well boys here we go 25 more hours till i start hope everyone else is ready if your heading out this weekend!

To early CA.

Smoke 'em of ya got 'em. Cant wait to see the tailgate shots on this thread. Good luck to everybody who is going out this weekend and be safe.

As much as I want to set this weekend, I am waiting until at least next weekend, or Nov 2nd, when otter opens.

look forward to seeing some pics from you guys....I'll be trapping very little, starting next weekend...overloaded with work

Boy and I are going out for the week starting tomorrow. He has vacation time coming so have to go when he can. Not going to pound on things just enjoy some time in field together. See can he pinch his cat.


Mac

Heading out tomorrow to set some local farms and then will hit it hard first week of November. Wishing everyone a safe and successful season!

Soon!

That is sweet trail. Nice. 3 wks here before I pull the pin

Good luck John this season. Good to see you at Horicon. Our scouting trip the last two days was a bit iffy but we look forward to trapping some new area.
I am going to set out 4 trails tomorrow and go real light for 2 days. I have some farmers who are in want of some harvest and it is not corn either.

Bryce

Will be here before you know it stinkypete good luck

Yeah you to Bryce hope it works out for you!

You better have permission In that Road right a way.

If you're trapping public land today- the Pheasant Season, I believe opens at 9:00am today. Not a bad idea throw on a little blaze orange.

This is always one of my favorite threads of the year - Good Luck to everyone going out. Be safe with the high water areas this fall.

Gymanstics competition for my daughter today and confirmation for my son tomorrow so won't be able to set for a couple more weeks.

Best wishes.

Brian

just gotta love those coon trails.

It's all good bev it's all public on the side I set

Yeah egaleye they were out in force I'll promise I'll have at least 1 coon shot tomorrow or traps messed with just part of trapping during the stupid weekend haha





Well I started setting at midnight like usual but I must have had my line better mapped out this time or something because I got all 165 traps set by 1 usually it takes all day and I still dont get them all out so anyway we will see what tomorrow brings got one so far when I did my rounds

Nobody has been trapping around me in years. Go get em or there will be more road kills. I just snare (cable restraint) yotes now. Sold all my other gear.

You've got drive, Cable Able. Just out of curiosity, who is buying early 'coon?

Good for you but what keeps you motivated when you're trapping for less than a dollar an hour?

I would just have a tough time staying up all night trapping unless I was getting paid

If you're out at midnight making sets for Blue Coon on opening day... you must love to trap - I would go trapping. I'm sure we will see the same level of tenacity on October 26th, I look forward to the pics.

Knowledge is power CA. Regardless of your experience level there is always more to learn. Seems as the more you know the more you figure out, guess that’s what keeps some of us rolling.

It’s a shame your timing is off. By that I mean being young you missed out on the potential of a good fur market. I hope it’s comes back around. I’m quite sure you well be ready. Let er rip!

Except for the Beav.

I caught 2 coon In coyote sets today I released both of them they were small and looked like crap fur wise.
I also caught 2 chucks doing a ADC job and they looked really bad fur wise. We have warden school next month I'm going to let them catch me some coon and some rats. LOL
I refuse to trap $10.00 coon It's just not worth the effort. But I was told to skin every coyote other then the ones with mange.

But If you feel the need getter done.

Checked the nearby marshes yesterday. Muskrat sign is very promising. Ditches next to cornfields are water filled so next week's opener for rats gets a lot of colony traps.

Glad you're seeing lots of sign, MsgRet. I scouted my main marsh yesterday and only saw 2 huts and a few toilets. This is big water, and it's even bigger this year than last. The few bank dens I trapped the last couple years are underwater, so there goes a few slam dunk spots. Still gonna trap this year to make the landowner happy and maintain a presence out there, but not expecting to catch very much. It's too bad, too. We have a late gun deer season this year so I have plenty of time to get after 'em if they were there, assuming we don't get an early freeze.

Going to focus my efforts on trying to fill my fisher tag this fall and save some vacation for spring beaver and filling a couple otter tags.

Can people trap that big wetland off of 141 near Velps?

Not sure about that particular spot, I trap north of there. Lots of space for rats and trappers to spread out, but Tularemia was found last year in the south end of the bay last year, no doubt it came north as well. I only scouted about 1/3 of the area I trapped last year, but like I said I only saw 2 huts in that area, where as last year there were easily 15-20 huts in that same footprint.

