As always a great read.

I've had the same grounding issue on my skandic, last time was in November elk camp. I changed out the entire cable. I'm thinking your machine started because it was bouncing up and down and the ground made contact again? I loaded mine once when dead and it started again after 100 miles of bouncing on a trailer. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your winter.

Thank you for sharing the problem...and the picture, JR. Really helps. I saw mine and nothing seemed to be wrong just by looking at it, but I probably should take it off and inspect it, huh?

So, if I'm getting it right, if I ground the battery to the frame and it starts, then it should be a bad ground at that place you showed huh?

Good luck on them amaguqs. They look healthy and well-furred.

Thanks for sharing Howler! Stay safe.

Good afternoon trappers. Returned from the line yesterday with with fur for the stretchers. The river crossing was great but still no snow across the flats. Marten sign was really slow picking 4 on the trip into the cabin. My new little bypass trail didn't produce but one marten so far this season. It is really rough traveling so I closed up the traps on that line.

Overflow was it's usual self but didn't give me any out of the ordinary troubles. I've learned to hold on and not relax when traveling through it.

Ended up picking up a 78# gray female pup in a AK #9 pee post off the end of the airstrip below the cabin. Looked like the pack killed her. This is the second time that has happen on my line. She was froze down in the overflow so I had to chop her out but not too bad.
Got a fire going in the cabin, unloaded the sled, grabbed the water jugs and headed up to check the line to Pee Post pass and get water. Low and behold, Pee Post Pass strikes again and wolf #2 is held fast in a AK #9 pee post. It was dark so didn't get any pics. Dispatched the 78# gray male, reset the trap and headed back for the cabin. Missed on a couple set between the cabin and the pass but just due to foot misplacement.


Peeled #2 and called it a night. The next day picked up a 25# big lynx tom in a catch-all set.

Not seeing much lynx sign on my line but picked up a couple on this trip. 400 yards up the river from the lynx, a #9 pee post held a 32.5 pound wolverine. He wasn't throwing a fit so I took a couple pics of him before dispatching. This is the first time I've ever done this, usually I just dispatch them quickly.
I have a bait station 5 miles above the cabin and ended up picking up wolf #3 in a snare on it. He came in solo from the top. I just walked through the snares double checking and found him. Beautiful 92# gray male. We had a cold snap blow in and got 40 below out there. First time I'd seen true -40 at the cabin since I've been out there. Good time to catch up on some skinning. Really burnt some wood there for a couple days.

My wolverine had some sort of rub or something going on. Pretty disappointed when i noticed this
As the temps warmed up, I attempted to open up some more line. It was more than I could handle. Really hard on the sled and rider.

Four days into the trip, I picked up #4 in a AK #9 pee post that I've set for many years without catching a wolf. I'd placed it on a grapple and the 97# male made it about 30 yards before totally wrapping up.

After dispatching him, I place the same trap right back in the same bed and 4 days later picked up #5 on the same post.

Here is a prime example why we have a swivel right on the base of the trap. This big old male weighed in at 107 pounds and 8' nose to tip of tail. Ya know what, I dispatched that one and placed that same trap right back in the same bed. We'll see what happens. I headed up to Pee Post pass to check the rest of the line since the pack went in that direction. Bingo, trap and drag are gone on the post I missed on last week. After a 40 yard track job though some dense willow, my first black wolf waited. Wolf #6 was kind of a wizard on how he made it that far without getting hung up. A huge 92 pound pup of the year with a beautiful hide. Decided to spend another day at the cabin and get everything peeled before heading to town. Not much fun carrying whole wolves through the overflow. Skin them when they are thawed is my motto.

The trip out yesterday produce 6 more marten and another big tom lynx.
Got a lot more gear out this week and looking forward to heading back out in a couple days. Every once in a while even a blind squirrel finds a nut. Busy day putting up fur today and enjoying every minute of it.
Be safe and productive out there.

JR as always thanks for the ride along those are some great pictures ! You still have more snow than we do down here I fired up my old Polaris for when we get enough to ride I'll be ready ? Your marten have some interesting color phases.
Keep up the good work and Stay Safe out there !
Allan

JR , thanks for taking us along on your adventures .

Great run, you are whacking the wolves! Thanks for the pics. How do you know you have a pup? Seems like 92 is pretty big for a pup. Excuse my ignorance, lol.

Good info on resetting the dirty trap. Just smells like wolf I guess. Interesting that they would come right back to the catch circle.

WOW! That looks like a awesome trip and thank you for sharing! Good to see you connecting with the wolves! Shame about the wolverine, kinda looks like it was living in a barrow, still a nice catch though! Look forward to seeing the next update!

Nice job Jr

You need a haircut.

Great looking wolves Howler.

That's a great trip JR! Glad to hear there were no sketchy parts on the trail this time. Shame about the wolverine.

We've been having "interesting" snow out this way this season. It took forever to show up and then it was storm after storm. Pretty rough ride over the tundra now.

You are definitely getting your field testing in on your #9's sir! With very impressive results. Keep it up

looks like another great week out there

Who needs aerial wolf control when we have you around JR. That is an amazing haul. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Those one hand setters sure make it easier to get those traps off. Did a wolf straighten out your drag or is it designed with one straight hook?

Lovely wolves and marten, JR ....I too have been appreciating very much the amazing variety of marten colour tones .

Thank you for the share, JR .

Awesome. Just awesome. My most recent wolverine has some missing hair on its head too but mine looks like an old wound.

Here's a couple videos I did while out on the line this past trip. This first one you'll hear the wolves answer me back after my second howl. You'll have to listen closely after my second howl. I ran back into the cabin and locked the door after that.