2023/2024 Trapping Thread

[WildWill]

330

Man really gives some perspective to how big that otter is congratulations.

 

[jpcoll01]

Turning cold here in KY, stuff seemed to be moving last night. Might be a good couple days on the trapline, I haven't checked yet today. My Brother in law got a dandy bobcat last night.

 

[Nameless Range]

It is my first year trapping, and sooner than later, I would like to have something to contribute to this thread.

The only thing I’m trying to trap is bobcat, and even though I have yet to be successful, I have really enjoyed thinking about the landscape in ways I never have before, and doing things I have never done before - such as hiking 2 miles to check my traps on a -30° F morning.

 

[Sask hunter]

Coyotes were hungry today. They ate one of my snared ones

 

[NoWiser]

Set some traps yesterday. My buddy had to pull my frozen waders off me because I could not get them off. -16 this morning when we did our first check. Nabbed a few monsters. Will pull traps tomorrow when it’s supposed to be even colder.

 

[Nunyacreek]

My favorite part of trapping is seeing thing you wouldn’t ordinarily see because you’re out and about in unusual seasons. Yesterday I came across this wolverine track. We have very little snow and I was surprised to see this wolverine following this road across a completely open sagebrush park. Just cool

 

[Nunyacreek]

It’s been a very tough year getting around with the snow, too much in places for a four wheeler with long stretches of dry ground other places. However got my
Trapping partners out and had some
Success and made
Some good luck snow angels

 

[Nunyacreek]

A little snow angel luck and a cat from earlier this season. My daughter really wanted a coonskin cap so I sewed one up
For her birthday. I had a tanned coon I’d trapped years before and just used my regular sewing machine. Made me really want a fur sewing machine.. it they’re a little pricey.

 

[NoWiser]

We pulled traps this morning and got 6 more beavers. Nothing giant and it was too cold to mess with pictures. I just got home and weighed the 4 biggest ones from yesterday. They were 78, 62, 62, and 55 pounds.

 

[Sask hunter]

1 badger, 13 coyotes, 15 rats and 45 beavers headed to FHA this week or GFW. The rats and beavers are from spring. No buyers of pickup agents come around here by the time ice melts

 

[Nunyacreek]

Oh man I hope the beaver price holds but I think it will! Everybody traps beaver because they need the carcasses for bait but it’s exciting to think of a $30 average. I fleshed two last night and three today and my arm is aching. Better get in shape.. Beaver prices are the single benefit I’ve ever heard of associated with the TV Show Yellowstone. For those that don’t know. - beaver prices are high because the felt is used in high end hats, specifically cowboy hats, and demand for hats is directly attributable to that
Show, or so I’ve been told.

 

[rjthehunter]

Oh man I hope the beaver price holds but I think it will! Everybody traps beaver because they need the carcasses for bait but it’s exciting to think of a $30 average. I fleshed two last night and three today and my arm is aching. Better get in shape.. Beaver prices are the single benefit I’ve ever heard of associated with the TV Show Yellowstone. For those that don’t know. - beaver prices are high because the felt is used in high end hats, specifically cowboy hats, and demand for hats is directly attributable to that
Show, or so I’ve been told.

That's what my buyer told me, that the hat market is what's keeping beaver prices up! Anything to keep them up is good to me! I'd like to see coyotes come back around now. Last I heard they can't hardly give them away.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

I’m pretty new to the trapping world but I’m starting to come around on the learning curve. Started with some nuisance beavers and now I’ve got some yoties hitting the snares!!! Pretty exciting

 

[Sask hunter]

Sold my spring beaver catch today. Although I gambled and cherry picked six super nice super heavy blanket beavers that I shipped to auction the other day when I shipped coyotes, a badger and rats. I was happy with prices about identical to last FHA sale after commission. Can add into $300 worth of carcasses I sold last spring and it’s been not a bad pay day for two weeks of work in the spring. Be very curious to see how those cherry picked beavers sell at auction and I am holding castor until the price improves

 

[brockel]

Living through you guys this year. Wasn’t able to get my trapline out this year

 

[brockel]

It is my first year trapping, and sooner than later, I would like to have something to contribute to this thread.

The only thing I’m trying to trap is bobcat, and even though I have yet to be successful, I have really enjoyed thinking about the landscape in ways I never have before, and doing things I have never done before - such as hiking 2 miles to check my traps on a -30° F morning.View attachment 310294

Take a picture of your cat sets. Some of us might be able to help you out. Are you blind setting in catty areas or have you found tracks? I’ve found if I find cat tracks I have a very good chance in catching it at one point in the season as cats tend to travel the same routes. Females will travel them more often. Toms might only make a trip through one time a season. You can also block your sets down REALLY tight with cats. Make the pan of your trap the only place that looks good to step on. Watch a house cat and see what catches its eye and how it checks out things, bobcats will do the exact same thing. Bobcats also like some eye appeal at a set. I like to use a chunk of antelope hide on a piece of wire. Once you find a spot that you catch a cat at it will consistently produce year after year. A little different terrain than what you are working with but here’s my favorite set. It’s a walk through with a strong gland lure on the rock backing. On the smaller rock out front I have a strong skunky call lure smeared on it. The crack in the rock has a nail drove in it with a piece of wire wrapped around it with a small piece of antelope hide for eye appeal. Then I block the set down heavily with small rocks and twigs so the only flat spot is the trap pan. Don’t even cover the trap. Disguise the jaws with brush and a light dusting of dirt on the pan so it looks nice and smooth.

 

[Sask hunter]

Two in snares and shot one in the way home

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

I had a bit of a dry spell but finally had a couple hit last night!

 

[wytex]

2 nice toms yesterday for us. 1st cats of the season.
Both taken at or near cubby sets.
MB 550s with Wind River trap pans added.
30 and 27 lbs.
One nice clear belly the other is a little cast but they are going up to FHA auction too.

 

[Sask hunter]

This is number 17 or 18 off this bait pile since January 1. Quite the size difference between these two as well