TRAPPING

[psegriz]

I know w/the excitement of fowl and deer hunting going on it's hard but is anyone got the trapping bug yet. I won't be able to get out as much as I'd like this year but will have to get a few pelts. Probably go after some mink, fox and beaver.

[Gissert]

I've been doing some beaver damage work for a neighbor. Three so far. I wish I had more time to put in a real line again.

[The Grebe]

You never get rid of the trapping "Bug"! I set my last trap about 8 years ago, business pretty much knocked me out of the ball game.

I had hundreds of traps, ran lines all over the place, prior to going into business full time. I tried to trap and bow hunt for a few years, but it just did'nt work, I had to stop....I was into the trapping hard!

It does'nt go away, not for me anyways...When I'm fishing, I still look for places to make Mink and Rat sets, where I could probably 330 a Beaver, or bag a coon comming down to the water. I still look for tracks and I always eyeball the fields etc., thinking about pinching a fox...foxing was my thing!

Every fall, I think about it, just like I do bow hunting, that is something else I had to shelf. Maybe when I retire, I will be able to do these things again...the bug will still be there.

[HARDWATER]

o boy another trapper out there we don't start here till oct 30th then it's full bore putting a lot of traps out i can't wait til i get layed then it's just a lot ezer and a lot more traps kelly p i might even get up there this year trapping....

[DuluthGuy]

I was introduced to trapping by my uncle in my youth and started my trapline @ 10 years old. Still remember my first mink, fox, beaver.....

B2

[bassman222]

I made a few sets on sat. just a couple rats so far.

[protrapper]

Busted my butt Saturday in Rain getting otter and beaver sets out. Going down southern MN openor next weekend. Hit it hard for coon and mink. Will run about 250 sets. Hopefully will have my otter by Friday morning when I pull out for sourthern openor.

Hey trappers post some results lets hear them catches.

[bassman222]

Just one mink and a few rats so far, pulled my rat sets and am going to put out more for otter and mink.

[DanS]

I trapped for many years and bought many Christmas presents with trapping money. I drifted away from trapping and started hitting the deer and grouse hard instead. My boys (8 and 10 yrs old) talked me into starting up again and we ran a small line last yr catching a few mink and a dozen rats. This year we put out 6 sets on Sunday and have seven rats to show so far. This weekend we plan on getting out some beaver sets and possably some fox/coyote sets. The trapping bug will curse a guy the rest of his life. I can not drive down a road, launch my boat or go on a hike without looking for tracks or set locations.

[abens1078]

I used to love chasing coons and rats. I ran my first small line (10-15 sets)on a bicycle at the ripe age of 9. I stopped through college, just not enough time to do it right and I haven't got back into it since. you are all right though, I always look at the tracks and then try to figure out an area for a good set.

I love bucket sets for racoons. It was always cool to see the mouth of that bucket full of a coon in a conibare.

That set was a little tough on cats though.

What are some other favorites you guys have?

[Roughfisher]

I'm just getting back into it after years of not trapping. I used to trap beaver, rats, coon, and mink. Now I will be after otter, beaver, and fox mostly. But last year I set a few fox sets and all I could catch was fishers. Luckily they pulled out and didn't have to be released (out of season). I'm really stoked for Saturday. I'll be running a line for two weeks, hunting deer during the second week. Learned a lot at the MN Trappers Association convention this year. I highly recommend going; even if you don't trap it is a great time.

[The Grebe]

Sure would like to hear some reports from you trappers out there! What are the fox looking like? Are there still alot of mangy ones?

Have the grinners moved into your area? I seen one dead on the road up by Mora, I did'nt think they had made it that far yet?

Anyone out there skinning those things yet? Do they pay any more for a northern Possum then a southern one? Theoretically, they should have better fur? When I was trapping, I never caught one...a couple of years ago, I talked to one trapper I know that still runs some of the area I used to trap and he had gotten 40 of them!

Anyone gonna do Martin, or Fisher this year? We did them for a couple of years N.W. of Grand Maris, it was pretty cool being back in the boonies, the Martin were really easy to catch.

Anyways, give a report, I'm sure there are more then one out of commission trapper that would like to hear about it!

