2023/2024 Trapping Thread

[NoWiser]

Great catches NoWiser!

I would be interested to hear about your winter otter sets, I just got my trappers certification and would love to target them.

So the most reliable way to get them for me has been to trap out a colony of beavers and then just leave the traps at the underwater entrances to the lodge and/or bank dens. When the otters come through, you’ll get them.

I’ve also gotten them where a creek narrows down or where a logjam only leaves one or two passages for them to get through. Set a 330 underwater there.

Last week the one I got was at the downstream end of a pool they use often in the winter. There was a point jutting out from the bank and I set a trap tight against it and on the bottom (bottom edge set.) The theory is that the otters swim tight to the bank and bottom to surprise prey as they come around the corner.

Today we got a really nice one. In the middle of the stream there was a big boulder. The only place in that part of the stream deep enough for an otter to cruise under the ice was on each side of the boulder. I set a 330 on the bottom on each side and, after 2 weeks, there was an otter in it today.



The trapping really pics up once everything ices over. It makes for easy traveling to check them, too. Feel free to PM me with questions. I’m certainly not an expert, but I am catching a few.

 

[jpc01101]

My son and I are on the board. Set this dog proof trap last night on a hike under headlamp. Didn’t take long.
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[Yooper906]

3 marten so far for camp! Hopefully get a fisher or two! Few days left

 

[Yooper906]

Wife and I notched fisher tags!

 

[NoWiser]

Put out some marten sets yesterday. It was extremely windy last night so I didn’t have high hopes, but we managed a really nice dark one. My daughter wants it mounted. I’m not so sure about that.

 

[Dave N]

Put out some marten sets yesterday. It was extremely windy last night so I didn’t have high hopes, but we managed a really nice dark one. My daughter wants it mounted. I’m not so sure about that.

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How could you say no to a face like that?

 

[jpc01101]

Youngest son is on the board with this big ol' boar

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[Deleted member 16014]

I don't trap, have never trapped, but this is one of my favorite threads each winter.

 

[Yooper906]

Went to these boxsets last year, very efficient and quick to set up compared to leaning post set.

 

[wytex]

One problem beaver down, many to go I fear.
Caught our first beaver yesterday, 40 pounder.
Hoping to get the creek back into it's banks.
Put out about 20 sets for coyote and bobcats too.
Beaver was on a Bridger #3 , four coiled.

 

[wytex]

One more down. The Bridger #3 had the entire back foot, same water set spot below the dam.

 

[NoWiser]

It’s been slow here lately. Just the one marten on our trip. I wish I could have stayed a day or two longer. I felt good about my sets and it hurt pulling them.

My daughter ultimately won our argument about mounting her marten. It is getting handed off to the taxidermist this weekend. I just couldn’t say no when it came down to it.

The weather has been way too nice here. Otters move through when it’s cold and snowy. We haven’t had either of those yet. But, traps are patient so I’m still hopeful I’ll get a few more.

I finally completely finished the pair of beaver mittens for the kids on Sunday. Now they want one more pair and my wife wants a pair, too. There’ll be a lot of sewing in my future.

 

[jpc01101]

Caught my first bobcat last night. I had a cell camera on a coon carcass wired to a tree, I had poured some sardine oil over it that I had the night before. Got a pic while I was watching Home Alone with the family of a cat walking away from it and I was like "damn that cat wasn't interested" about an hour later ping...ping I got two pics one after the other and the cat was clearly in the trap so I rounded up my wife and the 6 year old and we headed over to get it before it wiggled loose. Ended up having both back feet I could have left it until tonight and no chance it could have gotten out, but glad we went ahead and got it. Will skin it out today and try my hand at actually soft tanning it when we have our annual fleshing/tanning day in Feb. I only have 4 dog proof and 3 foothold traps, so far this year I have 3 Boar Coons, 1 possum and 1 Bobcat! Not a bad start to trapping season for our family (I'm currently in the lead LOL)

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[jpc01101]

Bobcat 2 tonight.

 

[Addicting]

She did it! This spring a 12 year old girl expressed interest in a topic she didn’t know much about. So we set off on a journey of learning. After a lot of attempts and off catches it all came together this morning. She successfully caught a nice male and accomplished the goal. There was a wide range of emotions and a few tears. This is the first time she has been responsible for taking a life. After talking with her Mentor and the Farmer and receiving nothing but congratulations and high fives she ended up with a smile. When asked the question if it was all worth it the answer was yes with a caveat. She is not sure if she will do it again but glad she got to see it thru.

 

[Treeshark]

That is awesome! Are you planning to do anything cool with it?

 

[Addicting]

That is awesome! Are you planning to do anything cool with it?

I did a taxadermy skin on it so we have options available. For now I just turned, folded and placed it in the freezer. Put the skull in there as well in a separate bag. It will likely be sent to get tanned once I know where to send it.

 

[Cogreeny]

I did a taxadermy skin on it so we have options available. For now I just turned, folded and placed it in the freezer. Put the skull in there as well in a separate bag. It will likely be sent to get tanned once I know where to send it.

Moyle mink in Idaho does a good job on the fur I get tanned.

 

[Addicting]

Moyle mink in Idaho does a good job on the fur I get tanned.

That’s always been on my mind. I started fleshing coons last year to learn the process. I made a mess of boarding and drying the hides.

Being that this is a really nice hide and her first I think it will go get fleshed and the pads turned from someone with more experience in it.

 

[NoWiser]

That’s always been on my mind. I started fleshing coons last year to learn the process. I made a mess of boarding and drying the hides.

Being that this is a really nice hide and her first I think it will go get fleshed and the pads turned from someone with more experience in it.

Sleepy Creek in Iowa will flesh and tan for you. I had them flesh and tan a few otters and tan some marten and they did a nice job. I’d have no reservations sending it to them.