Trapping- What did you catch today?

[fishermann222]

If you are wanting to dispatch by shooting them I would suggest a gun you can shoot shorts through. I like a ruger single six.

[J48jake]

Well I checked my line today and I had one coon, pretty big too. Hey fish, what is your prefered way to dispatch them? I dont have any water sets so drowning is out of the question. I guess I dont know of many other ways beside a .22 short.

[fishermann222]

Nice photo. There are other methods but I am not going to discuss them here.

[J48jake]

I understand fish, u gotta love our politically correct world.

[fishermann222]

yep, its not the political correctness I worry about its more the anti's. When I dispatch I use a .22 short becuase I do think it is very human and quick, and I wash all my hides so blood is no problem.

[J48jake]

Do you just wash with water or do u use some sort of soap?

[analyzer]

I really enjoy this post, I'm living vicariously through you!!! If i could afford it, i'd love to give up my city life and hunt/trap/fish...

I think it would be fun to spend a week with fishermann222 running his trap lines with him. I could see a group of us getting together up there...would be fun and educational, and an experience I would remember for a lifetime.

I know nothing about trapping, can I ask a stupid question?

When you catch something... how do you kill it?

[fishermann222]

J48 I have a VERY understanding wife and I use the washing machine . I take 1-6 hides at a time and place in the washer with some dawn soap. I use downy liquid fabric softener also. Then I run the load on delicate with cold water. They come out smelling GREAT and totally clean. It adds another step because you have to dry the fur before you can dry leather out. So I hang them up with a fan, when they get pretty dry I take and put them on the stretchers leather out for 8-16 hours then turn fur out and continue with the fan. It makes the hair stand straight out.

analyzer I kill my fox with a .22 short. VERY quick and humane.

My wife and i are actually considering moving to the road system up in fairbanks next year. So my high fox years may change. But up there I would have a great trapping partner and we could go after fox, wolves, wolverine, marten, and mink. Could be fun.

[fishermann222]

well the wind picked up so I could not get the photo I wanted today, maybe tomorrow. Fox have to be sent to auction by monday.

[leechmann]

Okay Jake I got 4 pictures of two different types of sets. The first picture is of a snare, from aways back to show how it is in relationship to the trail it's on, and the second is to show more detail. The snare is hung at a location where there is coyote sign, but happens to be a well traveled deer run. So I made a spot in the trail where I placed a jump stick, so the deer go over, and the yotes go under.

Second set of two is of a remake dirthole set.

[leechmann]

Here is another set of two pictures. Set for fox. First one further back, second one up close.

Oh yeah Jake, I'm with the fishmeister, 22 with shorts. Thats all I use.

[fishermann222]

Leech have you ever tried making your swivel out of your number 9 wire? works GREAT!!!

[leechmann]

I saw that while reading the t-mann. It looked like the real deal. I'm not really the snare expert, I know just enough to be dangerous. I do like to use a 40 inch snare, then connect it to a 6-8 foot lead, with the swivel in the middle.

Hey nice pic's fish. You are officially crowned the red fox champion. Congrats, you are the man!!! I'm am planning to give you a run for the money next year. In between the pheasant hunting, grouse hunting, bow hunting, rifle deer hunting, duck hunting, and fall fishing and minnow trapping. I'm pretty sure I need to store up some sleep from now to then.

I should have the run of the place, not too many trappers out after those $20.00 fox. Maybe I should target those grey fox.

[fishermann222]

Leech if I am here next year it will be a good competition. If I move to fairbanks then you will leave me in the dust. But I may have some pics of other critters

[J48jake]

great pics leech! so do u use snares more then footholds? it looks like snares are a bit more difficult then footholds. I will have to try some next year. And leech where do you send your furs? Minnesota or out of state. I dont really have enough this year to do anything with but I hope to hit it harder next year.

[fishermann222]

j48 snares are the way to go, but there are strict rules on exactly what you can use etc... Leech can better explain those for Minnesota.

If I could I would use 99% snares. They work in any weather, that is number 1, number 2 is they are cheap to use so you can get ALOT of sets out.

[leechmann]

Jake, I am a dirt trapper. I love to catch the k-9's in the dirtholes. Snares just give you one more option. There comes a time during the season, when most of the fox have seen you dirthole sets and have walked by them, for one reason of another. I use the snares as a change-up. I tell everyone, that I'm throwing them the curveball. If we get a winter like we have this year, snaring is less effective. If we get lots of snow, and the critters have to trail up, the snares are deadly, and the dirtholes become impossible to keep working. So you have to be able to adapted to the conditions. All though, I caught 4 out of 5 of my bobcats by snaring them this year.

I sent all my fur to North American fur auctions. Most of the time it pays off. In some instances it it doesn't. I sold a coyote, that I caught in January, real big, well furred, but just a little bit of an off color, and got $23.00. I wished I would have kept that and tanned it, and gave it to one of my friends.

Fish, if you are still on the island next year, you will whoop me, in the fox competition, but I will give it all I have !!! It will be lots of fun. Just like this year.

[The Grebe]

J48....You can use CB caps in your .22, they have less power then the regular short, but still plenty of medicine for a fox or coon, I've even used them on coyotes in the past, but if I was strictly trapping coyotes, I'd opt for the short, or LR.

Draw an "X" between the ears and the eyes and plant a shot right there...just have to be a little carefull when you skin around the area.

[xHCxOutdoorsman]

leech i didnt know that you could snare cats i thought that i read you couldnt but im probably wrong jake i love snaring k-9 thats all i have done im new to this sport but snares are easy the check and set i have taken a few so far and it will be better next year cuz im about done for the year i use my .22 cal. for dispaching every thing it works very well and quick try to hit them in the eye dont want another hole you know way to go fisherman thats alot of fox im trying to get my pics up hope by the end of the week i caught a coon a few days ago but im going to pull every thing and hunt for a while my buddy and i went hunting for them our first time a shot a grey fox and i am tanning it for my room good luck every one

[tealitup]

huh?

[leechmann]

XYC, yes you can snare Bobcats. I guess the way the synopsis was printed there was some confusion. The president of the trappers assoc. did come out with a statement trying to clarify the situation. I also checked with the local CO to make sure. I am pulling all my sets today. Already looking forward to next season.

[poutpro]

Are you going to do any Spring beaver action?

[leechmann]

You bet. I'm hoping that some of the fair weather trappers got a little discouraged with the beaver prices, and I'll turn into the maytag man out in the woods.Sounds l;ike we're in for a little nasty weather and then I think spring will be right around the corner.

Just got in from pulling the rest of my traps and snares. I'm all done. Stick a fork in me.

[poutpro]

Yeah, I am looking forward to spring beaver trapping. I am hopefully going to be going out with someone that knows what they are doing so I don't have to figure things out myself, and can learn a few things.

[J48jake]

Well I think I might be pulling my traps tommorow, since we are getting the "Storm of the Season" this weekend. Kind of a dissapointing season for me this year. I think I caught as many cats as I did wild animals. Catching feral cats has really put a damper on things for me. I live in a new development but I have a little over 10 acres on the Rum River and I have seen a lot more houses going up in the area. It just makes me mad that people just let their cats run free and cause havoc on the natural habitat. I guess I dont know if they are cats being released as pets or just feral because none of them have collars or looked to be taken care of but it is still frustrating. I have had wood ducks, turkeys and grouse here before but have seen a decline in the last couple of years and it makes me kind of wonder. Well I guess I am done venting about this issue but I was just wondering if anyone else has ran into this type of problem. Hopefully I put a dent in their numbers this season.