For you frozen trappers.....

Covid eased up on me a little. Seemed like I had about 95% of my energy today. Pay predator job I had lined up mid-state is a no-go. So, set a few more beaver traps today....neighbors property. But, otters are everywhere. As much otter sign as beaver sign.

I took a few pics for those of you that are frozen/snowed in. Ill try to update pics for next few day.

Otter toilet. Eating crayfish makes it red.

This big male otter in a 330 this morning (have been running 6 traps daily.

Ottery-locations..



Set several snares at crossovers for beavers. More 330s in channels. Footholds at castor mounds and breaks.

23 sets total. 4 snares. 7 footholds. Twelve 330s... scattered across 750 acres of river swamp.

Until tommorrow.....

Good to hear you’re getting along better. Amazing the differences in temps, terrain, etc. that are found throughout the US. Good luck! Enjoy tagging along.

Curious if some of those areas had water before the 3.5” we got this weekend?
I went today and put out a couple of traps in front of a buddies camera he’s been getting some coyotes and cats on. Just hoping all this water hasn’t changed their travel patterns.

Yes..this water was similar level before that deludge yesterday. Nearly every stream and channel on my property and the neighbor's is controlled by beavers. Water is pouring over some dams and there is some standing water in the logging roads, but its not a total flood. But the Alapaha River is forecast to spill its banks in about 6 days. I'll have to pull out of there b4 that. Except for a few snares at a fish pond, all these traps are in the floodplain of the river.

The river here cuts thru limestone rock. River has steep banks. It seems like this river siphons water rapidly from the feeder streams after heavy rains. But when the river level rises to the mouths of the feeder streams it backs up quickly, filling the sloughs quickly.

So that's what open water looks like...

Great pics. Thanks

A couple streams here are spring-fed....never go dry and constant flow. Bubbles out the ground and is very cold water. That eel grass in the last pic...likes colder water. See a lot of that aquatic plant in north and central Florida springs. Im right on the northern edge of the large Florida limestone karst region that has numerous springs and occasional sinkholes over the Floridan aquifer.

This is the closes large Florida spring to me...about 25 miles SW of me....in the same watershed

Great pictures

WS

Nice catch and pictures.

Those limestone spring rivers are amazingly clear. Kind of shocking compared to the dirt colored water of the piedmont.

Some of the most beautiful places on Earth 4 sure. Everyone of these blue hole springs were found full of Native American artifacts and fossils....and I can see why. Its where I would've built my camp, too.

A western pale from south Ga...

A couple easterns...lol...


No-brainer snare location....

Coon in a Belisle 330 with Expand-a-Pan.....at a crossover.

Another otter, too..

Set a 330, 3 footholds and a snare here today...

...and the river is rising.....likely gonna spill over banks in a few more days. Will have to pull these traps b4 that happens..

Makes me miss FL, brought a tear to my eye thinking of childhood memories on creeks and rivers down there.

Nice Swampy. Thanks for the ride-along. You have green there! Far sight from the black and white world here! Love to check out that area again sometime.

We have the mild winters 4 sure, but pay the price with our hot, humid summers that starts in May and lasts into October sometimes. Also, will have to start dodging poisonous snakes soon.

Nice pictures Swamp wolf ... thank you

That 'western' colored beaver looks more the color of a nutria, sure it isn't a mutant? lol.

I had ONE beaver pelt grade western at NAFA and that sucker sat there for years while the other's sold, finally got 10 bucks for it.
Never wanted to catch another one after that, lol.

Learn something almost everytime on here. That snap-clip on the top of the 330 support is a great idea. I always had a piece of wire there, cant tell you how many times I have got cut with it.

Nice! Was told today we have land on the "otherside"
Maybe there are critters beside deer and we can meet up?

Well, calling for another 2 - 2.5” here with possible 5” in certain locations. But, there’s good news behind this front, future forecast shows no rain for at least 7 days after this!!

Beautiful pictures, looks like trapping in paradise

SW, you gotta extra room brother. I might snow ski over.

Glad to hear you're mending. You got critters to pile up.
No slouching. Slap some tobacco and duct tape on it and let's ride.


Blessings,
Mark

If he gets too bad I’ll make the trek across country to learn a few things. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind someone to carry traps or critters out. I’ve never water trapped anything and he definitely wouldn’t have to worry about me traveling to his spots. Free labor for teaching!!!

70 degrees F at 0900 hrs this morning with this rain front approaching. Downright muggy...cottonmouth weather....and...this one was guarding a 330...he didn't survive our meeting..


Suitcased otter...


Didn't drown...


Today's catch. Both beavs are lactating females. Otter is the 7th or 8th male from same swamp. No females caught...Im glad.



Better pic for you reptile enthusiasts..

Man I swear some peoples children.
Let em make the corner on the rona and the next thing they are postin hate speech on Trapperman (pictures of warm scenes and settings are basically hate speech right now and I am as offended as I am cold.)

Who is with me, lets dog pile the warden!

Savell- will you or Jaggamitch or one of my other heroes please set this cracker straight?

Are those water Snakes aggressive Swamp Wolf?

That aint a water snake. Thats a cottonmouth.

Most will stand their ground. Just lay there and open their mouth at ya. Have torn holes in beaver dams b4 and when the soumd of the pouring water started a cottonmouth appeared..almost at my feet....probably looking for food at the commotion.

I wouldnt say they are agressive, just not too scared of humans sometimes.

Bruce we use those little ins for fish bait. The pigmy is about the size our shell crackers like between Thanksgiving and the first of the year when they come up the river to spawn

We have these pygmy rattlers here too. They live on dry land in the palmettos. Mean little turds.

Careful there Tex! Jealousy is a bad trait.

Are you sure it is jealousy? I think it has more to do with my toes that froze 3 days ago but then it got worse. Last night my sack froze and I am worried I will no longer be quite as "viable" once I thaw out

Not 100% sure but at least my sacks aint froze....lol

They might get snake bit...but not froze.

Hasn’t got out of the 50’s over here today. Y’all Cottonmouths are pale compared to ours. And they are the same way with fire. They don’t run from the burn, they head towards it. Guess looking for an easy meal or either the heat.

IDK that snake bit is that big of step ahead of me or not. I might have to defrost to actually know fer sure