Appears to be Trapping Season

Taken this afternoon. House was built 11 years ago by White17. Seems to me that the season is upon us, at least here in the mountains.




Hope everyone's ready...

Jack

I have a brand new set of your knives, anxiously, awaiting use!

Me too, can't wait!

cfowler and Flipper 56 -

Thanks guys. I've been putting a pelter through it's paces for the last week. Several red foxes and a couple of stinkers. I'm using and abusing the knife on purpose, skinning all for taxidermy. Trying to make "dirty" sets, as our coyotes aren't quite ready yet, but the taxi market really likes our foxes, so that's what I'm targeting. Have been real happy with the pelter for the detailed taxidermy work, and the knife is doing what it was designed to do. I'm'a smilin'.

Jack

Also, if you guys aren't happy with the knives, for whatever reason, let me know and I'll make it right.

It was a little chilly this morning and didn't warm up much while hiking above the snake river this morning. Watched a couple beaver swimming below me while I was glassing the ridges. Caught myself glassing them and looking for pinch points instead or looking for sheep. Jon

Jmack -

For some reason I thought you were chasing the elusive rams on the Salmon, not the Snake. (?) Anyway, hope you find a shooter, man. Always a treat to watch the meanderings of the beaver. Yeah, this early snow made for a sketchy run this morning to check the fox line. Too, the deer season opener was today, so the mountains are filled with bipeds. I did see three legal muleys this morning, 6 heavy 6-point bulls, and a nice black bear, probably heading for his winter den. Was a good day afield.

Jack

Sorry I am in Salmon not the snake. Been a long few days. I always like watching them playing around. Saw a few deer , one descent elk heard with 2 smaller bulls. No bears yet. Did get to meet the other tag holder a couple days ago and helped him with his ram.

Yup, kinda winterish on this side of the hill as well. It was sure good to visit with you last week. Stay warm.

How about a pic of the pelter? How do you skin the fox? Sold a few hundred Nome reds to taxi's over the years. All dorsal skinned.
What else do you trap in that country?
MT

Hey martentrapper -

Good to hear from you. I have a "middleman" that I sell all my taxi foxes, skunks, etc. to. He knows my prep, and basically does a nose count. No actual grading, and the prices are almost embarassing. Makes trapping well worth the effort. I don't do a large volume, so have the time to do the feet, split the lips, eyes, and turn the ears. I've done a lot of dorsal preparation in the past, but my current buyer wants everything cased. My trapping partner (wife) and I trap red fox (with quite a few crosses), coyotes, marten, skunks, a periodic coon, badger, mink, otter, and bobcat. We also do a few muskrat and beaver, although these two species do not go to the taxi market. Most summers I periodically spend time wolf trapping, but that's catch-and-release (for collaring) so no prep. required.

Here's an image of the pelters, skinners, and beaver knives that I currently make. There's an ad on the "Crafts" forum as well.

Fine looking knives Jack...craftsmanship looks to be outstanding!

Yes, sir it is a good time of year. That's some real nice country you've got your place nestled in. Wow. Waterfowl opener this weekend, getting some traps out and walking around the woods for a deer. Should be a busy next few days.

I just knew youd have snow up there, Jack ! Lovely ! Sir Ken is a mighty artist in building to perfection , indeed.

The colours are glowing here and snow is still in the high country . Expect to see it in the valleys anytime.

As for your knives, they are amazing tools useful in a variety of ways. This one was perfect in scribing the fine white whiskers and cape hairs on Blue, the big old wuff that Jumperzee caught and kindly allowed me to use for portrait.

Better than the sharpest point on any pencil I could attain ! Who knew ?

That's very nice Sharon!

Drove through that mess on Wednesday. Left Albion at 5:45am and the drive from south of Dubois to I90 was a mess. It looked like they got over a foot in town in Dillon. I15 was a mess, all ice packed, drove for 2hrs without seeing any pavement. Once we were 30 miles or so east of Missoula it was basically back to 80mph. Had to go 20mph or so for a while just due to visibility with blowing snow. Going back in two weeks. Looks like an early winter or maybe it’ll be in the 70s in November, who knows.

