If I could trap only one species of critter, it would be close to a toss-up between wolves or marten. I'd probably have to go with marten. Easy to catch, easy to prepare, real fine pelt for the auctions or to make your own garments (although not particularly good eating). Idaho's marten season gets underway on November 1, so we'll be gearing up and getting a few sets out on Monday.

There always a passion in marten trapping.
In the past couple of years I have been getting some with a new Ixodes tick species on them Ixodes gregory. So if anyone else comes across any please PM me.

North -

Are you finding Dermacentor as well?

Jack

No Dermacentor variabillis have been found on winter marten
I usually start mid Nov and end mid January as they get woolly much like your first photo of the marten
we do not have D andersoni in Manitoba

Jack, you make it hard for a grass lander to follow suite. I had to dig to find this picture I took a few years ago while I was doing some beaver removal.

Beautiful... As usual Sharon,,,

Garry-

Thanks Garry, but to me, it pales next to the real thing.

I think I can take liberty in showing a most amazing marten trapping machine , who gets astounding numbers and colours every season. The man who caught the fur that made my beautiful hat...Trapped4ever, in SE Alaska....this subject is so perfect for his specialty.

I've only done a little marten trapping. They are neat animals. Great pictures everyone. Those are some great catches.

This is what my trap line produced.

Only one I've seen in the wild was in our meat cache when elk hunting in WY. He was trying to nibble some meat off a front quarter, was neat seeing him perched on the quarter.

Getting fattened up on a bait pile after season!

That looks like a pretty one ! Like those classic yellow ocher with the dark dorsal and points .

Larry, that picture reminds me of an experience I had. I had my moose hanging from the meat pole and walked out one November morning to see Mr Martes chowing down on a hind leg.

When he saw me he ran way up a spruce tree...almost to the top. He stopped about 70 feet off the ground.... looked at me and tilted his head almost like your picture. I popped him with the 22. The bullet went in his left eye and out his right ear. Instant kill and no holes in the pelt

Good shot , Sir Ken . I bet they are like squirrels to shoot...quick and not holding still for very long.

Marten are pretty! Now that I moved to NB I'll hopefully be trapping some!

He did not say he got it on the first shot.

LOL ! You're right I didn't say that but the fact is that I did get him on the first shot.

Actually Sharon, they surprisingly do hold still and usually growl and huff at you while giving you the stink eye all the while

I would be so transfixed listening to all the griping and huffing , I would just stand there and watch Soaking in all that behavioral posturing .

Squirrels, on the other hand , make for becoming a good shot. I like going after them with my 22 semi auto Marlin .

There is absolutely nothing to compare to opening your marten line with 2 feet of snow rolling up over the cowling and steaming up the windshield, up ahead is a nice dark marten bouncing between 100 year old (LOL) 5 ft. black spruce trees and snow, and sweat rolling down your back because your overdressed for the 30 below day and the effort needed to get your line opened!

I really miss it but the guy that runs my line now keeps me informed after every trip! Might just give it one more try this winter.

This pic was taken in 1990 at my cabin on the Nowitna. Marten trapping wasn't so good that year but I found a couple moose kill sights while flying and snared them up.


This next one is around 93 or 94. I bought that plane in 92 so it is after that. I'm in a small lake in the Little Mud drainage of the Nowitna. Had some good years lake hopping there trapping marten.

Lastly, me and my current plane just last weekend on the ramp in Minto, Alaska. Was a joy ride day for 4 citabria owners from Fairbanks.


Most of my trapping pics from Marten country were before digital cams. I'll have to look for some more and snap them with my phone.

Looks nice Mike !!

Here's my work partner visiting me on the trapline a few years back, on a warm March day.

^^^Amazing, and the rest of the pictures on the thread are interesting, as well.

There you are ! I could sit for hours in that shed just exploring the colours in those marten.

My beautiful hat will be ready to wear soon again ! Along with your otter hat I'm having made , too.

You are almost swallowed up in that pile of marten ! And that's just one haul...not even seeing all the other critters you catch besides marten.

A trapping machine, you are , T4ever .

T4ever -

My hat off to you once again, sir. That is simply amazing, and a phenomenal amount of work. I seriously doubt that there's anyone in the world that catches and puts up marten as well as you do. Simply your "by-catch" of mink and land otter is, in itself, a testament to hard work and personal management of your "lines".

Jack

That’s an amazing season and a lot of work, way to go T4E

This picture taken just a minute ago. Big storm moving through here

Ken -

Looks to me to be CAVU flying weather. Time to fire up the 'cub and go check some sets!

Yeah right !!! ))))
I think this would be less taxing on the sphincter

How gorgeous through the pass ! Here's another nice day to fly through it too....

This is what the Gulf of Mexico looks like ,when it’s not mad!!