[The Grebe]

Bump

[fishermann222]

Hello guys it is great to hear about others out trapping. I used to live in minneosta now I moved to alaska near the bearing sea. Trapping is INCREDIBLE. The eskimo's no longer trap much so that leaves things wide open. Red fox are VERY plentifull as are beaver, otter and mink. I am a new trapper, 1 year of experience, and did quite well last year for fox and beaver. I cought a few otter up here but 3 of the 4 of them were eaten by fox. I live on the tundra and where I make my otter sets there are no bushes or trees to set snares for the fox. Foot traps dont work very well up here iwth the weather conditions either.

Does anyone have any suggestions on things I could do to keep the fox from eating the otter? The fox populations are incredible, they are like mice, and that makes for great snaring but I hate loosing an otter. If anyone has any advice please let me know.

[psegriz]

Ok guys I've not made it out yet. Will have to wait til I get laid off around thankgiving. Would be nice if I'd have time to go for a seasons best but that is in dreamland. What the fur lookin like guys should be getin pretty good by now?

Grebe ya a buddy of mine had a possum on his steps that his dog brought home. Havn't heard of anyone catchin a bunch though.

[The Grebe]

Thats a stumper? The only tundra I have ever seen, has been on National Geographic series.

There must be another trapper, or one of the native Americans, that could answer your question, because you are for sure not the first this has happened to.

It seems (Down here in the lower 48) that the denser the fox popluation, the less cautious they get and are easier to trap?

Try something off the wall, foot snares, hauled in anchors (If there is nothing to anchor snares to) any way to use a grapple on the snare?

Ever fill a net bag with rocks to use as an anchor in the water?

How about a slide wire to get the dead otter out deep where the fox won't go?

I'm just shooting in the dark here, as I really don't know what you are up against.

I used a set one time that I think would have probably worked for fox....if we did'nt have so many raccoon.

It's a water set, a base, a trap and a cover, (I used moss)with a bait beyond the trap. Theory is they will step on the high spot in front of the bait, to inspect it?

Worked for coon...never did get a fox in it...coon did'nt give em time to get tangled up, that and they probably have better pickings down here then what they do up there, so up there it might work?

Just throwing some stuff out there, hope you figure it out! I gotta go watch Tiger Woods win a championship and get busy working on some equipment...Vikes don't play til Monday night!

[fishermann222]

You are right about them being easy to trap. They are quite easy to trap up here. There is one native that does trap otters but he checks them every morning as he does not have a job. I suppose I could try using foot snares and drive a stake through the frozen ground and anchor it in with some water so it freezes.

I use slide wires for my foot traps for beaver up here to keep the fox from eating t hem but that is before freezeup. We are locked up tight right now. We get about 4-5 feet of ice so it is virtually impossible come later winter to think about getting the otter under the water. I travel alot of country by snowmobile until I find a track and then follow it to a hole.

To give you an idea of the size of these red fox up here I use coyote stretches on them for drying. They are HUGE compared to down there. I was always under the assumption that fox are afraid to go near otters but this is not the case here I guess.

Thanks for the advice, if anyone else has some advice please let me know.

[The Grebe]

Shows you what I know! A slide wire does'nt work so well when there is ice, now does it? I did'nt even think of the ice factor, dahhh, Alaska, dahhh?

What about snaring the Otter at the hole, in the water, like it is done with beaver?

My only experience with snaring, was for rabbits, but I went with my friend a few times to check his beaver snares and they worked pretty good under the ice? Maybe the same concept would work on the Otter? I know they are pretty slippery critters, but a snare seems to be able to grab and hold just about anything?

I have heard about the big Alaskan fox, I asked a dealer about them, why would'nt they be worth more then the fox down here, since they are so much bigger and he said that the fur was coarser and not as desirable, maybe they are, maybe they are'nt...seems like there is always something when it comes time to sell...thats why toward the last several years I trapped, I sent the furs to the auction house in Canada. I always got a fair shake.

[fishermann222]

Yes the ice depth is a definate factor up here. Usually the otter are digging into the tundra to get under the ice. it is seldom the holes are right on the water were you have to set.

