Looks like the movement has been slow state wide,I know last year when 330 was up here,same wet heavy snow shut down the marten movement then the last 3 days of the season they were really out and about.Hoping they do that again this year 3 more checks, same 7 marten boxes set on fresh tracks from 7,8 days ago...Hope the season ends with a flurry of movement for everyone.

Bobcats are drying a little smaller now,first cat 39" 2,3 year old 21.5 lbs,second cat a yearling or and early kitten 14.5 lbs 33".The size doesn't really matter this year as both will be donated to our tanned fur project,I need to get another fox or coyote to add to the collection.Have a great rest of the day....

Finally made it to the cabin, dad got 9 sets out today. The kid and I hope to get 10-12 sets out tomorrow and see if dad has any fur hanging. Feels great to be back on the line,

K9 look forward to your family outing,trapline fires with your kids and set making pictures,hope your two checks go well.Fun time for your family,look forward to your pictures.

I woke up to the wolves howling outside the house at 4 am so hopefully that means the critters moved last night.

Not Quite Daylight in the Swamp

-12 here this morning. That will make some more ice.

I've been hearing varying reports of success.

Yes,good ice making weather 11 to 15" of ice on the lake and fishing has been pretty good.I'm planning on getting out next week.

What a great Winter wonderland day,cold but the sun was out no wind,warmed up to 1 above.No catches,but the martens were making tracks saw 4 tracks nothing real close to our boxes.There's a good chance there are marten in the traps from this afternoon since our morning check.3 fox were running around on two different woods road and 3 wolf pups and 1 adult made there round.Didn't see a cat track today,there due back fairly soon,thought for sure the one coyote was going to be waiting for me today,it was a no show there's new bait there so he/she should be back the ravens are making lots of noise.Set 2 MB 450's on drags along a woods road,we'll see if they come by and get caught for the tanned fur project.Tomorrow should be a good check!

Good luck tomorrow

How big an area are you running Rick? I am guessing you are covering some ground. It is snowing and blowing here again. The snow is flying sideways out of the south.

Really a short line this year,5 to 5.5 miles from home with back tracking.Probably 35 miles loop,south,southwest and northeast.With no catches 2 hour loop.

35 miles and four sets of marten tracks. It sounds like slim pickings to me. I have checked plenty of empty traps before, but little to no track is never a good sign.

About 17 miles are in the big woods,tomorrow I'm betting we will see 7 to 10 marten tracks,they just started to move today.I would be really surprised if we don't catch our last 3 in the next two checks,season ends Sunday at 11:59pm.7 boxes with 155's waiting for the marten to return.Back a few years ago I would run a 35 miles line out in the big woods running about 20 boxes most year we would have our four marten on the first or second check.The last few years I've been running 8 to 12 boxes on a shorter line.

Your only allowed 4 marten?

2 per trapper Fisher or marten,10,12 years ago we could get 5 per person,It's been 2 for too many years it should go up to 4 per person,but we can't make the laws.DNR have some of our seasons and quota's really screwed up,for example it takes 4 to 5 years to draw a bear tag,we are covered up in bears lots of ag damage getting into bird feeders trash cans and bee hives.

Why bother.
The only way I would set for marten with those kind of restrictions is if I was already running a beaver/all fur line.

We trap what we can

We don't do it for the money,we do it because we enjoy trapping them.Yes,it would be nice to have a higher limit like it was or have a 10 to 20 limit like some states have,but that's not going to happen anytime soon in MN.Why do you always post about our government when your government is just as messed up as ours or even worse Mr.Ms T is a poor excuse for a human being just like some of ours.You always want to stir the pot.....Your a good trapper and great at fur put up etc.your a good asset to T man,but you would be way better if you wouldn't stir the pot all the time.

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