Taken this afternoon. House was built 11 years ago by White17. Seems to me that the season is upon us, at least here in the mountains.




Hope everyone's ready...

Jack

I have a brand new set of your knives, anxiously, awaiting use!

Me too, can't wait!

cfowler and Flipper 56 -

Thanks guys. I've been putting a pelter through it's paces for the last week. Several red foxes and a couple of stinkers. I'm using and abusing the knife on purpose, skinning all for taxidermy. Trying to make "dirty" sets, as our coyotes aren't quite ready yet, but the taxi market really likes our foxes, so that's what I'm targeting. Have been real happy with the pelter for the detailed taxidermy work, and the knife is doing what it was designed to do. I'm'a smilin'.

Jack

Also, if you guys aren't happy with the knives, for whatever reason, let me know and I'll make it right.

It was a little chilly this morning and didn't warm up much while hiking above the snake river this morning. Watched a couple beaver swimming below me while I was glassing the ridges. Caught myself glassing them and looking for pinch points instead or looking for sheep. Jon

Jmack -

For some reason I thought you were chasing the elusive rams on the Salmon, not the Snake. (?) Anyway, hope you find a shooter, man. Always a treat to watch the meanderings of the beaver. Yeah, this early snow made for a sketchy run this morning to check the fox line. Too, the deer season opener was today, so the mountains are filled with bipeds. I did see three legal muleys this morning, 6 heavy 6-point bulls, and a nice black bear, probably heading for his winter den. Was a good day afield.

Jack

Sorry I am in Salmon not the snake. Been a long few days. I always like watching them playing around. Saw a few deer , one descent elk heard with 2 smaller bulls. No bears yet. Did get to meet the other tag holder a couple days ago and helped him with his ram.

Yup, kinda winterish on this side of the hill as well. It was sure good to visit with you last week. Stay warm.

How about a pic of the pelter? How do you skin the fox? Sold a few hundred Nome reds to taxi's over the years. All dorsal skinned.
What else do you trap in that country?
MT

Hey martentrapper -

Good to hear from you. I have a "middleman" that I sell all my taxi foxes, skunks, etc. to. He knows my prep, and basically does a nose count. No actual grading, and the prices are almost embarassing. Makes trapping well worth the effort. I don't do a large volume, so have the time to do the feet, split the lips, eyes, and turn the ears. I've done a lot of dorsal preparation in the past, but my current buyer wants everything cased. My trapping partner (wife) and I trap red fox (with quite a few crosses), coyotes, marten, skunks, a periodic coon, badger, mink, otter, and bobcat. We also do a few muskrat and beaver, although these two species do not go to the taxi market. Most summers I periodically spend time wolf trapping, but that's catch-and-release (for collaring) so no prep. required.

Here's an image of the pelters, skinners, and beaver knives that I currently make. There's an ad on the "Crafts" forum as well.

Fine looking knives Jack...craftsmanship looks to be outstanding!

Yes, sir it is a good time of year. That's some real nice country you've got your place nestled in. Wow. Waterfowl opener this weekend, getting some traps out and walking around the woods for a deer. Should be a busy next few days.

I just knew youd have snow up there, Jack ! Lovely ! Sir Ken is a mighty artist in building to perfection , indeed.

The colours are glowing here and snow is still in the high country . Expect to see it in the valleys anytime.

As for your knives, they are amazing tools useful in a variety of ways. This one was perfect in scribing the fine white whiskers and cape hairs on Blue, the big old wuff that Jumperzee caught and kindly allowed me to use for portrait.

Better than the sharpest point on any pencil I could attain ! Who knew ?

That's very nice Sharon!

Drove through that mess on Wednesday. Left Albion at 5:45am and the drive from south of Dubois to I90 was a mess. It looked like they got over a foot in town in Dillon. I15 was a mess, all ice packed, drove for 2hrs without seeing any pavement. Once we were 30 miles or so east of Missoula it was basically back to 80mph. Had to go 20mph or so for a while just due to visibility with blowing snow. Going back in two weeks. Looks like an early winter or maybe it’ll be in the 70s in November, who knows.

If I was splitting lips, eyes, nose, ears I would want an embarrassing price too. Had a good deal for several years. Dorsal skin, feet in, and freeze. Frozen hides sent from Unalakleet (where I first started selling to taxis) or Nome, express mail. Worked well and rarely lost a shipment. Sold reds to 2 different taxis mostly. Both of which would sell mounts on ebay. One of them is still doing it. Sold alot of lynx too, until the economic downturn in 2008. Moving to Fairbanks ended all that.
Lemhi county doesn't look like fox country I'd say. Must be some decent marten country there. I have a triangular bladed knife also. Only it has a bead on the tip. Good knife for cutting straight lines without digging in to the flesh.
Another year and I should be able to retire and return to the marten country of the Nowitna. That's where I started trapping in Alaska in 78!
mt

martentrapper -

The Novi is some fine marten country. I didn't get over to McGrath until 1986 (from the Glennallen country). The Nowitna was part of my management area, so I did quite a bit of survey work over there, mostly on moose and wolves, up until 1998, when I moved down to Sitka. You're making plans, post-retirement, to get back to the Novi? That's fantastic.

We are fairly satisfied with this country, but lament the fact, daily, that we departed bush Alaska. Lemhi County is actually real good fox country. Too, the high country above us does indeed have reasonably good marten, but the quality of these marten isn't even in the same ballpark as those in Alaska. We still trap a few, but comparing the population density or pelt quality to Alaska marten is like comparing apples to bananas.

Jack

Miss Sharon -

Thanks for gracing this thread with another fantastic wolf rendition. I love them blues, and that one Jumper caught was a fine one indeed.

Jack

In the fllat land too. 5-6" with a 40 mph wind. Some drifts are mid thigh deep.

MJM -

Holy-Moly, Sir. Looks like you'll be fightin' winter for awhile. Despite my picture of the place at the top of this thread, we're now back to 45F afternoons, and the snow is dwindling. I did, however, sneak up to the Divide and dug out my early fox sets and pulled the line. May re-set in a few days. I'm thankful we ain't got the wind in this country.

Carry on!

Jack