Figured I'd keep this updated on my small line this season for anyone interested in following. October I made 6 fox sets and pulled after a couple days and a catch once deer rifle opened. Then a few days ago caught 5 muskrats in blind or baited sets. Next day had 2 porcupines and Another couple muskrats. Yesterday, missed a coyote and today had a coyote and another red fox.

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Good stuff! I used to fly out of Great falls to all the little hospitals on the Hi-Line, truly God's country up there!

Very nice!

keep the updates coming. good stuff

It is until it's 40 below!

Very cool Eric. Quite a change in country from north Idaho!!!

Very true Mike there isn't anywhere quite like the hi line of Montana ! Eric keep up the good work up there !

Absolutely Mike, pretty much the opposite in terms of country. This was a ranch I set up yesterday afternoon.

Couldn't get to one of my areas due to gumbo roads. Will go in the morning, should freeze tonight. On another ranch I set up on Thursday, caught another quill pig on a trail set with a small dab of lure.

Ran my short line this morning before work. Caught a beautiful female yote in a blind set, remade as a dirt hole with chaff backing. Also caught a muskrat in a Johnny Thorpe puzzle set for coon/mink.

This morning ran half my line. Empty until the last trap I had to check, a Johnny Thorpe puzzle set along a slough. Had this nicely furred but very wet coon in a Victor #2 long spring. 4th catch and 2nd species on that same remake.

Some days on the line just make you want to pull your hair out. Had 4 of 10 foot holds tripped by deer on one of the ranches I'm trapping. The other area I'm trapping a fox or coyote pulled my t-bone out of the ground without getting caught, then walked over to a remake from a fox, set the t-bone down there and worked the remake flat set without getting caught. I'll wait that one out. Then to top it off, pinched myself pretty good on the palm of my hand between the jaws and lever of a 550.

If it was easy we wouldn't enjoy it so much

Good day on the line today. Had my first ever badger in a trail set with some Dobbins lure. Then had another coyote in my other area on a trail set with a coyote turd on it. I skinned the badger with feet on and will tan it this spring.

Awesome badger' quite the earth movers on his feet!

Had a nicely furred male yesterday in a fox remake. Other than that coyote was a bit of a rough day on the line. Frozen in trap with fox tracks right on the pan, another set a coyote peed on my set but missed the pan. That one should catch, just gotta wait em out. Had a flat tire right as I pulled back into home yesterday, which actually works out because I'm putting new tires on my pickup tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Great looking coyote! Congratulations on keeping at it. Happy Thanksgiving.

Pulled traps yesterday in one area I'm trapping. If the foot of snow we got drifts and it will, I won't be able to get in there anymore. Focusing now on a ranch I'm trapping which is going to be difficult, but gotta persevere. Nothing moved last night in the -14 temps and fresh snow except deer. Cleared off 7 of my 12 sets and remade the 2 that were frozen in.

no more easy twappin! stay after it

Been to NW Montana and the panhandle of Idaho on vacation, I would move to either tomorrow if my wife would go for it! I'm so jealous of you guys that get to trap in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Dakotas, etc.....
Thanks for posting this, I truly enjoy it!

Lots of good, multi species trapping in both those areas you visited. I moved out here to the prairie from North Idaho. I love it out here but do miss the timber and mountains at times.

I like those coyote pics!

Second attempt in as many days to get into the ranch I'm trapping. Horrible snow conditions for driving. 35 degrees and raining yesterday on top of a foot of snow. Then a good freeze last night. Super heavy, dense, borderline wet snow this morning. Got stuck twice dug out both times got turned around and out. Will go back tomorrow with a pack frame and hike in. The joys of winter trapping.

Do you have a snowmobile?

We don't normally get enough snow to justify one. Only about 36" of snow a year. Times like this make me consider getting a used one, even only using it a few weeks out of the year.

Was able to drive most of the way in today...barely. hiked in the last 3/4 mile. Nice female in a dirt hole. 5th catch on Flashpoint bait by Yes Sir on here.

Looks like a pretty coyote. You earned him.

That's some hard work! I'd fly out there just to tag along and help you shovel snow when you get stuck!!!! I have a buddy that lives in Lewistown, MT, but he's not a trapper.

You sound like a glutton for punishment haha.

Ill give you an A+ for motivation!!! Lol

Not much moving last night in the wind and 6 more inches of snow but did come across some smoking hot coyote tracks by a frozen cattle pond and punched a set in. Dirt hole/hay mound with some bait, gland lure and curiosity lure. It's constant maintenance up there every time I check clearing the snow and especially drifts off the sets.

Wow Eric do you have snow, all mud down here.
Best of luck

Well after a couple days of temps in the 40s and rain it was a different type of trapline maintenance. Instead of clearing snow and drifts off my sets it was remaking ones that needed remade due to the mud. The wind had blown my sifted dirt off a couple of traps as well. Here is a remake from the last coyote catch. 40s and rain again today then Thursday evening through Saturday morning we're supposed to get up to 12" of snow with temps below zero. Then back up in the 40s most of next week.

Wish you would send some of the cold this way.It has been 50 and raining for a week and supposed to last for another week and a half. I would like some cold weather.

Yeah Ted, I saw North Idaho and Western MT is flooding. That weather sucks. I'd be happy to send some your way but that would mean our cold would have to stick around for more than 3 days at a time. Most Bi-polar winter I think I've ever experienced with deep cold/warm up rotations. Nothing on last night's check. No signs of critters moving except deer. Possible I have frozen-in traps. We got an inch of rain that was immediately followed up by -2 temps.

Tried getting to the ranch I'm trapping today. It's in the mountains and there was 14" of snow from last night on the 2 Mile road in. Made it about a mile and came to a huge drift over 3 feet deep. Decided not to push my luck in the 0 degree temps and backed out until I got to a spot I could turn around. Next 4 days were getting a crazy warm up. 52 degrees Monday. 40s every day until Thursday. Will try again tomorrow or Monday.

50 degrees today roads are muck. Didn't want to tear up my landowners road so put up the badger I caught. About like an otter to flesh. Took a bit over an hour to flesh including feet. Will flip it tomorrow or maybe late tonight.