I could have used those kids the other day good job

Very cool pics JR , looks like you're staying busy.

I always like any Alaska pictures thanks for sharing.

Stay safe all

Greeting Trappers, Did a quick trip down to Minto flats on Friday. Weather wasn't the best but hadn't run the river boat or been to the cabin down there all year. Took Jim Masek with me and for those of you that don't know him, he is definitely one of the best most knowledgeable successful trappers in this state.

He has trapped Minto Flats since the late 70's and knows the flats and it's history like the back of his hand. I was lucky enough to meet him and work with him since the 1st year I moved to Alaska in 1991. It is always fun as it is educational to run down there with Jim. We caught a mess of Northern Pike and I landed my biggest Sheefish I've ever caught on the Chatanika.

5 to 7 pounds is what we usually catch down there and this big one was 12#. We also never caught them this late in the season.
Lots of ducks and hundreds of swans still hanging around the flats. Weather didn't really allow for much photo opportunities with all the rain. Saw a few moose that made it through the fall season. Did see one giant bull but he wasn't interested in us at all. Mother nature calmed down the first evening and that is when things got fun.
There was a little young mink trying really hard to get our fish out of the boat. Anyone who knows me knows how I am with wildlife and a camera. I could spend hours taking pics of wildlife and forbearers are my favorite of course. My camera and I are still having some misunderstandings but hopefully we will work it out. Got a few good shots but should have had hundreds


I guarantee the next time that little mink sees Jim, it won't be so friendly of a meeting. We actually saw quite a few muskrats on our trip also.
Well I better start getting ready for our ATA's General Trapping School next weekend. Hope everyone is ready for trapping season

Good to see you got out there! Good looking fish and a pretty mink! Thanks for sharing!

Heard you guys leave on Sat!! You dodged the Sunday trip out. Good call on that!

Good times, JR. What a cute baby faced mink !

Thanks for the pictures, nice to check in on you to see the country up there.

Thanks everyone, got a couple more videos I thought I'd share with you. We have the ATA General Trapping School this weekend so getting all loaded up for that.

The cabin and pee post pass look alot different without snow Thanks for sharing!

Sure do enjoy your videos. I like hearing your thoughts as you find things or look around.

Really like the neat arrangement of tools, the hangers, and keeping the ground clean , even controlled burn . Seeing how folks keep their gear , and why they prefer certain arrangements in using equipment.

I keep an orderly camp, orderly clean anything. It just looks so good, makes one feel clean to see that.

I'm the same way, made bed, every day , keep things in their place. I cannot tolerate a cluttered mess in the house, grounds, or anywhere.

Like the Aussie tour ovah da glassier

Airboats are so great. It amazes me how you go at speed and know where to traverse in the river , around the gravel beds and stuff sticking out of the bends in places.

And that wee loping mink.

Thank you, JR.

Trapping season is on and I'm still working iron or was.... Got a message that a pair of grizzlies had been on the rampage raiding cabins in the drainage. My trapping cabin got hit hard. Flying out this morning to assess the damage and hopefully get it back livable and kill those bears. I'd just got done saying how the grizzly bears were being respectful around the cabins and they go and make a lier out of me. The wolves are not my objective quite yet, the fact is, I'd like to feed these grizzly bears livers to the wolves. Will give a report when I return. Good luck and be safe out on the line trappers.

JR
Those bears have the best wolf bait. Wolves love bear meat. Good Luck

Actually tainted bear scraps works better than any bait I ever used!

Go git em, JR.

I am hoping for the best for you. Be safe out there!

Good luck with the bears!

Your level of organization always amazes me, thank you for sharing it.

Praying for you. Woke up at 3:30 this morning with you on my mind.

Like Larry says.... bear carcasses and tainted bear fat make the very best baits for wolves! Ben Hopson Jr taught me that. Hope your cabin is OK.

Pete

That is a major pia. Hope you get him before he crawls in a hole for the winter. Good luck on winterizing your cabin!

Interesting, I've not had wolves show much interest in bear... except some thoroughly tainted (as in rotted down) bear scraps that I put down a posthole and had the wolves dig it up to four times the original size.

Good evening Trappers. Made it back from the cabin. Never got the culprits that vandalized the cabins but spring cannot come soon enough. We will be doing some bear population reduction for sure. It was the big sow and 3 year old cub that I'd seen around for a few years. Cameras didn't pick up anything. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with them but pretty angry with it. Shot some pics and video of the mess.



Doug flew out to give me a hand. Boy howdy was that nice. Hard to figure out where to start


Wind blew and got some snow so lost the track of the bears. Could easily track them between the cabins but couldn't find where she'd left the valley to den. Kinda figured I'd might find her balled up sleeping in one of the cabins.No such luck....

Eric had a Muzzleloader hunter out so I gave them a hand for a couple days. Saw lots of caribou and moose around.That doesn't help the trapping again this year. We ended up getting a nice bull with the hunter


Still shy on snow in most places and had some issues along the way


Spending time with this little female marten made the whole trip worth it and took my mind off the bears.

Spent a week out there and boarded up some of the other cabins as well. Lot of work to do out there this spring. Hope everyone is out having some fun and putting some traps out.