Nice work!

Nice thread. Only time I’ve saw a possum was when I was in Iowa. Nasty little critters

You need a partner Patrick!
Share the setting/skinning chores.
Zero here tonight with shin deep fresh snow. I might as well be down there. It would beat being bent over this fleshing beam scraping this high dollar fur! Lol

For sure a partner would be great...but Id probably stand and watch him work at most stops....lol...if I could get away with it. My hands are not in good shape and Im torturing them.

Landowners adult son is full time land manager here now. They have 150 acres just in food plots. He has been riding with me daily...all day. I have a feeling Im "training" him. But, if so, oh well, there are other customers awaiting.

Skinning chores in this trip are minimal. Otter and beaver (but I only brought 12 Belisles), bcats, and any foxes.

No coyotes, coons, or those lowly possums will go under the knife.

A "local" came into camp this evening and gathered up all those coon from the walkin cooler. Says he has friends that want 1 or 2...for the Superbowl...lol.

I bet he has a home for those coon carcasses……….at a price lol

He had the gall to ask if they were gonna be skint.......lol

Enjoying the updates. If your hands are hurting, I hope you’re using setters.


He May just be interested in what you do. A lot of non trappers find it interesting.


Is it possible they’ve been calling/shooting coyotes/bobcats or other method of removal before your arrival?

Land manager may very well be watching and learning but after 1 or 2 years he may not get same results as you and you will be asked back

I have watched a couple of people trap and learned a lot on here but danged if I have the greatest luck catching coyotes

If they do try and take care of the population on their own you can charge more when they want you back

I have no problem setting the actual traps....its the pounding of the stakes on my hands and wrists thats causing me problems.

There was a coyote calling/hunting competition a couple weeks ago in the immediate area, but not on this property. Was told 3 or 4 dozen were killed during a couple weeks time.

Rain started about 1000 hrs this morning. Got messy quick. Rain hasnt been hard enough to ruin sets......yet, but another rain band is on the way over this area.

I need to set about a dozen more coyote/cat sets today to complete coverage, but that may have to wait. I refuse to set traps in the rain.

Today's highlight was a couple bcats. More coon and possums. Where are the coyotes? I do not know....I saw no fresh sign b4 the rain started..

Had about 5 traps throwed...deer or hogs caused a couple of them.

River bottom muck sets are bedded in sandy loam from the "hill" and covered in peat moss I brought with me. Holding up well in this rain.

Whack em and stack em

Nice job Swamp Wolf. Have you ever concidered pre drilling anchor holes? To be homest. I didnt start doing this till 4 year ago. In the past I just grabbed a bigger hammer. No instead of the 6 or 8 lb hammer. I pre drill and use a 3 lb hammer most of the time. BUT i still on occasion have to use the 6 lb hammer. At almost 50. I am concidering = going to drags for ALL Alabama jobs Will run a 50/50 mix on drags this year

I use the finned superstakes with a retrieval cable and I pre drill all of them but stll find some spots I can not even drill. But pre drilling is the ticket to getting them in most of the time and makes it much easier to get them out also.

I have places the ground is still tight 18” down , the big hammer gets used all year here .

1" ship auger bit from Harbor Freight will make your life much easier. It adds a step but believe me it's worth it. I've had to leave a couple super stakes behind here and there but ain't nothing ever pulled one out!

Gonna have to consider pre-drilling.

QBD,
Gettin em out is no issue. I cut the cheap pogo cables. Hook another cable stake up next property.

Going to look at that bit at HF.

Swamp Wolf. I was up at lure shop. Here is a few pics of my wood boring 1 inch bit from Harbor Freight. Also a pic of the old one. It has a tip that is worn down to 3/4 inch. SO if you use a bit like i do This picture is what a bit will look like worn down The used bit is 1 year old. I want to say it was 22 dollars or so

Swamp, if your country there full of trees and bushes why not use long chain and grapple hook...pre hook the rig and there is no pounding.