"The greatest trapper ever"
#7859952
05/05/23 12:09 PM
05/05/23 12:09 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214 Idaho
Salthunter
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214
Idaho
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While unpacking some items in my shop, I was reminded of a long ago day trip 1989.
My wife and I had moved to Clark county Washington. For the opening of trapping season I had driven 45 mi into the Gifford Pinchot national Forest. I had set four snares on a log crossing on Rock creek. Then three other snares and 4 ft holes on drags about a half a mile away from the creek.
The owner of the construction company we worked for came out of the job site. Tell us he was buying us lunch and we're going out to check my traps that had set the day before. The boss had done a little trapping when he was younger. And today was a reward for us completely passing framing inspection without corrections. We walked back to the Creek crossing, with three of the 4 snares down. I had two bobcats and a coyote on a log crossing. A short drive down to Forest service road and a little hike in to check the remaining traps and snares I had another bobcat and three coyotes. So three bobcats and four coyotes in 11 sets. Seven snares four traps.
My boss proclaimed me the "greatest trapper ever."
I'm guessing most of us have had a unique situations that thoroughly impressed someone else or others.
Let's hear some of those stories.
I have kind of another unique story. It was Christmas break and a buddy and I were duck hunting. We were in the middle of a 3000 acre lake. And I had made an off-handed comment that I can catch a beaver anywhere . Next day I took a steel T post, three snares and a handful of alder branches. I was about 3/4 of a mile from any shoreline. I set the snares.
The following day we came back and I had a beaver. My buddy was so impressed He wanted to learn how to trap. He has run a beaver removal business ever since.
Work hard play hard
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7859959
05/05/23 12:27 PM
05/05/23 12:27 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,400 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,400
james bay frontierOnt.
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I was trapping nuisance beaver on the railroad north of Otter rapids in the James bay lowlands in late October when the beaver were still cutting feed. I set 34 beaver traps the day before,and when I checked them the next day I had 32 beaver and 1 muskrat.Almost all were blind sets. Never had anything close to that before or since.
Last edited by Boco; 05/05/23 12:27 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7859960
05/05/23 12:27 PM
05/05/23 12:27 PM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394
Interior Alaska
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I didn’t know that it was legal to snare in Washington.
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!
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Oh Snap]
#7859964
05/05/23 12:37 PM
05/05/23 12:37 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214 Idaho
Salthunter
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214
Idaho
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I didn’t know that it was legal to snare in Washington. 1989
Work hard play hard
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7859982
05/05/23 12:58 PM
05/05/23 12:58 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,099 Ames, IA
MikeTraps2
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,099
Ames, IA
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I once set up a nuisance beaver job on a small creek. I put in 5 sets, 4 footholds and 1 snare. The next day I pull in the field and the farmer says "Dang you got 4 beaver down there on the creek! You sure are good" of course I had to act like I did that ll the time. I did wipe out the colony in that one night though ![laugh laugh](/forum/images/graemlins/default/laugh.gif)
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure
Theodore Roosevelt
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7859990
05/05/23 01:31 PM
05/05/23 01:31 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 206 Ridgefield, WA
Bearguy
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 206
Ridgefield, WA
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I did animal control for mostly timber companies for years. I got map and directions to a new spot for a new company one year. I found that I was on a new road with fresh logging here and there. When I arrived at the problem area it was quite a sight. There were 4 culverts plugged up and water was running everywhere. I set 9 conibears and felt pretty confident I would do well. A few days later I was back and had 8 big beaver. As I was removing my boots for the drive home a pickup pulled up. It was the forester for the company, he was pleased. A few days later I got a call from my boss, he said he had just talked to the forester that I just mentioned. He said he was really impressed, I told my boss that I had impressed myself quite a bit!
All you "Woke" people need to go back to sleep!
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860028
05/05/23 02:50 PM
05/05/23 02:50 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,621 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,621
Oregon
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The first time I ever set traps in Siltcoos lake on the Oregon coast it became obvious to me that it had not been molested in years. Beaver scent mounds were often two feet tall! I caught 22 beaver out of 23 traps. All conibears. I was trapping out of a 12 ft Jon boat and barely had 4" of freeboard. Luckily the lake was flat that day and I got home without mishap. On many winter days the lake had whitecaps!
Out of curiosity I weighed all those beaver and they averaged out at 45 lbs each.
