Update on the line
#7111800
12/30/20 02:08 AM
12/30/20 02:08 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
It's been a weird year. We've got a few coyotes and foxes (red, cross and silver), some cats, not targetting marten due to the market in the toilet. There aren't too many on my line anyhow, so farm them a little while the market is down. The wolves haven't been cooperating very well this year either. When they finally came back around, they hit several sets. Three different pee posts were hit, but had out of commission traps. One had a small drift over it, the other two were frozen down. All were #9s, which shows nothing is foolproof. Super frustrating. You can see where they were all over this one. You can see the dog sprung, but the trap didn't fire. Here is another one that they were on, but trap did not fire through the crust. Had one get hooked up on a blind trail set, he hauled the root wad around for awhile that he was hooked to, then left me with this. (there is a toe in there, hard to see in the pic) This one was also a #9. So some mis fires and a bad catch in 9s this week. I'm gonna have to go back to school. We have a bait set on a lake, been there for a few years. Apparently there are some beavers living under the bank, they tunneled up out through this hole and were foraging for groceries in the willow patch behind where the bait is. Knocked down some snares in the process. There is a snare over that hole now, might get some fresh bail for the pile. Wish I had a 330 with me, but we'll see what happens. I'm thinking they are dumb beavers, didn't stock up enough for the winter. We've been on this lake for several years, never seen beaver sign there during the winter. They had a pretty good trail dragging stuff down that hole. Minor consolation, got this nice cat on a remade wolf pee post. Caught in a #9, thankfully got to him before he messed himself up. Pretty cool cat, has white toes on all four feet, and a little white patch on his chest. I'm thinking a taxidermist will love him. Got stuff working again, hope the wolves hang around and play nice with me. They won't have anything to do with my baits, they avoid them. I'm hoping they weren't educated too much hearing that dog pop on the frozen pee post.
Last edited by smalltimetrapper; 02/15/21 03:32 AM.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7112393
12/30/20 02:31 PM
12/30/20 02:31 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,121 AK
FL cracker in AK
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,121
AK
|
I've caught 3 like that through the years, in every case, after freezeup the water dropped, creating a new layer of ice and keeping them from accessing their feed pile. Like White 17 said, no fat on them. I could see where wolves had already killed a few before I got there.
Psalm 34:6
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: yukon254]
#7112443
12/30/20 03:26 PM
12/30/20 03:26 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
What are you using to cover those #9s ? I use foam that goes under laminate flooring and rarely have a trap freeze in anymore. I was using some stuff that came with some traps I bought from an estate sale. It is like wax paper, but not wax paper. It was a pain the butt to use, but when I was out setting it's what I had with me. It will go directly to the trash. I saw your post awhile back about using that packing material, sounds like a good option. It's even the right color! I might have to change my handle to 'toecollector' or something like that. I've got a couple from a snare a year or two ago as well. A few years back I harvested a toe in a pee post, then got its owner a few weeks later in a trail set. Hope to see the rest of this guy some time, too. Weird thing on the beavers, I didn't see evidence of a feed pile in the lake. I was by there during hunting season and didn't see any beavers. We had lots of snow last spring and a cool, wet summer, so water levels were high. Will be interesting to see what's up if I get to skin one of these. Another beaver thing, I caught one in the fall that had probably ten holes in the hide. Lots of trauma in the back area. It was caught in a drowner setup, so no 330 damage. I know that the juveniles get some nips when they are being escorted out of the nest, but this was worse than that. It must have had a run in with a predator and managed to extend its life a little bit. I didn't even flesh it yet, not sure what I'll have left when I do.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7112795
12/30/20 08:29 PM
12/30/20 08:29 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 223 Chicken, Alaska
Chickenminer
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 223
Chicken, Alaska
|
Cheer up .... we all have days like that. Thankfully they are not ALL like that Those cats with white feet are always neat to catch. We've got 20" of settled snow on the ground, looks like you guys could use some!
