Who were these N.WI. trappers that were pushing for it? I'd like to know. Seems like it's guys from S.WI that want to keep jacking w/ the season dates.

And, from what I see, there's not much trapping happening this year...it's foolish with the market the way it is. I wasn't happy about the later season start, but I learned to adapt and now I'm glad it's the way it is.

I honestly don't know who pushed for the change to a single zone, I guess I am assuming it was guys in the northern zone that didn't want southern guys long lining on "their turf" when the northern zone opened a week (or sometimes 2) before the southern zone opened. But if you know guys in the southern part of the state that were pushing for a single season that started later, maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time and won't be the last.

And you're right, someone looking to go out and make a bunch of money trapping probably isn't doing too much this year. But what about the older guys getting their feet wet getting back into it now that they're retired? Or the kids that took my trapper ed course this summer so they could trap for the first time this year? I'd wager this sport is predominately what I would consider hobby trappers, guys that enjoy setting traps and making a few bucks, knowing full well that by the time they factor in the cost of equipment, gas and wear and tear on their vehicles and their own time, they're losing money. In a time when trapper numbers are dwindling, whether it's due to political pressure, depressed fur market, or whatever, shouldn't we be fighting for more opportunity, not shrugging our shoulders at the status quo which has turned into a loss of opportunity?

It's great that you've found a way to adapt to the current season framework and are still stacking up the rats. But the guy with 3 little kids that like to tag along and help make sets and check traps is SOL when the open water is gone just a few days after season opens. I'll tell him he just needs to adapt.

Here is the original resolution submitted in Portage County with the help of the old Fur Biologist, John Olson. Mike trapped just north of 64 and thus his interest.

https://dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/Documents/spring_hearing/2011/Resolutions/500111.pdf

One thing became clear. Folks in the north and south have different priorities. What is opportunity for one is a liability for the other. Folks in the north saw it as a way to limit competition and folks in the south didn't want to start that early. Compromise is what we ended up with and will likely be left with for the foreseeable future. I am with Kre now, best to just learn to adapt and deal with it. Some years you get a later common opener and some years you get earlier common opener. Some years we get ice and some years we open water trap into December. Glad to see some folks out there enjoying their time in the field regardless of dates or weather patterns.

Haven't set a trap yet, but my little guy can't wait to be back out there pounding away....

The history of the WTA is lost on you.

Apparently, this history is privileged information or it would be shared so this could be clear. Portage county nor Olson are in the Northern part of the state.

What I do know is some of you guys will be crying about season dates regardless of what they are.

Apparently, this history is privileged information or it would be shared so this could be clear. Portage county nor Olson are in the Northern part of the state.

What I do know is some of you guys will be crying about season dates regardless of what they are.

The person that introduced the resolution lives in Portage Co, but owns property on a large flowage north of 64 and John Olson resides in Ashland Co so there is a northern connection to this issue.

Yes there will be no satisfactory starting date, it is just a matter of who's ox is being gored the most and or who has the most political influence seeing we are working hard to abandon and pretense of basing things on climate or biological merit.

If I would have been smarter I would have paid more attention regarding the history of the in an out of the WTA. Simplification as it turns out in my opinion was the disguise utilized to not talk about long term issues and resentments and thus the real political issues regarding who traps where and when were never discussed openly. Had I known more about those long term issues I may have just stayed out of the fray as it now just polarizes us in a more public manner and works to lower our unified efforts to promote trapping and maintain our heritage.
I will admit I learned an lot in the year I put together my case for going back to our historical staggered openings. Unfortunately I learned more about the politics of trappers and trapping then I cared to know.
In all honesty it matters little to me how this plays out as some above have stated I have learned how to deal with what we have. I learned I have 10-16 more freeze free days where I live then northern WI on average over the last 40 years of weather data. All my local rat water is private with the exception of the public marshes that don't open until December so I can trap away from home north or south for a week or more and still get a week of open water and I have all winter to chop ice.
I wanted to learn how to use the system everyone told us to use if you wanted to make changes and I found out that is not a true system to accomplish those goals.
What I did learn is that much of what I believe and how I perceive what is the best way to achieve results does not mesh well with how things actually work, so it may well be time to just trap and let others that have the better ideas move forward.

Bryce

Former "zone jumpers" are not fond of the current season structure.

I'm NOT fond of the current season structure.

If the weather was “normal” we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

Opener (late October)to deer season (mid/late November)is the rule of thumb for central WI. On open water. More then enough time by most standards. These are extreme conditions, Mother Nature is putting her foot down.

I trap the Refuge, our season starts Dec 1. 3 years ago we had about 2 weeks open water in December. 2 years ago 4 days, last year none. What goes around comes around.

Filled my bobcat tag today! I might never get another tag so I am pretty happy with this one.

Something good to view. Where are you at with the no snow look?
We got 3-4 inches of heavy wet snow this AM.

Bryce

I am in Douglas County Bryce. We had a couple of inches a few days ago but its gone now.

Way to go Steve!

I'm sorry to all who come here to see CableAble's truckload pics and other success pics from fellow cheesehead trappers. I did not intend to get the thread so off topic talking about seasons.

Ah ya this weather sucks. Hopefully she straightens out.
Congrats on the cat. Steve. Cats are a rush!

Well that's it for me for a while to bad stupid weather oh well! Be under the ice soon enough probably next week
Got another 63 pulling putting my total at 806 only got to check traps 7 times is what it is I guess

Nice cat to!

My warden crew caught 11 rats 2 coon and I grinner today. We pulled do to the up coming freeze up.

Finished the day with the warden class and they skinned 14 otter and about the same number of beaver.

excellent Steve!!

Wow they even skin stuff eh? Haha that's pretty funny

Nice cat Steve R!!! What's the story... set location ect

Yes a story would be great. There is always a story. The smile on your face tells me there is a story waiting to be told.

Bryce

Nice bobcat!!

I wish we had those around here, maybe an occasional pass through but that's about it.

So CableAble, you going to sleep one of these days!! I know you're far younger than me but even when I was that age, I couldn't manage your hours and your management strategy-- do you have all your rat traps gps'd...?

I didn't read through the dteails on your Wisconsin north vs south water opener but it sure seems there is a lot of regulation and details in your state's trapping situation. Perhaps that comes from a much larger number of sportsmen in WIsconsin (don't you guys field like a million deer hunters each year?) or maybe its the DNR type of agency mentality that loves all the bureaucratic rules-- our DNR here only deals with water quality, not wildlife or fisheries, I don't really know. Our trappings regs are about 3 pages and that's all. No real micro management of this or that. I feel for you all in such details but given that half of Wisconsin is radical leftist tree huggers, having to deal with the WI DNR's lengthy rule book is probably the price to pay for being able to trap fairly openly in your state. There's a lot of other states where the Neo-fastist left has won and trappers are basically neutered. Good luck on staying in the lane and keeping your trapping tradition pretty much intact!!