My marsh that I have trapped for 40 years use to be about 30 areas now with all the rain we have had over the last 2 years It's know 800 acres. The part I trap has only 8 huts on It I'm not going to mess with It till we get some ice.

Day 1 over with ending up with 57 2 skunks and 2 possum

Muskrat I have a private buyer with a direct market to china they are an easy sell for liners I guess for him he makes it worth it for me

Brasher simple I get more than a dollar an hour haha I just like killing em before rat opens gets me nice and warmed up

Nice job!

They look well fed! Nice job.

I'm sure glad I don't have to skin all those coon.

Big haul and with 165 DPs your running over 33% which is not bad at all even for a first check.
I pulled my 8 body grippers that I had set. One medium grinner and really nice barren female about 20 lbs. Well furred for October 20th so I thought, I did not get any small coons so lets quite for a bit. was amazed that no activity at all on 6 sets in heavy used trails. Warm weather may be slowing things a bit.
Found out one of my upright freezers is not working, so more junk to haul. Was a long, slow trip to get the 6 ewes but they look very good and lots of fog on the way home.

Brycer

Got done skinning at 10 started at 7 3 hours 3.15 a coon I'd say that's not to bad and I barely had to do any work with the machine easy easy!

Yeah I'm getting excited for rats my main marsh is not that great looking so I'm gonna be in a different one that should hopefully be better

Yeah Bryce some of the big coon today looked pretty darn good

And yep nimzy that's what keeps me going I'm gonna learn how to kill crap now when it's cheap and easy so I will be ready if it ever comes back I cant wait to get into horicon haha who knows maybe it will give a few days of open water eh haha

Off and running,..enjoy your posts! Nice job! Keep them coming.

that's a great first day check , thanks for sharing , I will be watching this post as always

Put out 20 DPs at two of the farms I trap and some ADC Beaver sets, spent most of the day on PR and BS rather than trapping, helping with coons and beaver is the ante for chasing Coyotes later.

I set (2) DP's at each location, one with Marsyada's Sweet Coon and one with my Secret Cherry Kool-Aid Smear. I caught (4) coons, everyone was in the DP that had Marsyada's on it. If anyone wants some Cherry Smear- drop by. I also had refusal tracks on a creek bottom where I'm sure a pocket set would've connected. In addition, I took a beaver that was smaller than the smallest coon I had. Beautiful weather, did a lot of scouting for later, ended up with (4) coons and (1) Beaver

NICE

Good job! Kill 'em all!

I have 5 DPs out. I am trying to learn how to be better at catching coons in DPs. I got one really nice male today. So far only two coons and both larger adults so that is good. Too many other things to get done this week so I won't be setting any more, just those 5 traps in two nice runs about 1/4 mile from home.

Bryce

Got my first coyote of the season this morning. Now It's raining and will have to re make everything.

Got skunked Saturday on dryland, did catch a beaver on an adc job. Great day for The Boy and my partner's boys to tag along also nice that my niece is back from California to trap with me this year.



Today I REALLY got skunked!!! At least the truck smells like trapping again lol.

Day 2 kept 34 today and released another 4 so if I hadn't released any I'd be at 99 haha

That's great trap setter!

Is that grinner really that white or just washed out in the picture?

Thanks for sharing all the photos and continued success as your season marches on! Perhaps that possum with the clear white belly will bring big bucks!

Chris

Nice thread folks. Best of luck to all of you this season!

I forgot to mention that possum yes it is all white I got one last year like it to

I pulled my 5 DPs today. I had 4 coons. Three in a trail with a nice full furred sow and two YOY. I released the smaller more off colored one. Probably should have the other as well. It will only be XL. The female was really fat and nipples were shrunken up. The male was on the trail where I got a nice coon yesterday. He was nice large male. They seem well furred for this time of year. Have not fleshed any yet. I have skinned 5 and am seeing more need to get my skinning winch set up. I just don't have the fore arm and hand strength that I did a few years ago. No fun getting old but it is better than the alternative.

Bryce

Been kinda getting my butt whipped by weather I think... had red fox and 3 coon, nice big skunk first check. Yesterday was just plain nasty and a inch and 7 tenths rain turned my pipe sets into rain gauges guarded by mud pie. So wet farmer didn't even want me taking the quad in, so one farm I got to walk now. Had couple places where water coming out of the corn field was literally a small stream to cross. There are washouts on some fields so big they could swallow a truck.. This morning had couple sprung traps, 2 big male coons in DPs and couple grinners.. Pretty bad when I'm not even catch trash in dirt holes. Only staying out until Thursday and only have couple dozen sets spread out on 3 farms..Just a mess glad I don't have more out. I'm on ridge tops and still got standing water in fields. Winds been nasty last two days too..
Doing what I can do though but have to admit hard to stay motivated looking at weather forecast !