Last edited by beaverpeeler; 05/05/23 02:50 PM.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860043
05/05/23 03:32 PM
05/05/23 03:32 PM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394
Interior Alaska
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I have hung 1 snare in a STRATEGIC spot more than once and caught a wolf, does that count…lol
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!
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860106
05/05/23 05:49 PM
05/05/23 05:49 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,378 Wisconsin
RdFx
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,378
Wisconsin
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Yea but Jtrapper if you would have staked your traps you might have caught something. I was looking the other day for a writing instrument and low and behold there was your pen !
RdFx
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860185
05/05/23 08:14 PM
05/05/23 08:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 298 NY
trappermac NY
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 298
NY
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Had a nuisance job for beaver at Attica prison. For liability reasons they had to have a guard accompany me wherever I went. Told him to wear muck boots or hip boots if he wanted to stay close. First day was a walk in to scout the problem area, one guard with me. Was a small colony and it looked like a half dozen 330's would do the trick. Next day same guard follows me as I set, nice guy, I learned alot about prison politics as we chatted while I set. First check day, same guard, we run the sets and 4 sets connect. The guard couldn't believe it. Next day, second check, three more guards showed up to "tag along"...lol. Took 2 more and they carried them out for me.
Side note...we got back to where I park next to the maintenance building, a few NY city prisoners were painting steel rails. One of the guards picked up a beaver and walked over to them and says "you guys ever see a water woodchuck?"
Member NYSTA, NTA, FBU, ECTA
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860317
05/05/23 10:49 PM
05/05/23 10:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,030 Eastern Shore, MD
JoMiBru
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,030
Eastern Shore, MD
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Years ago, my brother and I were checking traps after school. I had just started driving he was only 14. I parked the truck and we ran down this creek to check otter traps and I had a snare on a log crossing over the creek. I had a gray fox in the snare. The snare was destroyed, very kinked up, and we didn’t bring one along to replace it. I opened the loop about 3”, and laid it flat on the log crossing, with the twisted support wire to hold it in place. (Just for the heck of it really). The next day we had a red fox by the foot in that same snare. We couldn’t believe it!
Replaced the snare that time though, that was a great log crossing.
John
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860404
05/06/23 06:22 AM
05/06/23 06:22 AM
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 14,472 Michigan
Trapper Dahlgren
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 14,472
Michigan
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well this might count, yesterday while I was working a gun and knife show, giving out free samples of beaver slim-jam's , a guys and his son start talking about his neighbor having a real good trappers come in and trap the beaver, he goes on to tell me that this guy set 4 sets and got 3 beaver, on the first night, he say maybe I know of him, his name is trapper ROY , lol ![laugh laugh](/forum/images/graemlins/default/laugh.gif)
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7860438
05/06/23 07:12 AM
05/06/23 07:12 AM
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Mark June
Unregistered
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Mark June
Unregistered
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Roy, THAT is funny friend! Thanks for the chuckle.
Blessings, Mark
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Oh Snap]
#7860503
05/06/23 08:37 AM
05/06/23 08:37 AM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,823 PA
w side rd 151
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,823
PA
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I have hung 1 snare in a STRATEGIC spot more than once and caught a wolf, does that count…lol Catching a target animal with just one set is certainly a good indication that you know what you are dong.
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Swamp Wolf]
#7860525
05/06/23 08:50 AM
05/06/23 08:50 AM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,823 PA
w side rd 151
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,823
PA
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I've had near 200 traps out b4 and caught only 1 possum.......does that count? Well it would not be far to say that catching a possum does not count . But it only makes sense to inform everyone that the possum is the fastest animal on earth .How else can you explain that nearly all of the perfect can canine sets you made the day before are all clogged with psosum
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Swamp Wolf]
#7867161
05/17/23 07:16 PM
05/17/23 07:16 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214 Idaho
Salthunter
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 214
Idaho
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I've had near 200 traps out b4 and caught only 1 possum.......does that count? I've been trapping 15 years before I caught my first possum.
Work hard play hard
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7867166
05/17/23 07:31 PM
05/17/23 07:31 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,057 Asheville, NC
charles
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,057
Asheville, NC
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I once set six Conibear buckets on a marsh island across from a fish house. Baited the buckets with fresh tuna caught that day. Next morning I had five raccoons and a nutria. Often wondered what the nutria was doing at my set since it was a vegetarian. I could have gone six for six except for that darn nutria.