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7112927
12/30/20 10:04 PM
12/30/20 10:04 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,656 49th State
mad_mike
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,656
49th State
|
Looks like the trap survived the storm! Those things are tanks, I've got a few of them. Agreed. I have held four wolves in the last two seasons in them and they held up fine. One KO Extreme took the wolf and two wolverine with out me having to tinker with it at all. They were set at wolverine cubbies. With that I will say that there is no way I would set one targeting wolf. smalltime, keep pressing forward, it’s what we do.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7182866
02/15/21 03:32 AM
02/15/21 03:32 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
I thought I would give a little update on my line. The wolves have been really lucky this year, but I did manage to catch up with a couple of them. I got this beautiful big grey today. 100lb male, nice color and hair. He was in a snare that I set last week, frozen solid. It is nice when you get a quick reward when the voice in your head tells you to stop and hang a snare. Got this female a couple weeks ago. The wolves will have nothing to do with bait this year, she got hung up in a snare on a go around trail by a bait station. Can anyone say waterhead. I ended up with one beaver out of that hole. I should have taken a pic before I pulled it out. The head and shoulders were out of the hole, frozen hard. The back half that was still underground was soft. His buddy had chinked dirt and sticks around his butt to seal up the draft. After I pulled him out I came by the next week and whoever was still living there had stuffed up the hole and hasn't been back out since. Got a 330 waiting if he does. Had this cannabalized cat a few weeks back. I used it to catch his mom, I think. A few things I've noticed. -You should always have snares with you handy and go ahead and set one if you think you should. Cost me a wolf when I didn't do this and the next week came back and they had used that trail again. -The wolves seem to be more random on low snow years. They don't run trails as much it seems. -When you use drifted snow and break it up to bed traps it seems like it is more prone to freeze up. I've had some really bad luck with frozen traps this year and that is some of what I attribute it to. -This year it's been impossible to make the wolves do what you want them too. I just have to follow their lead and try to get ahead of them. Got a few weeks left, hope to get a few more. Buddy flew over my area a couple weeks back and saw a pack of 9. I've got 2 of them now. We had lots of rain last summer. There are some areas with bands of trees in open bogs that I usually catch marten in. I've seen no tracks, I'm thinking that the rain was hard on vole populations and consequently hard on the marten. I haven't set one marten trap this year, giving them the year off while the market is down. Last year a lot of the coyotes I got were kinda ugly and ratty looking. This year, same areas, they are much better looking. Got 3 that were really exceptional. Don't know what makes the difference one year to the next. Here's to Valentines Day bringing love in the air for the start of mating season. Seems the critters move around then. Good luck!
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7182870
02/15/21 04:18 AM
02/15/21 04:18 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
3/32 1×19. Locks are Berkshire. My new snares have a kill spring (the dead male), female was in an old snare without the spring.
Last edited by smalltimetrapper; 02/15/21 04:18 AM.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7183458
02/15/21 04:30 PM
02/15/21 04:30 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365
Interior Alaska
|
Another hunch about a spot to put a trap or snare is redoing or removing because it just doesn't look right. Leave it alone cause that instinct is usually wrong I have found...LOL
I love the smell of burning spruce---I love the sound of a spring time goose---I love the feel of 40 below---from my trapline I will never go!
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7191752
02/21/21 09:59 PM
02/21/21 09:59 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
Got a little more snow and wind this week, so had to do a little maintenance out there. It was a beautiful day, if a bit cold. A moose popped a #9 at a pee post, fortunately did not get a grab on it. I got this cat at a wind blown spot that keeps the set working all winter. Set this in November and haven't touched it since. Not even scent added. This is an 80lb female at a pee post in a #9. You can see the marginal catch. I need to adjust the pan tension on that trap, it's pretty floppy. This set is in a spot that is kinda drift prone, but I like it because it is where a small trail joins the big trail in a big open bog. I like intersections for set locations. It had snowed and blowed a bit after this was caught, so I had to do a bit of hunting to find her. It's about 15' of chain on a grapple. I had hooked the grapple around a piece of deadfall, but it had worked itself loose. She had dragged it down the smaller trail about 400 yds. Snow had covered up all the tracks up to where she was hung up. Once I got close enough to see the marginal hookup I didn't waste a lot of time with pictures. Did have the video running for the occasion tho. I tried the trench set, was inspired by bfisch. This is a run through the woods where the wolves have traveled a couple times in the last month. I modified the set a little and used my drag to try to help direct foot placement. I blended everything in after the picture, see how it goes. I've got a pee post about 1/4 mile from here, maybe get a couple if they decide to come through here again.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7200302
