The ones that got away
#7813969
03/06/23 01:32 AM
03/06/23 01:32 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
It was a weird year. It started out with a big pack of wolves running around. I got a black the first couple days of the season, got the smallest grey I've caught a couple weeks later. He was about 52lbs. Then the wolves basically disappeared for the season. Never saw sign of the big pack again, there was a smaller pack of 3 or 4 that I saw sign of a couple times, but very random and impossible to pattern. We went out to close down the line today, and of course as soon as we got on the trail there was a pack of 5 making a mess all over the place. Ended up putting some sets in for them (probably won't be back before end of season) and closed down most everything else. Got to one of the sets and had a big swamp donkey in a #9. He'd been there for a while by the looks of it. Sitting there trying to figure out what to do, decided to deal with him on the way back. As we fired past him on the sleds he gave a couple good tugs and released himself. Thankful for that, but he twisted up that trap pretty good. That makes two busted 9s for the year, another one got run over by heavy equipment. Then two more that are hopefully where I left them, another run in with a misguided trail clearing rodeo from some loggers. I'll have to try to find them in the spring. May have to hit up JR for some jaw reshaping tips. Further down the trail we cut the first set of wolverine tracks in 10 years. Pretty cool, hope I have some move in to play with next year. Crossed those tracks a couple more times on the trail. A little over 2 miles as the crow flies from where we first saw the tracks, probably 4 trail miles away, there is a wolf bait station. Well this guy hit a wolf snare in there and got hung up for awhile. They sure make a mess of things. He twisted around and busted loose. The tracks we saw was him heading out of Dodge. Can't see real well, but the cable is twisted up something fierce. From the looks of it, we only missed him by a day. No snow in the tracks. Anyway, kinda crazy. First sign in forever, and he hit a bait pile. Bummer to lose him, hope he doesn't hole up and die somewhere. The season closed a few days ago, but I don't think I would have been an upstanding enough citizen to turn in my first wolverine. Maybe some of his buddies will join him next year. Ended up with two wolves, four tom cats, 18 marten, a few yotes, some ermine, one fox. As the year went on there was less and less sign of any kind around. One local guy theorizes that the canines are dying off due to lack of food. Could be, don't think I've ever seen so little sign. There's always next year, right?
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7814129
03/06/23 11:28 AM
03/06/23 11:28 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365
Interior Alaska
|
In your last paragraph you mention that a local trapper thinks it’s lack of food that caused lack of fur. Well the wolves have been eating pet dogs here in town so probably he is right!
Thanks for your write up, it was good!
Last edited by Oh Snap; 03/06/23 11:30 AM.
I love the smell of burning spruce---I love the sound of a spring time goose---I love the feel of 40 below---from my trapline I will never go!
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7814203
03/06/23 01:30 PM
03/06/23 01:30 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378 fairbanks,ak.
isnarewolves
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378
fairbanks,ak.
|
yes smalltime your trap can be fixed and should be good as new. I have seen worst.
Life is hard. It's even harder if your stupid!
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7814206
03/06/23 01:37 PM
03/06/23 01:37 PM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,686 Alaska
drasselt
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,686
Alaska
|
I'd take ten bent traps rather than rodeo with a moose!
you can vote your way into socialism, but you will have to shoot your way out.
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7814249
03/06/23 02:29 PM
03/06/23 02:29 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,365
Interior Alaska
|
Sourdough and I Wrestled down over 10caribou one day that were in 9’s. He got hit in the chest with one that had just been caught. We were too close to the catch circle. The rack extends way beyond their front feet….lol
I had a new trapper with me and when I told him how to walk up slowly and grab the rack and wrestle the bou down and I’ll remove the trap. He questioned why he was doing the wrestling my reply was your younger. He did good and the caribou went on its way unhurt!
Nothing like laying on a caribou looking it in its big eye while the trap is removed. Usually you have to force them to get up and leave. I really think they like being in contact with a trapper! Kill a wolf save game!
I love the smell of burning spruce---I love the sound of a spring time goose---I love the feel of 40 below---from my trapline I will never go!
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7815772
03/08/23 01:16 PM
03/08/23 01:16 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378 fairbanks,ak.
isnarewolves
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378
fairbanks,ak.
|
I really never had a trap that could not be repaired. Oh Snap had brough me some that dozer had literal flatten them. I was able to fix them.
Last edited by isnarewolves; 03/08/23 01:17 PM.
Life is hard. It's even harder if your stupid!
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7815775
03/08/23 01:19 PM
03/08/23 01:19 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,278 NWT
Ryan McLeod
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,278
NWT
|
The good thing is you know theyre around for next year
If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7815995
03/08/23 07:19 PM
03/08/23 07:19 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555 Fairbanks Alaska
AKHowler
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 555
Fairbanks Alaska
|
So close to catching your wolverine. They are something else for sure. Thanks for sharing your adventure this season. It seems as fur was pretty scares all over.
As for fixing the #9's, they are all repairable but sometimes it is more cost effective to purchase a new one by the time you figure your time in. I have straightened some pretty bad ones myself over the years. Many hours of banging away with a beater and anvil. The center swivel on the base plate really helps on the frame not bending. Not much you can do for a dozer running them over. I have extra jaws if you need them.
Alaskan #9 Trap Company JR Pederson PO BOX 58226 Fairbanks AK 99711 cell# 907-378-7291 pedersonjr@yahoo.com
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7818032
03/11/23 02:20 AM
03/11/23 02:20 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352 Interior Alaska
smalltimetrapper
OP
small greenhorn
|
OP
small greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,352
Interior Alaska
|
I straightened out the moose trap today. Took it apart and went after it. I used a nut driver to control the springs for removal and replacement. The hollow shaft fits over the spring and you can remove it to take tension off the lever. For jaw removal, bend the hooks out enough on one side to let them come out of the frame, the other end can be removed leaving the hooks bent. Here is one jaw done. I think a piece of 8" pipe would be about right for an anvil for reshaping jaws. I quickly dismissed the idea of using the acetylene tank, although it looked to be about the right size, lol. I had to beat the base flat and fix up the ears. While it was all in pieces I took a wire wheel to it and cleaned it up a bit. Not perfectly shaped, but the jaws meet up pretty good and it works just fine. In order to get the loose jaw to lay mostly flat I had to take a size xxl slip joint pliers and tweak the levers pretty hard toward the loose jaw. It layed out decently enough after that. This was the easy one, I will give the other one a go at some point.
|
|
|
Re: The ones that got away
[Re: smalltimetrapper]
#7819017
03/12/23 01:30 PM
03/12/23 01:30 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378 fairbanks,ak.
isnarewolves
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378
fairbanks,ak.
|
I had to take a size xxl slip joint pliers and tweak the levers pretty hard toward the loose jaw. It layed out decently enough after that. If you under the trap lever, you see where it looks bent. that is how you can tweak the trap so the jaw lays flat. All i used was a screwdriver to do that.
Life is hard. It's even harder if your stupid!
|
|
|
|
|