I've been running a short line with my granddaughter over Christmas break. She's been trapping with me about ten years now.

She wants to continue running the line this year when she starts back to high school. After having off all week she had to go back to class today so we decided to do a test run to see if it would work once she started back full time on Monday.

We did some figuring starting with what time she had to be at school, how long it would take her to get ready and eat breakfast and how long it would take to run the line. We counted backwards and made a plan.

I picked her up at her house at 5:30 and we ran the line. We were joking about the possibility of catching four red fox on a day we were on a schedule after only catching one or two a day when we had all the time in the world.

First stop we had one. I dispatched it. She usually does but since we were in a hurry I did. The next stop was a walk-in because the fields are still too soft to drive on. I sent her in and she signaled we had another. I grabbed the kill stick, walked in and dispatched it. She carried it out and when we got back to the truck I dropped the tailgate and was surprised to see a very alive "dispatched" fox jumping around in there. I yelled, "live fox,"' she screamed, dropped the fox she was carrying and jumped into the cab of the truck. LOL

I put the tailgate back up and was going to grab my pistol but the fox jumped over the side and took off across the field we were parked beside. It was a nice fox too, a big, nicely furred male.

We ended up with three fox this morning but only brought one home. We were missing the one that escaped of course and the last one had mange.

The good news is that we made it back to my house, weighed and hung our catch in the fur shed and she was able to get cleaned up, change clothing, have a good breakfast of eggs and scrapple and I got her to school in plenty of time.

So it looks like the test run was successful and she will continue trapping with me the rest of the season.

I offered to skin the fox but she insists on coming here after school and skinning it. She enjoys skinning them and that's how she justifies getting half the fur check (she's the one making us money because she does all the skinning).

Sounds like quite the exciting day.You and her will always remember this day.

Good for her.

Thanks for sharing. All good except for the scrapple part.

That's great! Ten years from now it will be a" Do you remember the time when " story you can keep reliving!]

Good deal

That is so cool that you have a granddaughter that wants to go trapping with you and that you want to have her along. Good for both of you!

My son and one of his buddies ran a before school line when they were in high school. They would run a week and pick up and rest a week and set back out. My son played basketball in high school and between checking traps, school, homework, basketball practice or games - made for a long day.

Sounds like a hardworking Trapper Girl!!!

Cool

Tltr,,,, simple folk need pictures and bullet lines….

great story Lugnut

X2! Ya had me at scrapple!!!

I broke it up into small, manageable paragraphs with you in mind Vinke.

Must have been really exciting to have a live fox bouncing around in the back of your truck!

Yeah!

Memories she will have forever

Awesome

I have heard about that a few times , usually when people were in a rush and often a coyote in a truck with topper.

I had it happen to me once on a possum , those suckers don't need any air , it still had the 160 on it's head which made it easy to grab

I also had it happen with 2 skunks luckily they were both still in live traps

maybe leave the death ray on and tight to the next stop where you need it or maybe it wasn't a death ray

Right on Lugnut! Making good memories and fun times!!

Bummer that fox got away!

man this is great !!!, bring back some good memories, of me and my daughter, got any pic,