Lost a 110 conibear while I was pulling traps yesterday and I looked and looked for it and couldn't find it anywhere. So I drove to the North of the slough I was trapping and I counted 5 rats on one hut and then over 5 on the other side of the road. They know when the traps are out. I'll be back for them though.

[video:youtube]https://youtube.com/shorts/Y8DNvWCXCtk?feature=share[/video]

Nice work bud!
Jim

Now you know why it's called trapping and not catching. Your learning fast about the ups and downs of this sport/hobby.

Yes, I am, especially muskrats. With this weather moving in I'm going to start prepping for spring rat now. I'm going to outfit all of my 1.5 coils with Wild River Mink Pans since they seem to make that catch rate go way way up.

Here are the rats from the other night, all dried and stretched. Had one really big rat and it's a shame that I wrecked it. Hopefully, I'll be able to trap a few with baited conibears through the ice and get more practice before spring.

Gotta start somewhere. Practice makes perfect.

One trick to try next time is to use the cloths pins hold the lips of the rats around the stretcher. They look good otherwise, nice job fleshing.

You are getting started. That is what counts. Liked the video. When it starts freezing and a front moving in. The muskrats know it is going to be a long winter under the ice. Keep plugging away

There are no lips sadly otherwise I would have. Thank you, I got all the fat near the saddle while leaving the saddle. That wiebe scraper is amazing!

Just set out 2 mink boxes, a 110 blind set in a run under a half-submerged log, and 2 baited conibears. Got out of school early today because it was supposed to be icy roads but it wasn't. Found a beaver lodge within 20 yards of the 2 mink boxes and blind set 110 so will set that on Saturday when I go check.

Has anyone ever looked at Mink and Muskrat Trapping by Stanley S.Hawbaker? This set was in it and I was wondering if anyone here had given it a try. Seems like an odd ball set.

Here's a video I took of 2 muskrats watch me prep baited conibears, hopefully, they're caught on Saturday. They look big! (Sorry for the music, had to upload from TikTok)


[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZwpRT2dZ9Fc[/video]

Nice video. Not saying one way or the other on the ice box set. But if the ice gets that thick. With little to no snow. I personally would be looking for feeder and grooming huts. A lot easier. More productive. Not sure if you have done any hut trapping when everything is froze?? Hope you score on some fur tomorrow. I am enjoying your thread

Be careful on the ice.

I'm still going to bust huts but just thought it would be a cool little set to try out. I've never done any hut trapping but it seems pretty straight forward. Went out to set some more tonight and put in a pocket/dirthole set. Hopefully tomorrow I have some though. Ice is able to be stood on now so it won't be long till I'm able to trap huts.

Going to the fur buyer's place in the morning. Will take a picture when I'm loading up. No catches today and no catches yesterday, got 2 mink boxes out, 2 baited conibears, and 1 pocket set. The ice should be ready by next weekend. Hoping to get these 3 rats thawed by tomorrow afternoon so he can teach me how to skin them correctly. I just wish I could have 1 rat just this one check just in case these 3 don't thaw out.

Well, went to the fur buyers. Got 35$, and have 2 mink and a coon that are getting tanned. 35$ for 28 rats, 7 of them put up, 3 of which were done there. Averaged 2$ put up and got 1$ a piece on the carcass. Figured out how to skin out the head, will need some more practice before I'm really good at it. Checked traps today and got nothing, set up a weasel box with weasel lure and muskrat meat where I saw that weasel the other day. Also, set a 1.5 longspring in a hut so I can actually start catching fur again. Coyotes were just some that my dad shot while thermal hunting but got nothing for them so they're going to the dead pit.

Good job, get some more rats so you can practice on the skinning.

Trying to, ice is a little on the thin side yet but by this weekend it should be ready.