Thanks Bruce. I've seen a wide variety in our marten color out here, I prefer the darker ones for sure. I will have to find a picture of one of my first marten. It was very pale and just a monster!

Would like to see that

I would like to see some pictures of your new and improved design. Maybe you could post a few?

Great stuff, love it!

Did you ever have trouble with birds with boxes facing up?

You got it milkcrate. Should be done with them some time this week. Waiting for some hardware cloth in the mail. Mail to rural Alaska is painfully slow.

It was my first time setting them that way this season and nothing yet. I’ve gotten birds in 330 cubbies/crates, down facing marten boxes, but mostly marten pole sets.

Good stuff

Great pics.

Who is this? I don't recognize her.

Here is the western Akaska version of the white 17 snare pole set. Try it only with a decent spruce tree.

Update time.

Ran the gear yesterday, I don't have much out right now only about 16 marten sets. We had some negative temps a few days ago followed by high winds and freezing rain, and when I checked yesterday it was 34 and raining. I got soaked after driving through wet brush and rebaiting and adding more lure to my sets. Most of the sets are protected from the weather, the one that weren't I wiped down and hopefully they all function after it freezes. I pulled 4 marten out, which was a pleasant surprise. I haven't seen sign of bigger furbearers moving around too much yet but I'll start setting for those soon. I've relocated from my normal trapping country this year so I'm still trying to put in some trail so I can get more sets going. It's still very bumpy out there, there's some snow but not enough to cover all of the rough tundra and brush yet. All in all I feel like it was a good day out in the country. I'm a working man with a young family so I don't have as much time as I want but I make do. I'm hoping as it gets smoother, trips will be faster and I can bring the family on some trips.

I've conducted a little experiment last weekend while setting some gear. I set my coni boxes next to some proven pole sets with footholds. Same bait, and lure smack in the middle of them. Here's the results

Little hard to see the pole in this one but its back there. That one was was set by the original set maker, Clarence Jr.

This one had a beaver foot with good meat on the bone on the pole and the box had a little chunk of beaver meat with fur.

Both sets are still set with fresh bait, I'll keep you guys informed.

As promised. My first marten I got when I was in high school. Hanging on the wall in my mother's house.

That is a super pale marten! Interesting your boxes seem to be attracting the marten more than the pole sets are. They must be some curious critters.

Does that crab trap you posted with the wide entry fish well?

It does well. I like it better than a regular circle shaped pot with just a 16 inch round entry.

Very nice.Love having the feet left on them.

Here's my new and improved design. Pretty much the same as my last ones but I made one side of the box longer so that it's easier to put screws in it onto a tree. I used 18 ga. staples this time too compared to finish nails and glue. They should be a lot sturdier.



I use these on the inside to hold my bait in. Holds well and quick to change bait.

My 155 fits nice in there it'll fit a belisle 120 also and regular 120s. I could've made it a little narrower but better to be on the safe side so my springs wont jam in there.

Nice, those look good. I build mine to fit a 155 with a little wiggle room also, 120's work good in them too. It does bug me that there's a gap when I use a 120, but I don't want 2 different size boxes. I started making mine with a long side for fastening purposes too, way easier than trying to put in screws or especially nails inside a box.

Looking good.

Thank you. Those look great. Is the wire screen just held in by pressure?