03/01/21 12:49 AM
03/01/21 12:49 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
Saturday was beautiful, but since we were supposed to get a bunch of snow Saturday night I waited to run the line. I wanted to make sure things would be halfway working for the week instead of buried in snow. I took a walk and shot this coyote at just under 400 yds. That's always fun. I'm glad I waited because this big girl got hung up sometime this morning. 97 lb female in a snare by a bait station. This is the biggest female I've caught. It was a fairly old wolf I think, teeth worn down and heavy thick claws. Pretty crazy, I think the rest of the pack was hanging around and ran off when they heard me coming. It was snowing, but their footprints were pretty visible. They had hung around and packed down the area, probably after the wolf was caught. They made a couple real nice trails for me to set. I wish I would have got a picture of one, the tight willows were covered with snow except for the dark line through them where they went through and knocked the snow off. Got some sets in there for when they come back. This wolf has just recently expired, ears and feet not frozen yet at about 0 degrees. This is the second wolf I've caught with the little kill spring on the snare. No water head, not much struggle, it was hardly tore up. Not sure where all the blood is from, will find out tomorrow when I skin. You can see that spring crushed down. Seems to help a bit. I've had trouble with the Berkshire type locks bending, but the last two wolves with these springs were right about 100 lbs and no issues. It's nice the wolves are cooperating now after some frustrating weeks earlier in the season. I dug the new snow out of my trench set from last week before I ran over it. Looks pretty good now, I hoping the wolves come along and try it out. Last day of marten season, kinda weird to not be pulling traps. Didn't set any this season.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7208700
03/08/21 01:02 AM
03/08/21 01:02 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
It was a good day on the line today. A couple of my girls wanted to go with me which I was fully in support of. I told them after today they will have to go more often. The day started out pretty good, hit wolf tracks pretty early on the trail. I was getting stoked for my trench set to connect, but they jumped off the trail about a half mile early. We got about 2" of powder a few days ago, so seeing new sign was pretty easy. I was stoked when the wolves got back on the trail just before hitting this pee post. A moose had popped this one a couple weeks ago, so it was freshly remade and ready for action. Wolf #5, 97 lb male. #9 pee post. This guy had a lot to say when we rolled up, got some video. I was stoked to get something when the girls were out there. He's got real nice hair, should have got a more close up pic. There is a weird deal on his back femur right above the knee. Looks like it was either bruised or broken, will check it out when I skin tomorrow. Bfisch tells me that there is a market for healed up bones, I may look into that. Usually have a great view of the mountains from this spot, but it was a little overcast. It started snowing lightly, the big fluffy kind, which was great for remaking sets. The wolves stayed on the trail, avoided one set, then hit a side trail set that I was planning to redo this trip. I figured it would be out of commission, but apparently it was still operational. wolf #6, 98 lb male, #9 trail set. The trap had a hook drag, but I wired it to a little standing burnt black spruce to slow him down a bit. It backfired a little, he wound the chain around that tree before tearing it out, which made a real short drag chain. He only made it about 250 yards, so not too bad. He was only caught by a couple toes and was fighting hard, so I dispatched him pretty quick before getting pics. I was slogging through the snow covered tussocks, the girls were behind me with the extraction machine. They didn't get to see him live close up. I used the trap to make a pee post near where he was originally caught, will see what happens. The wolves stayed on the trail, peeing every 100 yds or so. I have a pee post along the trail, they stopped there but didn't work the set enough to hit the trap. I juiced it up a bit. Wolf #7 was in the trail that I set last week near the female I caught. 90lb male, #9 trail set. As I was driving up to this spot there were a bunch of wolf trails going off the trail and a bunch of ravens in the trees. I figured there must be a kill over there, so after dispatching the wolf I took a bucket of snares and went looking for it. I told the girls they could drag the wolf to the sled if they wanted to while I was gone. Youngest daughter managed to get the 9 off him and they drug him out to the sled. Moose kill was across the creek. Lots of the trails were in willow and burned black spruce, so no good anchor points. I hung some snares in the trails coming off the creek, so hope they come back. Also planted a couple traps in their trails were they left my trail to cross the little meadow and then the creek to the kill. Probably have a decent chance to get something off this kill. A pretty good day by my standards. Took a little longer than I was planning, one of the kids had to come home and finish her homework, lol. Told them they are my lucky charm and will have to go more often. Seems like I had another pack move in. Buddy flew over a few weeks ago and saw a pack of 9 around where I've gotten several this year. I've taken 7, and there are a lot more than 2 wolves running around out there by the looks of things. It was fairly sparse earlier in the season, but things have picked up now. Hope to give them heck for another 3 weeks then probably pull everything. Depends on the weather...
