Heavy furred prime Alaska fox- very nice.

Thanks guys! Boco I had to dig that hide out of the snow the other day we got pounded pretty good

Well I made it back to the lakes last Sunday and sure enough Tuesday night we got hammered pretty good with between 14-20 inches of snow out on my line. I went out Thursday and dug half of it up and it totally kicked my butt! Today I ran light and ran the rest of the line.



Of course, the only gear that was working was the flowerpot sets! They are bomb proof! And I picked up a few





I had made a Bronco set in a creek and for the life of me I couldn't find the dang trap. I felt like a idiot because I didn't have my spud bar and I was poking around with a dang stick. I don't like looking for coni's when I know they are under the snow and this one was a 280. I poked and I couldn't even find where I had wrapped my anchor cable! I looked down stream about 10 ft and I saw another hole in the ice. I looked in there and sure enough I could see a otter foot! Somehow the clip I had attached around the tree came undone. Lucky but I will take it!



Running the final stretch of the line and I cut a set of kitty track on my trail headed towards a set! Walk up to the set and the dang trap was sprung! Don't know if it was a kitty or a bunny. Figured I better at least check the next set about a 100 yds away and sure enough Ted's Meowch struck again



They are calling for another big dump between 8 and 14 inches tomorrow night and then.......RAIN on Tuesday!

Be safe out there guys!

You guys are getting pounded with snow! I bet the critters are really starting to run your snowmachine tracks.

Yeah we went from 14-20 this past Tuesday ................



To another 18 last night..................



And they are calling for another foot between tonight and Thursday!

Well the storm passed throuh last night and dumped another foot of snow. Currently sitting at 31 inches according to my yard stick. Should be interesting getting out on the line.



Last year Mr Ermine showed up at the house right at the beginning of trapping season and chowed down on a bunch of beaver I was prepping for the line. Didn't mess with him because he is a mouse killing machine. He finally showed back up the other day. Tossed a deer neck out there and am watching him chow down on it as I type this



Be safe out there guys!

Good luck opening your line back up! That’s going to be a workout.

Wish we had an ermine hanging out providing entertainment like that.

Well the best laid plans dont always work out. Had a buddy with a Tundra long track come out with me today to try and get my trail busted out. Needless to say after a mile and a half we had to call it. The snow is chest deep out there and after digging out a dozen or so times we called it. Pretty bad when a long track gets stuck!









On our way to my trail head I follow a side road. Cruising down it I saw what I thought was a trash bag but wasn't a 100 percent sure what it was. Stopped the sled an started walking towards it and a heap popped up! It was a little calf moose. The snow is past thier bellies out there and I dont think they are going to have a easy winter. Saw several moose along the train tracks which is never a good sign.

We had finally reached a point where we said the heck with this and where attempting to turn around when my buddy missed a call. Then my phone rang and sure enough Fish and Game called for a trapper moose He was ticked he missed that call I was nice and gave him half after we went and got the permits from F/G. Ended up being a small calf we picked up in Palmer.



We are going to try again on Sunday, my buddy is bustin out the mountain sled Hopefully the snow will settle, and we can get the trail open if not then I am going to have to wait till a chinook comes through or it hardens up.

Be safe out there guys!

Thats some rough going John! I am heading back out on mine Sunday as well, got a friend coming along with his mountain sled to help break it open.

I've buried those long track Tundras lots of times. Why I just bought a SWT. Not that I haven't buried one of those to, but it usually takes more work to get them stuck... And to get them unstuck.

That looks like a heart attack waiting to happen-stay safe HFT.
Might have to snowshoe it first.
Thats where the big Albany shoes shine.
Only got a foot of snow here.Supposed to get another foot or so the next 6 days.

Wow You guys got alot of snow already. wonder how deep by spring, hopefully melts down at some point.
Not much snow out here thankfully.

I'm just happy they are getting my snow. These are my normal conditions, especially if the wind now blows all those trails in.

Sometimes it is simpler to wait for the snow to set up. Hopefully, it does.

Rob - I hope it works out for you and that you get it all open!

Boco - We have never had this much snow this early in the season with dumps back to back. Slow and steady wins this race and I try not to over exert myself That is why I brought a buddy along I hope you get a little more snow makes it alot easier running a snogo an gets the critters moving .

bearcat2- you sound like my buddy who talks smack about how his wide track can go through anything He is plan C if the mountain sled cant break in the trail:)

yukonjeff - I am hoping for a chinook, years past it seems that there is one that would always blow in around Xmas, but with the way the weather has been this year who knows. The moose are really hurting. Since yesterday afternoon 5 of them of been whacked on the hwy. Feel for the little claves.

dirt - waiting is plan D I feel you on the blown in trails. The flats I cross it happens every time we get a fresh snow and the wind kicks up, and if you go off the trail you submarine. Fun times

That looks like snowshoe time. Drive to the end of the trail and hump it from there. Rinse and repeat for several days. No fun at all !

Reminds me of last year, we got 30" in a couple days................

HFT, My last sled was a wide track Arctic Cat, and I've done plenty of shoveling with it. I've ran other peoples SWT and had them stuck a time or two, but it does take more to get them stuck, if you learn how to drive them. Unlike a regular snowmachine you drive them more like a pickup, slow down and lug it and let them climb up on top. But when you get them stuck you are in for some work, unlike one of the little old Tundras you aren't grabbing one end and lifting them up or yanking them around. I always pack a shovel and a winch that go on either end... or roll it back over if it is belly up and I can't.

Pack a couple extra belts.

and a bottle of Ibuprofen

Wow that is snow, well in August they said the ocean current had set up different for this fall's weather.
Sure looks like that long handled shovel is getting a work-out

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice guys
Plan B didn't happen yesterday. My buddy ran his line on Saturday about 10 miles from me and when he got back in we talked, -22 and the snow conditions had not changed at all. He got stuck more times than we did when we went out the first time! So I made the call to scratch it.
So it is on to plan C.
My other buddy will be down here on Wednesday with his super wide's. It is supposed to warm up. +7 and the wind is kicking today so hopefully that will be in my benefit.

Bearcat my buddy is picking up a new winch tomorrow. Hopefully we wont need to use it on Wednesday but if we do I will get some pic's.

Got the ATA meeting / potluck in Eagle River tomorrow evening and looking forward to seeing some fellow trappers!

Be safe out there guys!

Good luck breaking trail
Was planning on making the potluck but am in seward working till Wednesday