Very strange. Almost looks like a veterinary shave?

There is nothing better than the view that you can see when you slow down and take in what winter has to offer. Catching is one thing but filling your soul with what us trappers see every day can not really be explained! When I would come back down my line in the afternoon and the sun would be in my eyes as it would be setting I would open wide and finish my day with a good shot of melatonin!

Thank you JR for sharing your line with us that can’t run anymore.

The fur on the front legs on lynx and wolverines can get rubbed bald by crusty snow when they break through. It usually happens after a warm spell, like rain, then freezes again. I see it here a lot.

Just caught up on and enjoyed the last two trips. Interesting and fun to imagine as always. Thanks for posting.

"There is nothing better than the view that you can see when you slow down and take in what winter has to offer. Catching is one thing but filling your soul with what us trappers see every day can not really be explained!"

This is statement above is so true.


"When times are tough the tough get going"

Another thing to keep in mind.

Great thread

Despite the low fur catches it still is a great time on the line, the views are always worth the expense!

Good evening trappers. Just got out of our ATA board meeting. Came home yesterday to spend Valentines evening with my gal. Lost a wolverine in a lynx snare on the way out. Tracked it for 1/2 hour before I played out. Spun up and broke off the 11 gauge support wire, my bad. Missed a wolf in the bait. He snuck around and all through the site without getting caught. Left a few more snares and a trap in the trail where the wolverine got away. Didn't see any real sign besides marten all the way across the flats until I hit Dry Creek. OMG....


They missed this post which was protected with a #9, just swinging wide. Boy howdy was anticipation running wild for the next mile. I'd never seen sign like this in my entire trapping career.
Finally, 82# gray female in a AK #9 pee post set. The pack had kind of gave this post a wide berth 3 or 4 different times. It worked this time. The pack hung around this female for a couple days. They mauled her pretty bad but not killing her. She seems to be a 2 or 3 year old female, not rutting or swelled up. Didn't make a lot of sense why they hung around so much. They had the river beat down for 5 miles were they came up and went back down before leaving the river. I normally do not put much gear out on this section of the river because of the overflow. I have a bunch out right now though and I imagine I'll be chopping them out of the overflow directly.
Got a fire going in the cabin and ran up to PPP to check gear and get water.

Broke trail over to the Wood and pulled the groomer. Got a little more snow over there. Reset and rebaited a couple lynx cubbies along the way. Beautiful day for sure.

Got off the trail a couple times in the flat light on the way back to the cabin.
Picked up an old female marten with a little different color in one of my cat cubbies.
Also caught the meanest caribou cow I've ever met. We went rounds for quite a while before loosing my cool and yelling at her, threatening to shoot her if she didn't cooperate. Should have tried that earlier. She laid down calmly and let me take the MB750 off without incident after that. I laughed hard out loud when she laid down appearing to understand this cussing Norwegians broken English.
My mood and the weather was changing for the better after the release. We both walked away uninjured and no worse for the wear. I went for a little ride up a drainage.


The definite highlight of my trip was spending a little time photographing my little cabin marten. She is a bit shy but when she is in the mood, she is a super model on the runway. These pics are worth more to me than her soft hide for sure.



Yesterday morning there were a few moose out front of the cabin. She gave me a pretty got pose with the full moon on the ridge.
Having some downloading problems with the videos. Trying to figure that out. Will post some videos later. Put the wolf on the board after Stacey sewed up the holes. Got a Trapline client coming out next week so hopefully he can ride a snowgo or he'll be on a fold-a-sled.

Dang man that is ALOT of track! Hopefully they will come back to look for her and you connect again! I have a feeling things are going to all fall into place for you and your gonna connect with a bunch more
Pretty country! Glad that bou didnt get the best of you
That is a good looking marten, seed for next year
Get a trap on that back side!!!
Be safe out there and I hope you have a awesome run!
Thank you for sharing your adventures!

Thanks for the ride along pictures and stories JR I'm sure the cow caribou could've been a rodeo to deal with .
The wolf picture is frame worthy but then so if the marten .

Oh man thats a wolf highway there! I like how you used the rope to get things back on the trail without having to exert a lot of sweat.

Got a few videos downloaded.

I really like the photo of the marten poking her head out of the snow!

Enjoyable photos and videos, JR. Really like that cabin Marten, with her yellow necklace bling and mini wolverine feet .

Thanks everyone. Sharon, I sent you an few emails with close ups for references.

Way to go JR. caribou wrestling can have its down side but yelling I never tried.

Got 'em, JR....many thanks ! You read my mind.

Good job. Seems like all the wolves you post in footholds are on pee posts, are they all natural or do you make some of your own? Do you use much of any other foothold sets for wolves or just stick to pee posts?

Nice pictures.

That little marten will thank you this summer by camping in the cabin, pooping on the bed and eating whatever it can tear into!