Spruce Trapping

Well I think I'll run a thread again this season, and try my best to keep up on it. I have started trapping this season already, did a bunch of beavers and rats late fall, and have started to fully run My East Line.
North Line goes in this weekend, and resident Coyote baits as well. Will be busy in the Fur shed. Speaking of which I built a new one! It is 90% set up, some odds and ends left to finish as I go.

Hunting season went well I harvested My Elk, and a nice Mulie Buck. Haven't seen a White Tail I liked yet, but I am not pressed for meat, so not going to shoot one just to say I did.

First full check on East Line this evening, and I have to pull a few Rat and Beaver sets from under the ice on my resident stuff. Pics to follow I hope.

Full traps for everyone, and favorable trapping weather (bring on the snow...in moderation of course).

Spruce

Looking forward to reading your adventures!

Ok lagging again...I will do better in the New Year!

Picture of My 2019 Mule Deer, and the River valley hunted.

Has been a busy fall/winter so far, having troubles keeping up in the fur shop (newly constructed).

Looking good for my season target of 100 sellable Coyotes. Opening 2 new baits this week, and setting bait to start 2 more this weekend.

Some fur shed pics:

My Fisher quota was long ago reached on East Line, concentrating on Coyotes there, and will add some Otter sets this weekend.

North Line has 4 active Wolf Baits, Lynx, Otter, Coyote and Fisher sets dotted over its 45 m3 area.

I have 7 active Coyote baits on private land producing, that number with peak out at a dozen next week.

Big North Line check Friday evening Saturday AM. I have a Lynx stealing my camp weasels food, and a Fisher stealing my bait from Lynx cubbies. Hoping to have them both.

Wolves are due to pass through, and everything is in place waiting.

Happy New year, and full traps. Spruce

Good looking stuff Spruce !! It's always nice to be behind on your skinning !!

Looks and sounds good Spruce! Right on!

That's a great buck. Hopefully this mild winter will help rebuild our deer population around GP.

You have some nice fur as well. I don't have much luck this year, they don't come often to the bait, and when they do, they use a different path.

Alberta sure has some nice coyotes!

Very nice dogs spruce ..congrats

Nice deer, those yotes look real nice too.

Pretty country! Congrats on the muley, that is a dandy one!

Skinned up a few more last night. Some resident baits to check later today, and North Line this evening and tomorrow.
Couple more ready to skin tonight, and 7 to board.

Spruce

Nice looking coyotes Spruce! we are actually starting to see some of the lighter phase in this area. I hope it keeps up.

Nothing to exciting with the warm weather, but We are going into the deep freeze for the next couple weeks, so My catch should increase dramatically.
Wolves haven't returned yet on the north line, picked up a couple more Ermine, set some fresh Fisher sign, and added a bunch of Lynx sets.
Picked up the biggest Otter I have trapped to date, not sure they get much bigger. Caught on a dry land cross over set.

Just one coyote on East baits, moved some stuff around, should be a good check next pass through.
Pulled one unproductive bait on private land, and opened up a new bait. I have caught up to 30 Coyotes on this bait in the past, so expecting some good catches there.




Happy New Year! Spruce

Nice big otter Spruce,looks like he has been feeding well.
How do you configure your trigger wires on a dry crossover for otter?A V from the top ? bottom?

Nice Otter and Coyotes there Spruce. Keep it up!

Did you weigh the otter?

Quick update. Had a so-so check yesterday, picked up a Coyote and Red off new bait on 2 day check. Picked up a Coyote and Red on a different Private land bait as well.
The one Male is very big, and I will weigh it up when it gets skinned tomorrow night (still froze). I'll also weigh up the Otter tonight when I board it.
I have set a personal best already with 12 Fox, there are a lot of them this season.

Picture of thawing catch



Big Coyote to skin



Weight. Not as big as the Easterns, but a big boy for a Western.


My First Wolf has its home. (Pack ripped up its hinds, so shoulder mounted it).



