beaver that was the way it WAS.

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394176
12/09/18 05:45 PM
12/09/18 05:45 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
Yukon, we do have a lot of marten up here but it's about 20 miles before you get into their country. We're out on the windswept peninsula. We need a lot more snow on the tundra and in those deep willow valleys in the mountains before we can get in there. Impassible willow valleys up in the mountains right now. I do plan on using most of these beaver carcasses for marten and wolverine later in January. Right now I'm shooting for 50 beaver. My record three years ago was 32 beaver. I'm at 22 right now.

Right now I've got 10 more 330s in a tote with about 10 gallons of water and 2 gallons of vinegar. Gonna let them soak and then wire brush them once in a while until I get them where I want them, then per yawls' suggestion, soak them in a similar solution with baking soda afterwards. Crossing my fingers!!!

HFT, yeah, the seal in the boat is a spotted seal. The one on the kitchen floor is a ribbon seal. Very rare up here. They're one of the deepest divers of seals and are mostly found near St. Lawrence Island area where the water's deep. Mostly shallow up here, so they're pretty rare. Maybe get 2 or 3 in a lifetime. Got the skin in Anchorage. Tried calling Frontier Tanning on John's Road but no answer. Anybody know if he's still in operation? He used to do all my seals.

Osky, I have 2 double sets at entrances and have been having great luck. Also have a double set at a bank den and caught mom and dad beaver on the first try there, then the second set caught a 2 year old beaver in the outer trap and an otter on the inner trap. I LOVE, LOVE bank dens. I wish I was better at finding them. Might need to raise a couple otter as pets and let them loose on a lake to find all the entrances and bank dens! Wouldn't that be nice???

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394193
12/09/18 06:09 PM
12/09/18 06:09 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
bait on the bottom works great

IMG_3971[1].JPG
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394201
12/09/18 06:20 PM
12/09/18 06:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
Here are some more pics

IMG_3986[1].JPGIMG_3990[1].JPGIMG_3993[1].JPGIMG_3996[1].JPGIMG_3999[1].JPG
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394202
12/09/18 06:25 PM
12/09/18 06:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
and more...

IMG_4014[1].JPGIMG_4013[1].JPGIMG_4015[1].JPGIMG_4017[1].JPGIMG_4018[1].JPG
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394205
12/09/18 06:29 PM
12/09/18 06:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
I
Inupiaq Offline OP
trapper
Inupiaq  Offline OP
trapper
I

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 99
Kotzebue, Alaska
and more...(gotta write in here in order to post)

IMG_4020[1].JPGIMG_4023[1].JPGIMG_4002[2].JPG
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394271
12/09/18 08:10 PM
12/09/18 08:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,261
james bay frontierOnt.
B
Boco Offline
trapper
Boco  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,261
james bay frontierOnt.
Nice haul Inupiak.
A nice fat winter beaver is pretty good eating-you ever try it since they moved in?

If you don't want to risk wiping out all the beaver,try not to take more than 1.5 beaver for every live colony on your trapgrounds.That is to say if you have 20 live colonys\houses on your trapground you should be safe to take 30 beaver total off your grounds.

That is just a basic rule of thumb that has worked well here for more than 50 years for managing beaver.I know that further North,in the lowland coastal regions of James Bay the beaver live exclusively on willow and density is much less.There, the rule of thumb is 1 per live colony to be on the safe side.

Last edited by Boco; 12/09/18 08:21 PM.

Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394502
12/10/18 12:29 AM
12/10/18 12:29 AM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,858
Northwest Territories
M
muskrat411 Offline
trapper
muskrat411  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,858
Northwest Territories
Can’t wait to see your wolverine trapping pics. You doing any You Tube this year?

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394543
12/10/18 03:10 AM
12/10/18 03:10 AM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 764
Anchorage, Alaska
broncoformudv Offline
trapper
broncoformudv  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 764
Anchorage, Alaska
That ribbon seal is really unique looking. I can see why you want to tan it. It’s great seeing the youngsters involved and those smiles on their faces. Good luck and I look forward to seeing your post!

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6394847
12/10/18 12:48 PM
12/10/18 12:48 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,735
SW Alaska
otterman Offline
trapper
otterman  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,735
SW Alaska
Id caution against your goal of 50 oit of 32 houses thats gonna really affect what you have next year it’s your call I can’t see your line but I know if I did that here it would take 2-4yrs to recover fully Looks like a fun time at least you guys are able
to get out up that way


We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6396227
12/11/18 10:55 PM
12/11/18 10:55 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
M
martentrapper Offline
trapper
martentrapper  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
Good job! Are you trapping the beavs on the peninsula? Looks like it in the pics. I suspect you can't get over to the mainland safely yet, eh? I'm gonna guess that there are more lodges out there, you just have to find them, go farther, etc. 50 out of 32 lodges is just barely over 2 per lodge and I'd say it won't hurt your future catch. I do think getting to that 50 number may be somewhat difficult as you wittle down the population.

Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6396245
12/11/18 11:14 PM
12/11/18 11:14 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
T
trapped4ever Offline
trapper
trapped4ever  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 270
alaska
Inupiaq,
Wish I'd seen this earlier..... next time you have rusty bodygrips to clean, here's a foolproof, simple, safe way to do it, requiring almost no work. Either remove chains, if they have them, or wire them tight, along with the folded in springs, to the trap frame (jaws). If you don't, you'll end up with a giant tangle. Then put a bunch of them in a cement mixer (rent, borrowed, or owned), add a few shovels of gravel, sand, and some water, turn it on, and walk away. Leave it tumble for a while, check them, remove when polished clean. If a cement mixer isn't available, you can build a tumbler out of a plastic or metal drum, plywood, etc...

Great to see you are getting the young guys out there on the land, and water..........

Last edited by trapped4ever; 12/11/18 11:14 PM.
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6396275
12/11/18 11:45 PM
12/11/18 11:45 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,262
Mt.
g smith Offline
trapper
g smith  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,262
Mt.
Hey! Thanks for the ride ,great pictures .Blessing to you and yours


You can ride a fast horse slow but you can't ride a slow horse fast .
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6397249
12/13/18 01:43 AM
12/13/18 01:43 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,263
NWT
Ryan McLeod Offline
trapper
Ryan McLeod  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,263
NWT
Our beaver population has exploded here in the past 15years or more. I imagine if you trap these houses right out more beavers will move in. Good stuff man. Always interesting to follow your journal.


If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
Re: Qaluraq's '18 Journal [Re: Inupiaq] #6397414
12/13/18 09:30 AM
12/13/18 09:30 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,294
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline
trapper
Osky  Offline
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,294
Northern MN
Great pictures all, and especially the ones with your rascals in them. Glad your enjoying it with them, unbelievable how fast time goes by.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
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