If I was splitting lips, eyes, nose, ears I would want an embarrassing price too. Had a good deal for several years. Dorsal skin, feet in, and freeze. Frozen hides sent from Unalakleet (where I first started selling to taxis) or Nome, express mail. Worked well and rarely lost a shipment. Sold reds to 2 different taxis mostly. Both of which would sell mounts on ebay. One of them is still doing it. Sold alot of lynx too, until the economic downturn in 2008. Moving to Fairbanks ended all that.
Lemhi county doesn't look like fox country I'd say. Must be some decent marten country there. I have a triangular bladed knife also. Only it has a bead on the tip. Good knife for cutting straight lines without digging in to the flesh.
Another year and I should be able to retire and return to the marten country of the Nowitna. That's where I started trapping in Alaska in 78!
mt

martentrapper -

The Novi is some fine marten country. I didn't get over to McGrath until 1986 (from the Glennallen country). The Nowitna was part of my management area, so I did quite a bit of survey work over there, mostly on moose and wolves, up until 1998, when I moved down to Sitka. You're making plans, post-retirement, to get back to the Novi? That's fantastic.

We are fairly satisfied with this country, but lament the fact, daily, that we departed bush Alaska. Lemhi County is actually real good fox country. Too, the high country above us does indeed have reasonably good marten, but the quality of these marten isn't even in the same ballpark as those in Alaska. We still trap a few, but comparing the population density or pelt quality to Alaska marten is like comparing apples to bananas.

Jack

Miss Sharon -

Thanks for gracing this thread with another fantastic wolf rendition. I love them blues, and that one Jumper caught was a fine one indeed.

Jack

In the fllat land too. 5-6" with a 40 mph wind. Some drifts are mid thigh deep.

MJM -

Holy-Moly, Sir. Looks like you'll be fightin' winter for awhile. Despite my picture of the place at the top of this thread, we're now back to 45F afternoons, and the snow is dwindling. I did, however, sneak up to the Divide and dug out my early fox sets and pulled the line. May re-set in a few days. I'm thankful we ain't got the wind in this country.

Carry on!

Jack

Winter is a couple weeks early. I was on the edge of it and came out of it a lot better than the people east of me. So of them got 28". You add a 40-50 MPH wind and open country to that and you have a mess. I am hoping for a warm up and melt. The ground here is already soaked up about all it will take. So I don't need that part of it. If you notice thew leaves on the trees, that will tell you its a little early. We wind kept the snow from sticking to the trees and breaking them down.

No snow yet in the valleys but hard frosts in the 20's the past several mornings....its gonna be here soon .

Blue reminds me of Garth, Jack .....Im always astounded at how large his head is as you are propping him up on the ground ! Always wonder what they think as they remain unable to move in temporary scheming !

Gulo, yes, heading towards retirement and using this cabin for some semi serious trapping each winter is part of that plan. This is a reconstructed pre 1980 cabin on the lower Nowitna. I own the cabin but not the land it sits on. The original cabin went over the bank and the F&W cabin policy allows cabins lost to acts of nature to be reconstructed. I've got a house in Ruby and all the toys to go with it. 60 mile run in the boat from Ruby to cabin.
You must have managed 21A from McGrath. Today all of 21 is managed by Glenn Stout in Fairbanks. Who was the unit 21 bio when you were in McGrath? Maybe Roland Quimby?
Surprised you can sell fox caught this early. Fox around Nome didn't prime till around Nov. 10 and the taxis wanted those big furry, bushy tailed western Alaska reds to be fully furred.
Nice lake to land on behind the cabin:
Would enjoy a pic of a mountain Idaho red when you get one
mt

Jack: Are those reds you are skinning those same horrible straw colored foxes from down by the store ? Can't imagine there is a market for that color.

Mike: Is that your Citabria ?

Yes, that's my rural Alaska truck aka Citabria.
mt

Nice !!

white17/mt - attached a couple pictures of these local red foxes. Actually get about 20% crosses, but have never caught a silver down here (but have seen one). And yes, White17, they are straw-colored, not the cherries. Remember, however, you were seeing them down here in their summer finery. They are heavy (pelts, not live weight). Generally, they run about like any other foxes I've ever caught, right around 11-12 pounds.

mt - That is a fine-looking plane and looks like a great place for a cabin. The photo of the cabin itself makes me extremely jealous, and really missing Alaska. We may yet return for good, with this country building up so much.
Yes, in the old days, 21A and 21E were managed (along with 19) from McGrath. The remainder of 21 was managed by Tim Osborne out of Galena.
I've got a middle-man that I sell all my taxi furs to. Last couple years, he's paid me extremely well even for the early-caught foxes, and he just does a nose count; Doesn't even grade 'em. He must be happy with the fur, as he just called me last week to make sure I had fur on the boards already (skunks and foxes).

