What a great thread....just went through the entire thing. Down to earth, honest, educational. Boco...you live what most of us only dream of, and thank you for bringing it to life. You need to consider a book....!

I forgot most of my trapping years already trappermac,lol

That’s the thing. Who keeps a journal? Dave Vandermeers book is really good, but he was a kid, in the bush who thought it might be a good thing to bring a book, and wrote in his journal before bed in his shack. Frank Glaser book is also kinda based on his diary.
Great pics and tails of the season Boco!…but it’s not quite over yet.

Went out scouting on the close lines today,looking for some open water.
None yet even though the temps are fairly warm.managed to get in 3 pressure sets at some old dams.
Nearly got the truck bottomed out on an old snow covered backroad,was able to back out in 4x4 but pretty dodgy.
At least I had a shovel glad didnt have to use it.
Should be able to get some more sets in every couple days as the snow melts and the creeks open up.
Once the trails and logging roads are clear of snow here I will head up to the north line for a little beaver action.
The bike is in the truck today,fixed all the broken triggers on the 330s and made up a few oz of my version of Bob Wilsons green beaver lure.

Ice was dicey in some spots this morning. I wouldn’t try it this afternoon. Buddy went through in the “shallow” spots setting for rats. But he’s bigger and clumsy….lol. Asked how the old hip waders I borrowed him are supposed to stay up. I said to attach them to your belt, and he’s wearing sweatpants….lol. Me and his boy just told him to stay on shore before he wrecks his friggin knee. Pulled a 35 & 40lber out though. Lots of open water past the dam. Huge castor mounds. Beaver on both sides getting ready for battle I guess.



He rode home in his boxers.

Should look like that here in a couple weeks.
Only good for pressure sets right now,beaver aint moving yet though,but will on the first good rain.
Still lots of snow here in places.

Picked up one big beaver today at one of the 3 pressure sets I made two days ago.
It has just started to rain today so the beaver should start moving soon,

What are pressure sets? Or why are they called that? Not familiar with them. Really enjoy following your posts.

Boco has his own vocabulary for sets. First you must join the Boco Fan Club then you will be sent a decoder ring via Canda post.

A pressure set is a set made where aquatic animals follow the water pressure at a pinch point usually at a dam.A point set(what some call a bottom edge set) is also a pressure set.Some are natural and some are man made.A Millette set is a type of pressure set modified to work thru the winter even when temps get very low by creating an ice tunnel over a beaver dam.Millette set will take every aquatic animal using a watershed in winter so must be careful using it to not wipe out otter pops.
Very old common set.I thought all water trappers made pressure sets.In the old days they were made using foothold traps on a slide wire or made using a snare pole.The advent of bodygrips improved the set allowing multiple catches at one location on extended checks.
Funnel traps set in culverts are another type of pressure set.
The number one requirement of a pressure set is a constant flow of water.

That makes sense Boco, just haven’t ever heard those types of sets referred to that way in my very limited experience. Thanks for explaining.

A few bags of fur loaded to drop off in North Bay tomorrow for the June sale.
I;ll see if the men have any word on the buyers registered or expected to come for the sale.


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Nice! Dropping off Friday morning on the way to Brandon. I finally got ole one toe this morning. She holed up pretty good until now.
I bet alotta trappers use pressure sets, they just don’t know it…lol.

That's a dandy of a bobcat.Congrats.

You still taking a few beaver Rob? Bears are out, Im heading up thurs.

Yes Graham,I've been trapping some open water spring beaver since mid april.
Still got sets out,fur is still good with only a couple with a bite or two around the head.
Snow is mostly gone now on the logging roads but still some on the shaded trails and in the bush.
Bears are out but not many yet.
Got the first nuisance contract yesterday up north,and expecting more-lots of beaver activity on the way up.

Boco, any work on the sale when you dropped off?

Talked with a couple guys they expect another good sale with the Chinese starting to play in the high fashon fur game now which is a change from the past.
It was a big surprize that the Chinese took almost all the high end cats at the last sale and other high end fur.
This is new for the Chinese as they usually want cheaper fur in bulk for low price.

Doing a bit of nuisance work lately on the line.
This area continues to fill in with beaver,I trap this area in the fall winter and spring seasons,and still have nuisance beaver to remove in summer every year.Real beaver factory.

Tanned up the cannibalized wolves from last season,one half skins sold right away also one head skin.
Just finished up this one.Quite a bit of good fur on half a wolf.