Those were resident coons. Workers threw them trash fish every day. I snuck in late and checked out early and had to keep a secret.
Last edited by charles; 05/17/23 07:33 PM.
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7867302
05/18/23 04:09 AM
05/18/23 04:09 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,849 M.T.V. Alaska
yukonjeff
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,849
M.T.V. Alaska
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One fall we had a black wolf that would come into the village every night. It became famous and all the men in the village were locked and loaded and driving around hunting it every night with lights. This went on for about a month and folks were getting paranoid about sending their kids to school in the morning. Some were carrying guns to walk in town or to the store. One day I walked up the hill behind my house and set a single snare on the narrow part of the ridge barely wide enough for a snare. On the third day I was fishing eels and forgot to check it but a buddy came and picked me up and said he shot the black wolf and asked if I had a snare set . I confirmed I did set a snare. He brought me to the gas station where most of the village had gathered to gawk at the now dread famous black wolf that was terrorizing the village. I got a hero’s welcome and felt like Peter and the wolf for a day. ![smile smile](/forum/images/graemlins/default/smile.gif)
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Swamp Wolf]
#7867340
05/18/23 06:10 AM
05/18/23 06:10 AM
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 4,858 illinois
jalstat
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 4,858
illinois
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I've had near 200 traps out b4 and caught only 1 possum.......does that count? Been there and done that makes one scratch his head doesn't it
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7867498
05/18/23 12:53 PM
05/18/23 12:53 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,226 MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
Trapper7
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,226
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
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I think my greatest success story on the trapline was where I had set one 330 Belisle Super X on each corner of an old beaver dam for otter. As was often the custom with otter, nothing for about a week. Then one day I checked and had two otter in one of the traps and one otter in the other trap. I thought 3 otter for 2 traps was pretty good.
If everything is so great now, why are they promising to fix everything on Day 1?
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Swamp Wolf]
#7867507
05/18/23 01:16 PM
05/18/23 01:16 PM
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 12,282 SW Georgia
Wanna Be
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 12,282
SW Georgia
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I've had near 200 traps out b4 and caught only 1 possum.......does that count? My hero! Sounds crazy, but I think a lot of new trappers need to see this. I know when I started out I almost quit because I’d catch like crazy at first then nothing. I thought I didn’t know what I was doing (still question that at times) and thought maybe they need to get someone else to trap for them. It took some asking and reading to realize you’re not going to have a full line every single day. Generally the more sets you have out the greater your odds. But, you can’t catch what ain’t there in some cases.
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Wanna Be]
#7867538
05/18/23 02:58 PM
05/18/23 02:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,400 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,400
james bay frontierOnt.
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I've had near 200 traps out b4 and caught only 1 possum.......does that count? My hero! Sounds crazy, but I think a lot of new trappers need to see this. I know when I started out I almost quit because I’d catch like crazy at first then nothing. I thought I didn’t know what I was doing (still question that at times) and thought maybe they need to get someone else to trap for them. It took some asking and reading to realize you’re not going to have a full line every single day. Generally the more sets you have out the greater your odds. But, you can’t catch what ain’t there in some cases. Catch will naturally drop off as time goes on.generally speaking.Exceptions are sets made on dispersal routes at choke points earlier in the season.And a couple other instances like some late spring beaver set locations,Millette set in winter,etc. These sets will produce fur on extended checks. A savvy trapper will add new sets by extending the line,and leave productive sets and move the dead ones. This will keep you skinning.
Last edited by Boco; 05/18/23 03:06 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Salthunter]
#7867651
05/18/23 05:55 PM
05/18/23 05:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394 Interior Alaska
Oh Snap
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 2,394
Interior Alaska
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The “dead sets” are the most productive I have found. If I move a set thinking it’s dead that set location will invariably be visited. I just expand!
Last edited by Oh Snap; 05/18/23 05:56 PM.
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!
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Re: "The greatest trapper ever"
[Re: Oh Snap]
#7867654
05/18/23 06:02 PM
05/18/23 06:02 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 13,713 South Ga - Almost Florida
Swamp Wolf
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 13,713
South Ga - Almost Florida
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The “dead sets” are the most productive I have found. If I move a set thinking it’s dead that set location will invariably be visited. I just expand! This ^^^ I leave a set a minimum of 10 nights....
Thank God For Your Blessings! Never Half-Arse Anything!
Resource Protection Service
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