The fox up here are worth a bit more I think. Average for this past year was 40 a piece. I know a few guys who tan themselves and sold them on hsolist for almost 100 a piece. I do snare beavers under the ice until it gets too thick to want to chop a hole. For the first few weeks I use boards with snow on top to cover the hole. Keeps it from freezing up too much. I attach 6 snares to a branch and place it near the cache. It works pretty well

you are right about the fur prices. I learned last year that you really really really have to take PERFECT care of the furs or they will dock you for it.

[The Grebe]

If I'm a bother with these replies, I'am truely sorry, but it has been awhile since I talked trapping with anyone. I know that time is of the essense...I used to be up before light and skinning and processing until well after dark and my a$$ used to be dragging most of the time.

Sounds like you have your hands full with the fox deal...if they are that plentifull, maybe you could camo yourself on the tundra, get a fox call going and smoke of them bad boys when they come to the call? Thin them down a little in the area of your otter sets?

I was going to say .243 em, but I don't know what would be comming to your calls? Would be a hell of a note to call in a big old bear and be sitting there with a varmint rifle?

On them fur prices, I used to like putting up coon, I liked to see how good I could make them look. If they were blue, I would'nt mess with them, sell em in the grease, but the others I would flesh and stretch and they would look good!

I tried 3 or 4 dealers within my area and it was always the same thing....10 different grades, 31 different sizes, any little thing to keep the buying price down. The Trappers auctions were alot better, but Canada was in my opinion, the best.

One time a dealer offered me what I thought was an insulting price for a batch of about 60 really nice put up coon, all white pelts, he did'nt think I would wire them all back up and walk, but I did!

He followed me right out into the parking lot, heeing and hawing, upping the price with each step! I would'nt of sold to that dink, no matter what he offered...but I figured I had better get out of there before he came up with a price that cause me to compremise my principles!

Well, at any rate, I wish you well with your fox problem, alot of trappers should be so unfortunate as to have fox knocking on their door! I would'nt have minded.

[hookset]

You all sound like you could steer me in the right direction. I am finishing off a room in my house in a rustic look. And would like to get some different pelts to add to the decor. can anyone help or give advice.

please feel free to email me

joe

[email protected]

[The Grebe]

Hi, how you doin? There are alot of places where you can get pelts for the wall...they don't neccessarily have to be prime pelts to get the feel, the ambiance, the intrinsic value of the pelts on the wall.

I got a bunch of different pelts for my sister one Christmas...well, not a bunch, but a couple of Fox, a couple of Coon and a couple of Skunks. Whatever arrangement you make, you have to include skunk pelts, as they set everything else off, in my opinion!

You can get fairly inexpensive pelts at the Minnesota Trappers Assoc. summer get together. They have it in different areas each summer.

Fur buyers sometimes have low grade pelts on hand that have been tanned and they are'nt to expensive. There is a guy that used to buy out of Marine St. croix, his name is Jim Rosenwald, I don't know if he is still in the trade, but he used to have a good supply.

There is also a summer randeavou (Or however the hell you spell it?) that takes place over S.E. Mpls. by St Anthony falls, they have all the tanned furs for sale, but they were a little spendy.

Look in the paper and grab one of those Minnesota Explorer sections, they have all kinds of meets and activities in there and you are apt to find what you are looking for...hope this has been a help to you?

[fishermann222]

Hookset I tried to email you. But your email did not work. I will measure a fox pelt up from nose to tip of tail and take a photo and send it to your email.

[fishermann222]

The Grebe,

Last year I did hunt them with a call and I shot a few that way. I used a .223 with fmj's. I got really tired of sewing up the holes though because the .223 really blows them open pretty good. I dont know if I should get a .17 or if I should just reload and slow the bullets down in the .223.

The area that I cover to look for otter sign is about a 40 mile radius around the village that I live in. It would be impossible to hurt the fox population at all no matter what you did. It is just too much open space.

I do trap alot of fox and I plan on really getting into it this year but I really like otter. Price is great, but I would probably have them tanned and keep them. The hides on them are so nice.

[abens1078]

For what it's worth, I talked to a taxidermist about a year ago and he switched over to the .17 caliber. He said the exit hole is very small but obviously the wind is tough on that small projectile. Have any of you experimented with the .204? I hear it's the fastest thing going right now at around 4200 FPS. I think I read that in Outdoor Life but I may have my facts wrong...