Spruce

Big check tonight, will run East and North lines after the fresh snow. -30 won't be fun, but needs to get done.
Fingers crossed.

Good luck on the check! That wolf came out real nice.

Man Spruce, you guys have some awesome Muleys and beautiful coyotes over there. Keep up the good work and be safe.

That coyote is a hog. Most of my Eastern coyotes run 30-40 Lbs.

Good looking wolf! Good to hear your nailing the fox! You get any color phases other then reds?

Update from the weekend.

Picked up a bunch more Coyotes, a couple more Reds, my problem Fisher from the North line, and another half dozen weasels.
The big Coyote from last week has already been beat. 47.5lbs is now the mark. -30C here now, and blowing snow, should be some big checks for Coyote and Fox this week coming up.
Wolves and Cats haven't been moving at all, or at least not where I am trapping.

Coyote in a blind set.



Coyote snow cones (hopefully lots more this week.



Big Coyote take 2. The new champ (so far).




Whiskey jack got caught in Weasel box, Weasel ate Whiskey jack. Weasel caught in Fisher trap, Fisher eats Weasel and bait. Fisher caught in Lynx pen...just missing the Lynx getting caught in the Coyote trail in same spot. All sets within 20 ft.

Fishers mess


Fisher in pen.

I love walking up on those yote cones That is crazy with the fishers! Hope you connect with a bunch more fox and yote!

I use a "U" from the bottom. I find that way they don't try to jump the trigger, rather they push it over and I get all suitcase catches. No hip catches that way.

Spruce

I get Fox in a wide variety of color phases, from Dark reds to pales, and also cross. There is the odd silver around, but they are quite rare.
(Coyotes took a good chomp on the one crosses tail, so it couldn't be pulled...doesn't affect value anyways).

Still in the deep freeze here, but catches have been decent on Coyote baits. Picked up another 5 last 2 days, will check East Line tomorrow evening, and North Line all day Saturday. Will be pulling Fisher and Ermine, as I should have quota reached for Fisher.

Putting in 3 new baits this week for Coyotes, and resetting one abandoned bait as the Coyotes have returned to that area again.

Sold my Coyotes and Fox to a private buyer last night (forgot to take mid season pic), got what I wanted for them, so the shop will be empty for a couple days while Coyotes are drying.

Shipping Fisher, Beaver, Muskrat, Weasel, and Squirrel Friday. Then shop will be depressingly empty. Better take out a bunch of beavers to board so it looks like I've actually caught something for visitors

Spruce

Nice fox! I get a solid variety as well.

Impressive!!

Nice color phase of all the critters.

Your fur handling work looks great!

Keep the pics coming.

Good deal on the fox! Good to hear you got what you wanted for them!

Nothing too exciting on the weekend, a mess of Coyotes, a few Weasels, and a nice Red. Put in 3 new baits, and reactivated 1 old. 1 of my older sites I put bait on had Coyotes coming into the area looking for food already.
Interesting, as I haven't baited there for 2 seasons. Dropped bait and hung a few snares (which I usually wait to do). Some beauty Coyotes this weekend, and one with shoulder mites.

Nice high neck catch on bush coyote (North).



Set Remade. 5/64" c/w Magnum spring, modified lock, trigger.



Nice big female.



Beauty Coyote

Going to be a few busy evenings in the fur shop, 8 Coyotes, 3 Weasels, 1 Fox and 6 beavers to put up. Oh and 1 Otter I thawed out....and its warming up with piles of fresh bait out, I'll sleep in June.

Happy days.

Spruce

Looks like a good run! What I have figured out with bait stations is that it is a never ending cycle and what I mean by that is the stuff left over after the season feeds the survivors right at breeding season, they pup and they bring their young there for bones and fur. When winter hits they return to those places looking for chow. I run the same 8 bait stations every year and they all produce. I always make sure I top the bait stations off when I shut down everything. Look forward to seeing more critters!