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!