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Hello and Happy New Year Trappers.. Made it across the river on New Year's Eve and spent 6 days mostly breaking trail but did get a little gear out.
Snow was deep but that wasn't the problem. The crust on top made it hard to break trail. I learned a little about the Expedition over the past two weeks. I've always hated the fact that it digs a deeper hole when you are already stuck and trying to get out. The Skandic didn't seem to do that. If you put it in Eco Mode, it doesn't spin the track and will crawl out. That was pretty crazy. I don't like to run in Eco mode breaking trail or on overflow but to get unstuck, it worked awesome. Something else I learned .... but now I cannot remember what it was.. River froze high so the creek was a little difficult but got a good trail laid in now. Overflow wasn't bad at all.
Had a big blow up there for a couple days and that cleaned off the ridges and any loose snow. Took a couple days to get up to Pee Post Pass and get some gear planted.
Picked up a couple sheds along the way and that always makes me happy. Saw a ton of moose and thay seem to be doing fine in the deep snow. Saw lots of calves but only one set of twins.
Spent 6 days and had to come in for a Dr appointment and resupply. A wolverine cleaned out one of my free baits at a marten feeding station. I'd seen a few fresh lynx tracks along with a couple coyote tracks so expected to have a couple lynx and a coyote upon my return. Set a few marten poles on the way back into the cabin across the flats and came on the free bait and look who showed back up.
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
Re: AKHowler's 2013-14 Journal
[Re: AKHowler]
#7776162 01/19/2301:29 AM01/19/2301:29 AM
I expected there to be another one with all the sign around there and on the trail both directions. After further investigation, it looked like he was a young male dispersing and was laying claim to that area. His tracks were on the trail for about 12 miles and he was marking at every Grizzly bear marking tree along the trail. Pretty big for his britches if ya ask me. I did see sign of a couple more wolverine throughout the line though. I was really surprised when I checked the gear that I 'd set and found nothing else waiting. Two days later I found my first lynx waiting for me in the Catch-all set.
Ended up catching another lynx and 5 marten on the way back to town yesterday afternoon. Ordered a fuel pump for the Expedition as she got left in the shop out at the cabin. Learned my lesson last time after the 20 hour 35 mile walk. Rode the ol Skandic out.
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
Re: AKHowler's 2013-14 Journal
[Re: AKHowler]
#7776419 01/19/2311:42 AM01/19/2311:42 AM
Awesome update and a good way to kick things off! Envious of all the sheds your finding Hope the wolves cooperate and come through where your gear is! Be safe out there Wildman!
Glad to see you out on the line and picking up some fur. That cave set looks interesting, curious how it works out for you this season. Thanks for taking the time to take and edit videos of your experiences.
The one trail camera is still messing up on the time/date stamp.
Got the lynx and marten put up, the Scandic put back together and a little more work to do on my sled. Hoping to head back out Tuesday
broncoformudv.... My #3's are 4-coiled, offset, most are laminated and the jaw tips are welded to jaws. I've held a few wolves in them solid anchored but they were all pups and didn't fight the trap. Good luck and be safe out there
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
I was observing how you broke fresh trail, and figured you to be shifting your weight at times as you corrected direction....to influence steering , is my guess , anyway. That's what I do on horses when weaving through trees , holes and rocks on the trail . You must have put a lot of time making those pathways over the years.
I'm not the only one who learns something then can't remember what it was lol. Got a good laugh out of your video chopping off the rotted down grizzly fat. I can only imagine how loud that smell was.
Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand
Re: AKHowler's 2013-14 Journal
[Re: AKHowler]
#7783735 01/27/2307:25 AM01/27/2307:25 AM
Hello Trappers, did a short 3 day trip to the cabin. Took a buddy with a new Expedition SWT 900 Ace Turbo. What a beast. I started the trip off a little rough loosing a part of my cowling on the road. Wasn't a problem on the trail but off trail in the deep snow, belt would get wet. Taped a garbage bag over it and that worked pretty well as long as the tape stuck. Picked up a few marten on the way in
Picked up a couple more antlers even after 6 more inches of snow
I get just as excited over finding antlers as I do fur. I sure was happy to see a little snow but the lack of fresh sign was disappointing. The caribou tripped a few pee posts and that stinky baited set at SMG. The coyote came in behind the tripped trap and dug out the bait staying way clear of the tripped MB750. Kyle did good riding and that SWT pulled the groomer effortlessly. On the way out yesterday day, we got lucky.
She ended being a 96# female. Didn't see any other sign. In fact, 34 miles across the flats, I cut one fresh marten, 2 ermine and a couple grouse tracks. Pretty hungry country all of the sudden. All the baits were still hanging on the marten poles. I'm not grooming the trail across the flats this year to deter joy riders. Dang I miss that groomed trail.
Saw a few caribou on the trip out and they stopped for a quick photo shoot.
The Tanana was happy and froze up covered in a fresh blanket of snow Got some fur to put up and machines to work on this weekend
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
Very nice fuzzy wuff. Perfect carving material, those antlers will be. And always love seeing marten. Caribou always reminds me of a Jersey cow , in the face.
Man, the colours on that overflow...the new snow on the flats and mountains is sublimely beautiful.
Good job walking that dog out of that tangled brush and deep snow. That took strength.