Mac

Bryce,
I know the feeling- the stuff I used to jump over - now I trip over, I'll probably pull soon and head north. Picked up 6 today with two doubles- all large coon for this early, I sure hope they're not packing on pounds for an early , long winter.


This was my favorite part of the day... super windy, walked up on these two bedded on a high spot in the cattails.

Great thread again as usual Cable. Love reading your hardcore adventures. I set out 12 coyote sets and caught 2 yesterday. Will focus on the coon a little later when they should be more prime. I don't have much time while working. Keep up the good work.

Day 3
I guess the possum moved stupid things normally I let them go but have to keep them this year for a guy got 11 of the stupid trap cloggers screwd me out of a few coon to as the mud told

For the coon it was 27 kept and 2 released size was up today not nearly as many smalls fur quality also seemed higher

So we are at 118 coon kept
With released ones it would be 129

Good on you lance catching 2 totes right off the bat like that very cool!

Them coon look pretty good egaleye

You all ready for rats bryce?? Haha and yeah a machine makes it nice total time for me to do one is 3 minutes 15 seconds

Hey CA how often do you have a coon open on you using the machine?

Pike river never unless it's a roadkill and I dont pick them up anymore just for that reason haha

how many miles a day this year mister CA?

Keep the stories coming. 3 more weeks before I can get out.

Nice start Cable! And others. Finally made it out for a little scouting for rats this evening. Finally feels like its time. Im usually amped up by the time August ends but have been busy this fall. I look forward to another muskrat opener early Saturday morning! Hope to keep involving my 2 daughters througout the season and show a few first-time trappers a few things. Excited to follow this thread as well as participate when I can. Good luck and be safe to those going out this Friday night.

Imiller it's about 150 round trip this time

I cant wait deerfly but this weather is not looking good at all for it looks like a very early frezze and not sure if its gonna thaw back out has me worried big time but all you can do is get out and set I guess!

Day 4 27 more coon no releases a bunch more stupid possum but not quite like yesterday haha

One of the possum is the smallest I've ever caught about the size of a small muskrat and it's pure white like that other one I got haha

Also my first blonde color phase coon just a small one but I'll be tanning it

Be making some money on those white possums thanks to the taxidermy market!

That's just way too many possums. LOL. Keep up the good work on the coon and best of luck on the rats.

CableAble- still nice catch rates, I bet you can't wait for the weekend so you can finally relax lol.

Well that's it for dryland coon 18 more today and 2 realeased 163 total in 5 days good enough for me now its rat time!

Good luck with the rat fest!

Chris

that's great thanks for sharing

Well I had the craziest open water rat trapping experience today at least for me in the past I've gone back past sets I set at midnight and the occasional one would have a catch but never more than 6 for me well today was a whole different level I set about 100 traps during the night from midnight till 8am in that span of time I had 17 make catches took a break till 10 for the duck hunters to leave so I could finish setting set another 100 and had 19 catches out of all 200 then I went back out in the rain and set another 50 till about 830pm the ones I drove back past had 8 rats so a total of 44 rats for opening day and no trap ever sat for more than 2 hours without me going past it I guess we will see what tomorrow brings!

You are a maniac! Way to go!

NICE CA!!

Nice job! You are going to catch the bulk of them before the cold weather!

Nice going!!

Some hard work right there! It also bodes well for those that practice 1 day checks, 17.6% of your traps were plugged in less that 24hrs.

Hmmm. There must be some sort of explanation?

They were active when I got out to the marsh at 10 pm and shut off by 12 to around 330 4 and started seeing them everywhere agian I guess there are just alot out here and active as (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) because they know frezze is coming haha

Get 'em!

Chris

Oh to be young again.

Got a few sets out for a guy who has muskrats digging in the dykes between ponds. What great weather to be out trapping. Oh did I mention I love mink?

Nice catches Ca and trap setter! Cable I was setting at 12 too and found the rats very active. I had a father and son join on the check today. Their first time muskrat trapping. The boy was 10 yrs old and now hooked. I had skim ice in places while setting and some this morning while checking. With the weather forcasted this week it will be a short open water season for me. Good luck to those who are at it and those soon to be !

