I think they travel both down the Taku and can make their way down from Haines and Skagway. And even the ice fields are possible, but probably not likely for a cat. I knew a trapper that was flying over the ice fields one time and spotted a pack of I think 12 wolves coming from Canada. He followed them for some time, and eventually figured where they were headed. Being a very experienced trapper, he set about trying to trap them.
It wasn't long after that he collected all 12!
Also, a wolverine that was captured and collard in the area of my main trapline up there was tracked over the ice fields, then lost, (this was north of Juneau, about 40 miles). 2 years later, it was trapped by a trapper up Telegraph Creek!!!

Hand in the cookie jar, and paid for it.

Well, a few days ago I was looking thru some pictures trying to find a few things in particular, and couldn't find what I was looking for. But then later on I saw this thread on "Unusual/Odd things on the trapline",... and after looking thru what I just did, I thought,....."Man,... I could burn some bandwidth on this thread". And since there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of trapping going on this year on this site,... or maybe eveyone is out on the trail all the time, I don't know. But anyway, I thought that I could post a couple pictures of things I seen and done over the years that some people might find interesting. This might take awhile,... but here's a sampling of a few things I just went thru,...

I'll start with some stuff from years ago. This first picture is of a coyote I caught during or right after the pipeline construction (mid-70's,... man, that's 50 years ago!). When the pipeline was done, a lot of people who worked on it stayed in Alaska, at least for awhile, and there were people trapping everywhere. Anyway, I caught this coyote by one link in the middle of the chain of someone else's trap that was clamped on the coyote's foot. I have no idea how this actually happened,... it was a brand-new trap, no rust, so I got a coyote hide and a new #3 jump out of this deal,...




So, I've always wanted to trap on rivers and creeks to deter people from following my trails, since there was so much fur/trap stealing going on in my area back then. But, there's alot more danger and risk in doing that, but I liked it! But it was expensive too,... when a person has to learn most everything the hard way. My first snowmachine was a used 1971 Elan, and here's what I did with it when I went out during a bad chinook one day,... it landed upside down in the water, and I lost the cowling,... but I got it out and even got it running again and drove it home (minus the cowling)

A person might think that I was a gluten for punishment with trapping on creeks and rivers, but the risks were much preferred by me than dealing with theives all the time. So, here's a few more. By the way,... is there a prize for creating the most different ways to get a snowmachine stuck?

and some more,....

This was a particularly bad one. The machine plowed into the ice right in front of me, shearing off both spark plugs on the engine, and it shaved off the throttle cable on the carburator, and I don't remember what else, but I drove it home too. But this was back in the good 'ole days when things like boot laces were some pretty valuable snowmachine parts,...

Well, this isn't going to work,... it won't download any of my newer pictures, even after reducing them to 10% of original size. maybe someone can tell me how to do this. They are JPG's, less than 400kb, but they won't load.

Amazing what we survive trapping. You are a tough man.

Wolverinebait: Dave, Those are impressive incidents. Clearly you are the "Winner!" Pete

I think we should start calling you "crash"

peatbogs are also fun to get stuck in. Everything is soft and gooey, there's no leverage and these peat pits never really freeze and can be deep

knew a guy who drowned by going to a spot with thin ice on the Malyy Yugan river and just riding there in circles, after a fight with his wife. Nothing left but a hole in the ice and black water. Fast, clean way to kill oneself....

I think we need a new event in Alaska.

Wolverine bait and AK Howler need to have a contest to see who can cross the thinnest ice over the fastest water !!

Dave, good seeing your posts again I always have enjoyed your sharing your real world experiences.

Now that my trapping is looking at photos and great memories and receiving phone calls from the trapper I gave my line to life is good!

Thanks Dave!

Wolverinebait , wow! guess it dose not matter what year or brand of snow-go you have had. they all get stuck equally.