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: martentrapper]
#7209491
03/08/21 07:48 PM
03/08/21 07:48 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
You don’t like to put snares on drags? I've done that on occasion, but yesterday was more about running short on time than anything else. I think I got enough stuff there to have a decent chance at 2 or 3 of them.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7211109
03/10/21 11:05 AM
03/10/21 11:05 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365
Interior Alaska
|
These are the best conditions, fresh snow to cover your tracks and the luck your daughters brought you! Can’t get any better!
I love the smell of burning spruce---I love the sound of a spring time goose---I love the feel of 40 below---from my trapline I will never go!
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7216025
03/14/21 10:26 PM
03/14/21 10:26 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
What a beautiful weekend! Clear skies and new snow make for blinding conditions out there. There were some fresh tracks out on the big line, but not where I had gear. The wolves didn't come back to the kill yet. A couple smaller dogs were working it, fortunately they didn't plug up my sets. I set some more stuff out there, so should get another chance at them before pulling my stuff. My partner checked a short spur line we have and picked up #8 at a bait station. Nice looking wolf, 91lb male. He had worked over that snare cable, down to the last few strands. Glad it held! This was one of our old snares, didn't have the kill spring on it. Here's one I boarded today. Female I got a few weeks ago. Another successful weekend. Hope the moose are happy, I expect to bag a big bull in September as a token of appreciation!
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7216067
03/14/21 10:56 PM
03/14/21 10:56 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 436 Northern Wisconsin
NorthenTrapper
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 436
Northern Wisconsin
|
Very lucky on the snare cable what thickness do you use on the one without the kill springs on them?
“We will visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior,” -Lincoln
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7216135
03/14/21 11:53 PM
03/14/21 11:53 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 436 Northern Wisconsin
NorthenTrapper
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 436
Northern Wisconsin
|
The kill springs must put them down quick, How often do you have to check the kill snares. I would think it would be more than one day unless you have beaver wolves, or I'm vastly underestimating their teeth.
“We will visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior,” -Lincoln
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7219710
03/18/21 11:21 AM
03/18/21 11:21 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555 Fairbanks Alaska
AKHowler
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555
Fairbanks Alaska
|
Nice work this year Nate. Looks like you are getting some good fur too. Nice trip for the girls. Keep it up. Heading out to pull my line this next week.
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7222361
03/21/21 03:10 AM
03/21/21 03:10 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
Today was another beautiful day. Weather is staying pretty cool, been -20 at night, so trail and snow conditions are staying great. This will be the latest close up time ever for me. As long as I can manage it I'll probably stay after the wolves. I saw this track out there today, stinkin' huge wolf, I'd like to catch him before it's over. He was running by himself here, looked like he split out from the pack and was by himself on the trail for about a mile. Got my buddy in my beaver set. I haven't messed with that trap for awhile, it had sort of drifted over the hole where the beavers were going in and out. He hasn't been at this spot for awhile and forgot about it. I was nice and left his face out of the pic, lol. Not sure what happened here. Seems I've got a new pack that moved in from somewhere. I set this pee post last week, tried an experiment and gave it a shot of Essence de Nate, as I've heard of that working. Well the wolves were all over it, not sure how they popped that #9. It was still sitting in its bed. I might have had it a couple inches too close to the pee. Big bummer, figured I would have one, as that pack was pounding the trail in this section. Hope to get some out of this pack, there are a few sets for them to check out. Nothing had visited the kill site. This pack of wolves had gone within 1/4 mile of it and not gone to it. I'm thinking that it is not their kill. On the last trap of the spur line where my partner got the wolf last week we had this 86lb male. Pretty crazy, this was a pee post that I set for lynx almost 2 months ago. Bridger #3, full mod. I haven't run this line in weeks, been running the big line. I figured this trap would be out of service, since no one has maintained it for weeks. When he was pulling lynx gear last week he left this set, as he wasn't sure where it was. Glad he did. Last set of the day, kinda surprising to find this guy in it. Not sure how that trap fired, maybe the wolf smelled that pee down there and dug a little. I imagine it must have had a few inches of snow over it. Pretty crazy, #9 pee post missed, then get this weeks old set with a #3 Bridger to grab one. Never know what you're going to find out there! #9 in a #3. Trap is a little wonky, but still operational. I figured these things would hold a wolf for awhile. Judging by tracks and snow cover he was here at least 2 days, probably more like 3 or 4. Really nice hair on this guy. Not a big one, but a pretty one. Good day overall, I think I'm going to go out and set some more stuff where I got this guy. The wolves are pounding it pretty hard, maybe they'll hang around for a bit.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: bearcat2]