Cable Able- Do you see your fall coon in the grease or finish them off when you get time after your open water rat camping...?

Non PC feed I finish them

Great catching guys!

Finally had a check like a man haha 145 out of 250 traps good enough for me! Haha

Up and running now!!

I finally got on here this morning and must say CA is a beast !! Picked up 11 rats from 36 traps yesterday, about what I expected. I will be pulled up by Thursday in that spot the way it looks. See you have a different truck this year CA, the red Toyota give up the ghost?

Mark

we're busting through ice up here

Fishdog I dont know about any red toyota haha it's the same truck I had last year this is a new one I rebuilt an engine for this summer 83 might run it a little and get my 10 mpg haha already earned its keep hauling all the coon carcasses to my guy who takes them in Portage was about 2000 pounds





Yeah it's not looking good for weather maybe the highs will be enough to keep it open? But I doubt it

Keets - I'll be about 1hr NW of you tomorrow, I guess I should take Open Water Otter off my agenda

I got about 20 sets in yesterday, a little challenging with the wind blowing the canoe around, but not too bad checking today. Managed 5 rats, all pretty good sized. Going to have a couple for dinner and save the others for fisher bait.



Also saw this behemoth frog yesterday while I was setting. It was sitting up on dry land, seemed like he was full of water or something. I tossed him into some shallow water and he was still there today. Still alive. That's a 20 ounce soda bottle for reference.

Hey tiguy, you by a power plant????????? That thing is HUGE!!

That frog has lived its entire life on the pristine waters of the bay of Green Bay!

Very good catch CA! Just got back from our 2 check trapping expedition. We scouted south John where you were the past seasons and found zippo for rat sign. We traveled north and yes we had ice while setting and checking.

Did okay in one place and poorly in another. Wound up with 146 rats in two checks with about 200 sets. Early season rats so they are falls and smaller but it is a nice trip with a trapping partner. We have a small house to use to warm up and shower so that makes it cleaner and nicer. Want to set my flat water here but with 20 degrees I don't think that will thaw much and that would mean a 1 night check!! Life is what is happening while we make other plans!!

Bryce

Nice catches everyone, made about 20 sets after duck hunting yesterday- ended up with 11 rats

Eagleye, some wet coons and a dry one. The larger one looks well furred. I see your rats look similar to ours. We had several medium to smaller rats. I don't know if there was later breeding and litters this year or there is just less calories for the rats to eat but the average size is smaller. I know if one waits they will grow some but one traps when the opportunities come.

Bryce

Day 2 good day again got 120 up to 309 now got to keep it going !


Glad you got out and got some Bryce at least you had some success it sounds like you guys have fun at least

This guy is a machine!!!

EAGLEYE...just the water in my little ponds around here get the shell ice....anything with movement should be ok

Day 3 another good day at 123 puts me at 432 but now the weather's gonna get me so tomorrow I'm gonna pull to the dike and hole it opens back up!


T

Cold is going to ice us up quick by the looks of the forecast!
Nice work, though!

Chris

Bucks are on the move and so am I, traps are pulled and packed- heading north to bow hunt and see if I can fill my otter tags & Fisher tag - keep after them guys!
Bryce- I hoping that dry coon was the one taking a Yo Man dump in our duck blind (worried about the feces with the dog)- we set the DP in the blind when we left on Sunday, the Blake & Lambs held the other small coon fine on houses - thanks to your bamboo stake idea.
Ended up with 6-1/2 rats yesterday- well on the way to surpass CA's first day catch numbers for my season lol.
Pales in comparison to tlguy's massive frog - but I found a 4 legged octopus.

Wouldn't that be a "quadopus" then being it only has four legs?

Glad to hear the stakes are working for you. I am sold on mine. The new ones I bought from Home Depot that are listed as 5/8 inch are fantastic. They are bigger on the butt end then the 3/4 inch and about like the 1/2 inch on the top so they taper and are strong. My 1/2 inch I originally bought for marking rat sets and setting through the ice I have used for rats for 3 years. I have held 3 small beaver with them but these stakes break a lot easier and I am losing about 5% per year. I like them as they are light but I will get more of the larger diameter and if I have to go back and get another 25 or so I will.