Jack

That fox in the blue coat is the best of the bunch !!

Which blue coat?

Not the silver. Looks like that one is ready to slip !!

Now that's funny.

Lots of room on the Novi, Jack. Or on the Yukon R. between Novi and Tanana. Might have trouble arranging a cabin tho, with current refuge staff. I'm even a little worried.

I think I see Tim here in Fbks once a year at a local outdoor show. He's selling Africa hunts now. Used to see Roland in Nome when he was travelling around looking for/buying old ivory and such.
mt

mt -

We're semi-seriously looking in the NF Kusko or around Minchumina. would certainly mean that I'd need to have a 'Cub again, and I might be a little too old and crusty to get back into that. I suspect we're dreaming, though, because we have it pretty good down here. Sure miss Alaska, however.

Jack

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

Thanks Flipper. You get a chance to work out those knives yet?

Jack

Nice pictures you two. I did a year at Galena in 91-92. I was in the AF then. I met Tom Paragi while I was there. He was at the dump, "shopping" as he called it, when I met him. I made him a push fleshing knife out of a leaf spring. I kept in contact with him for years. I have not spoke to him for a while now.

Tom Paragi works for ADF&G in Fbks now. I see him occaisionally. He was working for Nowitna refuge back in the 1990s.
mt

I suspect a guy could do alright accessing a camp on the Yukon R. by boat in fall. Quit a bit of unused country between Ruby and Tanana.
mt

Not yet, won't be long!

I knew Tom was in Fairbanks working for ADF&G. If you see him, tell him I said Hello if you think of it.

I keep in pretty close email contact with Tom. He's out of the airplane gig these days I believe. Real good guy, with a family currently. I'll pass on a big hello for you Mark.

Jack

Great photos, glad you had Lisa along to help pack out the fur. Jen says to tell both of you Hello.

Great shots, Jack. Give Miss Lisa a big hug for me . I am surely looking forward to enjoying her on my next visit to your hacienda .

You live in wonderful country . Remember all the plusses are much more than the minuses there . Every place has minuses , as long as the values loved and needed are met foremost.

We are all of us in the west, and that right there is a mighty thing.

Big wave howdy to you, Tater, and give my warm regards to Jen ! Those Black and Gusses are surely loving the cool weather.

Hope you all are breathing deep of beautiful life as fall colours reach their summit of sheer beauty. The Rockies here are ablaze in glowing splendor.

Tater!

I'm assuming you're getting out after the yodel-dogs on your side of the Divide. Best of luck on that endeavor. Lisa says a big howdy back to you and Jennifer. She was disappointed that she missed you guys last week.

Top of the morning to you, Sir!

Jack

Thanks Sharon. We all live in a splendid, wonderous country. My post above was not meant to be whiney, but I do miss Alaska and the bush lifestyle we had up there.

You are correct in your ecstatic awe of the autumnal colors we're having these days. The recent storms with the resultant snows have largely dissipated, so the aspens, cottonwoods, and willows are all resplendent in their seasonal finery. A bit of fur here and there doesn't dimish the beauty in the least. Hope all's grand up there in the northcountry.

Jack

Oh, I know that you aren't winey...just giving you flask is all

The beauty of freedom and life in this country is the ability to change location and enjoy to the full, anywhere one chooses.

I too , would readily go to Alaska , attaining happiness if that is where I need to be .

We never want to look back and wish we had done what we wanted years earlier, than years wasted later in the deciding .

The frost has been hitting so hard in the valleys that Im certain the rubber Boas are all several feet underground now. Ill just have to continue my search in spring when it warms up !

Hello to you Sharon from both Jen and I. Yup black an gus are loving the fall weather, calves weaned and cows out on the river bottom. Life is good.
Jack, we will get back over to see you and Lisa soon. 1 coyote on the boards so far. Waiting to see what the weather wants to do before I really get going hard. Have a good evening.

Good update Tater. Thanks. I'll put the word out that coyotes from this side of the hill better stay to this side. I'm a lot less dangerous to them than you are.

Jack