#7222787
03/21/21 03:17 PM
03/21/21 03:17 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
Nice! You have more confidence than I would in the #3, to go ahead and take pictures before dispatch. He had one shot in him at this point, that had taken most of the spice out of him. I was positioning for another shot. I was plenty nervous before that shot, he hit the end of the chain about 3 times. Could see his foot was in there ok, but wasn't sure about the trap and rigging holding up. White, I don't weld my cat trap rigging, but probably should be more selective with what I use for pee post sets. Occasionally get wolves through this particular area, but not enough to count on. Live and learn.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7222857
03/21/21 05:19 PM
03/21/21 05:19 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,276 NWT
Ryan McLeod
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,276
NWT
|
Nice catch in a #3. I had a sneaky black wolf try to get the bait one year while hauling wood. On my way to get a third load there was nothing and 45 minutes later on the way to the cabin he was caught. Wouldn’t have held very long in a soft catch. Good job
If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: white17]
#7224915
03/23/21 08:36 PM
03/23/21 08:36 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,276 NWT
Ryan McLeod
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,276
NWT
|
That’s w Nice catch in a #3. I had a sneaky black wolf try to get the bait one year while hauling wood. On my way to get a third load there was nothing and 45 minutes later on the way to the cabin he was caught. Wouldn’t have held very long in a soft catch. Good job How do you get those wolves to haul your wood ? I share a lot of my tricks without hesitation but I’ll never give that one up.
If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7228774
03/28/21 03:04 AM
03/28/21 03:04 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
Got a late start today, was thankful for the long evening light. Pretty nice running with lighter clothes on, enjoying the trip. Everything is pulled except for wolf gear, really streamlined to just be racing out to the wolf area. The wolves were on the trail all over the place, missed my gear by a couple 100 yds in some places, had a snare knocked down where a bunch of them finally came down a trail they hadn't used for awhile, stepped over a trail set in another place. Just as well to not have one in a snare this time of year. Got #10 in one of the sets that had one with my girls a couple weeks ago. I had straightened out the dog on the trap and planted the dirty trap back in the bed. This guy didn't seem to mind. 97lb male, AK #9 pee post. Had a miss on this pee post. Didn't quite step in the right place. The wolves went right past several pee posts. Not sure why, but I guess they don't hit them all every time. I freshened a few up with my special blend, still working on that experiment. Wolf #11 was in a pee post that had a couple close calls over the winter. That #9 was frozen a couple times, wolf missed pan by an inch or so another time. Kept it maintenanced up and finally connected with this 77lb female. I didn't know it at the time, but in this photo you can almost see #12 on the other side of the lake. This guy was in a sorta snow hole set that I put out there about 5 weeks ago. Tried something different and put a little piece of bait under a bush with a #9 in front. The wolves had hung out on that side of the lake, looked like they had a party there, so I put that set there in case they came back. Glad I did, I didn't mess with this set at all, just let it mature, fortunately the trap was still working. I was pretty stoked, finally broke the 100 lb barrier. This guy is a real pretty 106lb male. He's got real good color, white belly, real nice hair and tail. Little bit of skinning to do. I hurt my hand hanging a door the other day, so skinning is going to be a chore! I'm pretty happy to break my old number! I saw a bunch of sign and couldn't help myself, put some more sets in. Was debating pulling stuff this weekend, but figured I'd let it go another week and see what happens.
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7229982
03/29/21 02:59 PM
03/29/21 02:59 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555 Fairbanks Alaska
AKHowler
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555
Fairbanks Alaska
|
Great work buddy. I'm in town for a few days if ya need help putting them up. Give me a call
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
|
|
|
Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7232684
04/01/21 02:00 PM
04/01/21 02:00 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
I made a hasty run yesterday to pull my gear. Fortunately my buddy saw the small print in the regs about restrictions on traps for wolves starting April 1. I haven't had gear out this late before, so wasn't tuned up on that. Wolf season goes longer, but restricted gear. Fortunately avoided becoming an April fool, lol. There was a few inches of wet heavy snow coming down, so was a wet affair. It's a revelation when you pull in a few dozen traps and tackle at one time, that stuff adds up to a few hundred pounds on the sled. Now to get stuff sorted out and put away, tuned up, etc.
All in all a good season. Dozen wolves, 7 cats, a few fox (some were nice cross and silvers), bunch of yotes, some beaver. Might try to get a couple more local beaver this spring, but pretty much wrapped up.
|
|
|
|
|