Set up a local slough yesterday. This is a very difficult place to get into and it is just plain hard work but close to my house. 45 sets in and 18 rats and one coon all in the 1 stoploss traps. That is the best I have done percentage wise there in 5-7 years. Will pull early Thursday as we are looking at 20-21 Thursday night! I only set half of the place and none in my two smaller sloughs. It looks like soft water trapping is about over here too and I will wait now until I can walk on the ice. Good luck up north. I see less and less fisher sign every year grouse hunting. I actually found an area with a fair amount of snowshoe hare droppings and other activity. We go up for 2 days to deer hunt. This year with the hip replacement I did no scouting at all so this will be a blind hunt this year.

Bryce

You guys are getting it done - good job. Finally set a few drowing sets after work yesterday.

Good job!

Chris

Way to go Brian!

I added 3 more rats to my haul today and 2 yesterday bringing me up to 100 on the season. I wish! Season total is actually 10. After seeing how little sign there is, I'm surprised I've even gotten that many.

Nice coon catch Green bay! Nice rats Eagleye, Tlguy and Cable. Cable your a machine! Nice catches, lots of work. I pulled my last 40 traps tonight in anticipation of ice and leaving town for the weekend. Ice was forming in the marsh as I was wading out. Ill see what form the water is in when I return tuesday and go from there. The way forcasts are looking open water will be done. Cant wait to get back at it.

Nice catch deerfly! I trap out on the bay of Green Bay, with a forecasted low tomorrow night of 25, but with 20 mph winds. I think I'll roll the dice and hope the wind keeps things open at least until Friday if not Saturday. It's a north wind so it should bring the water levels up some as well. Just what I need haha!

Nice catches men getting stuff killed I like it!


Day 4 for me another 117 and 2 mink total is 549 and I pulled everything to the dike for the snowstorm and cold I hope it dont frezze hard and can get back out right away Saturday it sure hurt to be pulling traps catching like these have been man!

wtg guys ,stay safe

Picked up this fatty today - 28 pounds. The rain, snow, and cold is really something this October.

We got several inches of very wet snow and some snow showers now. I pulled a slough yesterday and even though it was snow and not rain the slough which is about 40 acres with 2/3rds open water rose over an inche! Nev er saw it where even wet snow rose that much. I went to 3-4 spots on feeder streams and they were out of their banks also where they were not two days ago. Lot of current too, so setting some body grippers is tricky at best.
Coon trails are all covered and saw no knew tracks today either. Next week looks cold enough to keep the snow around and getting ice on the moving water as well.

Bryce

I agree Bryce, the weather sucks, looks like we will have 3 days of open water here.

Yeah this is a nightmare come true for me haha I think I'm gonna go set the stuff back out right now was gonna do it tomorrow but screw it no time for waiting around looks like Wednesday night is the end here

At least you had a beginning.Does'nt start till tomorrow here,and we are already iced over.
Tom

Yes Tom I guess there are many that feel that open water trapping for rats is something that should be abandoned. With most rats going into the liners for really valuable fur I just don't see the reason why offering more opportunity for open water rats should not looked into. Yes the winter rats grade better and are bigger but I lose less money trapping lower quality rats from a canoe than trapping better rats through the ice.

Bryce

.

Mainly because so many trappers believe that their activities are the number one contributing factor in the influence of muskrat populations. We feel obliged to protect these easily caught rodents.

Look at the bright side a short catch may help this market. Cant hardly create seasons around weather extremes, Its a long season with many opportunities to come. Hope you stick with it. May be a good year to extend the season. LOL

The latter season would sure be nice run it with beaver

Got my trapping partner his first beaver. Start to finish, he located the spot near a culvert made the set and collected the catch. He has been tagging along with me for a few years and just started setting last year any I wasn't targeting beaver then. Best part his boys were with today to see the catch!!!

I don't have many sets out, but she was waiting at the door for me to get home.

Always nice to be welcomed home Cody!!!

Got the partner in the skinning room and he took his meat home to try with the boys and his wife I kept the fur and castors.

Neat pixs!! Looks like you all are having fun, although CableAble's pixs just look like all work to me

That's great for him eh trapsetter!

Nonpcfed yeah it's as much work as it seems and then some no fun at all just a job for me oh well! Haha

Well I'm finally back at it got 150 back out yesterday and the rest out today caught 93 more today total is 642 looking like Wednesday will be the pull for good day oh well sure with it wasnt winter in freaking October haha

do you trap thru the ice later

Yeah I'm gonna be all winter long