Well its been pretty rough going on and off the line. First it was blowing snow that buried traps or made them ineffective. Then the whole family got sick. Finally had a good run though!
I came home empty handed two checks in a row other than three ptarmigan on one trip. I couldn't decide if it was a bad day or a good day when the following happened. . .
lynx tracks going by, but the trap is drifted in. Bait is gone.
wolverine came by my bait site and made himself at home. He set off the trap, but it didn't grab him at all as it was still in the trap bed.
he even made a nice snow tunnel next to the bait and spent some time in there. I have seen marten and weasels do this several times, but first time seeing a wolverine do it.
missed another lynx do to a buried trap. If a lynx had a foot like an ax instead of a snowshoe, I would have had him.
set a fox trap in my trail near a marten pole he had been checking out. I guess a 1 1/2 long spring isn't big enough to get but a couple hairs off a wolverine.
Third check didn't have nearly the critter movement, but what I did catch made up for the lack of sign and previous skunks.
The particular set is on the edge of a lake and as I mentioned before it can be difficult to keep it working because of blowing snow. I had caught a lynx here earlier this season, but I could see from a distance something dark bouncing around. I got my .22 ready before I got close in case things headed south. I didn't want to lose the wolverine. Especially it being my first! I flew up to the set. My eyes were watering, but I don't know if it was from the wind and cold in my face or the adrenaline steadily increasing in my bloodstream. After confirming a good catch I proceeded to admire the animal and take some pictures. This wolverine was not very photogenic and just would not hold still.
Beautiful female.
Wolverine was the only furbearer I had yet to catch it our area. I was finally able to cross it off this season. After coming close the last two seasons and only seeing tracks once or twice the whole winter I am excited to have one in the bag and headed for the wall. I am pretty sure there were two sets of tracks out on the line. So who knows?