Felines and canines have 4 toes. Weasel family has 5. Looks like your getting something every time out. That would satisfy me, at least for a while.

Those tussocks are hard on us and our machines.

Well got a big goose egg last run, nothing moved and we picked up about 3 inches of powder. Snowing right now and calling for about 5 inches so will be digging gear out come tomorrow.

Went to Three Bears today and look at what is there now!!!!

I was in 3bears looking at the eggnog and made a comment to a lady nearby. It was near the trapping supply section and skunk was in the air. She said something about the eggnog then gave me a hard look and said she smelled pot. I tried to explain about the trapping lure but she said that didn't make sense because there are no skunks in Alaska. I laughed and moved on.

To my trapping buddies, voice your opinion to Fish and Game. If people followed the leash law and maintained control of their dogs there wouldn't be any incidents. You give them an inch they will take a mile, look at how much they want!!!!

Copied from another group. If you utilize trails in the valley and are concerned about trapping along the trail systems you may want to comment here:

There is a proposal before the Board of Game this year (proposal 199) to regulate 50 yard no-trap setbacks from multiuse trails in the Mat Su area.

The Board of Game makes all the decisions about trapping regulations, including if people can trap on trails like Knik glacier, so if you have thoughts on this issue you can write a comment to the Board of Game before January 9th here :

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=process.comments

The Board won't consider any chances in regulation for the Palmer, Mat Su area for another three years, so this is your chance!

You can see the trap setback proposal (proposal 199) here: https://static1.squarespace.com/.../AWA+trap+proposal+199...

50 yards ultimately ain't that far but do they really think anyone is going to be walking off leash dogs 10+ miles back on some of these trails or across rivers? I feel like they might have had more luck with a more reasonable proposal...

Proposal 99 by an anchorage lawyer wants to close more areas including the entire Hayflats Refuge. Comments to oppose 99 and 199 are due by January 9 I believe.

Granted Bill I may not live in Alaska however down here I've ran into people walking dogs close to 10 miles off a main gravel road it wasn't very often but it only takes one bad instance to get bad press for trapping and trappers .

The saying death from a thousand cuts come to mind , a what seems a small loss here a small loss there and all of a sudden no one is trapping .

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone !
Allan

Allan, I guess my thought was that during most of the trapping season up here walking anywhere becomes quite difficult due to deep snow. I run a snowshoe line and it's a lot of work punching in a 3-5 mile loop. Not really the point I guess. They're asking for a big blanket ban and a it seems to me that it would leave the Mat-Su only a half step from Juneau where you can hardly trap without a boat. Especially when the only thing that really endangers dogs is 330s set close to trails and doing that already violates the ATA ethics codes. The proposal cites all of one fatal incident that was widely condemned by the trapping community (330 right next to a well used trailhead) and a few more where a dog was snared or held in a foothold and released. While any dog being killed is a shame, it's definitely an overzealous response to a fairly insignificant problem

That link for proposal 199 doesn't work for me

white I have tried copy and pasting the link. This is the link on the ADFG site.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=gameboard.proposalbook&fbclid=IwAR37sG4GSTR24e6c13zG0-goAccuhh-ZMSteZ-6saWY1ZNvdcT5lMRYOglQ#,fixed

Agree. Seems silly for them to ask for so much?

I can see the link to the proposal but I can't get it to open even on F&G site. But I see it is proposed by AWA. That tells you all you need to know

Well, here in Juneau, it has been a long, hard slog. It is still highly restricted here, but with the tireless help from a former B.O.G. Chairman, I have had some success in getting at least some regulations eased. Common sense rules that benefit trappers, while also holding other user-groups accountable.
My deepest thanks and respect to Ted Spraker.

I don't believe Proposal 199 is going anywhere, but I sent comments.

"As a trapper who uses and traps along these trails for the last 25 years, and has no negative encounters with other trail users, I recognize no benefit in this proposal 199 for any users. I often trap near multi use trails and find very easy to avoid conflict. The only traps that have made contact with other users are those that were intentionally set off by individuals interfering with legal trapping. A 50-yard setback would not only impact and reduce legal catch of furbearers as they travel trails just like all other users. It would also be impossible to enforce and patrol. These trails paths vary widely from summer to winter, and year to year with no real measurable edges. Furthermore, as I am often the only user in winter of vast sections of theses trails my path becomes the multi-use trail as it is maintained/ broken trail. If I maintain a trail 50 yards, or any distance from any of these trails it will become the trail for all users. A 50-yard setback from what line in a trails route is a question with no enforceable or obeyable answer. Not to mention the vastness of this question when you include all the trail on this list."

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends!

You too, John. So.good to see you getting after it.

Well not much to talk about out on the line. This weather has put a damper on the season for alot of us I think. Interior hammered by rain and huge dumps of snow and soon back to -40s. The southern portion of the state hammered by record snowfalls and frozen bays.

Between the snow/rain and now wind seems like every run I am digging gear out.

Last night the Borough put out a stay in place order, lots of people without power, a section of the highway shut down, and tons of wind damage. Suppose to let up tonight. Just waiting for a dang break in the weather!

2022 sure is not starting off on the right foot!!

Be safe out there guys and Happy New Year!

was wondering how the winds were treating you!

Yep, seriously considering shutting down a good portion of my line for the year. Takes the fun out of it when you are constantly battling the elements. I got a bunch of stuff dug out, but with the amount of snow we have and the winds we get, it will all be out of commission in short order. There is a pretty big stretch of drifts to contend with in one area. Nothing like JR deals with, but when you are a weekend warrior with a full time job you've only got so much time! I was out on Friday for the first time since the storms, lots of trail cutting, digging, overflow on the lakes, floundering through waist deep snow, etc. It was exhausting! That ice crust over about 18" of powder, then covered with another 10" was a real treat. Had to get a mountain sled to break trail. Bait was gone on all the marten sets, the rain had encased the traps in ice.

Yes, I'm whining, lol.