Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7183458
02/15/21 04:30 PM
02/15/21 04:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365
Interior Alaska
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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!
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Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7191752
02/21/21 09:59 PM
02/21/21 09:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
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OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
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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.
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Re: Frustrating day on the line
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7200302
03/01/21 12:49 AM
03/01/21 12:49 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
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OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
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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.
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