 |
10/25/06, 10:43 AM
|
 |
MacCurmudgeon
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Northeastern Minnesota
Posts: 2,246
|
|
|
My trapping season has finally gotten statred.
I had planned to set out snares on Saturday past, but my kids decided we needed to butcher hogs to fill their freezers. So Friday was spent killing hogs, skinning hogs, and getting ready to process hogs. Saturday was spent processing hogs.
Sunday was spent celebrating birthdays for 3 of the Grand-Bairns: ages 12, 6, and 3.
Monday was spent checking the deer stands for the upcoming season, and yesterday afternoon, after taking down one old stand to relocate it, I finally had time to set 10 snares in the Dimond Willow labyrinth a few hundred yards behind our cottage.
This morning there was a fine vixon Red Fox patiently waiting in one of the snares. It's not much, but it's a start.
Once my new coyote killer snares arrive, I'll start setting the cow paths on the Front-Forty, and the Back-Sixty; it'll be like picking on pack of cripples. Now is the time when the canines, who collectively consumed over 50 of my chickens and ducks the summer, pay thier tab.
__________________
“It is tedious to live, it is tedious to die, it is tedious to c**p in deep snow”
Old Norwegian observation
|
10/25/06, 05:04 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 152
|
|
Envy has me as I still have two days before I can get to task. Season for racoons opened about two weeks ago but I prefer to wait a bit until they prime before harvest.  I can make you this guanuntee saturday evening I will have fur put upon the strechers. Muskrats and mink open this saturday and beaver the following weekend.  I am really looking forward to this season as a battle with cancer took my spring trapping from me. I know I will have a greater appreciation this time around. Good luck with the coyotes, our snaring season for them does not come until January and I am looking forward to necktying a few of them at that time. Trapper 
__________________
Over 50 yrs. trapping, if I can help answer any question, just email. Served Wisc. as Pres., V.P. and on the Trapper Ed. Committee. On the National level as a Director. Director of the year in 1992.
|
10/25/06, 06:46 PM
|
|
MacCurmudgeon
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Northeastern Minnesota
Posts: 2,246
|
|
|
This red fox could have used another couple of weeks to get primed up, but I don't really have to do this for the money any more, so the real value is in the catch.
That's a shame about you not being able to trap coyotes until January, some of them will be rubbing by then, the first couple of weeks ought to produce some prime unrubbed yotes though.
__________________
“It is tedious to live, it is tedious to die, it is tedious to c**p in deep snow”
Old Norwegian observation
|
10/25/06, 07:44 PM
|
|
|
|
Your early season up there is why our furs down here aren't worth as much. By the time our fur season starts (Dec. 1st) you guys are already selling for top dollars. By the time we can sell there isn't much market left.
I'm gonna try my luck at trapping this year. About a month ago I was squirrel hunting and came upon two trees that had a total of 5 or 6 raccoons in them. One tree had about 3 coons bunched up in a big fork of the tree and another tree had 2 that I could see laying in a squirrel nest. That was just in one little short holler. No telling how many are the big hollers behind my house.
Last edited by r.h. in okla.; 10/25/06 at 07:49 PM.
Reason: add more
|
10/29/06, 02:10 PM
|
|
MacCurmudgeon
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Northeastern Minnesota
Posts: 2,246
|
|
|
Scratch one coyote! My little Diamond Willow labyrinth back of the barn had at least one coyote in it last night; she didn't make it back out.
I'll be glad when I've done with the butchering of hogs, chickens, rabbits, geese, turkeys, and ducks, but then deer season will be in and we've 10 tags to fill. Still, it's great to go out and and spend at least 10 minutes checking a few snares.
I dump all of our butcher leavings, and last year's meat left-overs from ours' and the 5 kids' freezers back in the labyrinth; I know it's cheating, but it brings varmints within a short walking distance so I can check my snares before milking out heifer Tulip in the mornings.
The local foxes and coyotes killed more than 50 members of our poultry flock this summer; time to recoup our losses as best we can.
__________________
“It is tedious to live, it is tedious to die, it is tedious to c**p in deep snow”
Old Norwegian observation
|
10/29/06, 03:45 PM
|
 |
Royal Oaks Taxidermy
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: California
Posts: 843
|
|
|
If anyone sells them for taxidermy Id be interested. Heads, tail, feet must be attached to the hide, tanned or frozen is fine. Long as the eyes, lips, etc are all done right.
Im looking for a fox, deep red with pitch black markings, and possibly some coyotes with nice long winter fur, and some bobcats with good spots. I have plenty of coons.
My season doesnt start until mid November...
Shoot me an email or PM with what you have, pics, and how much you want for them. They dont have to be perfect competition quality but do need to be good specimens. If its all ripped up or shot up its not good for mounting. My son and I are starting out and we can always use some new hides to try out.
|
10/29/06, 06:48 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 152
|
|
Got started myself. picked up a few raccoon today and got out about 60 muskrat sets today. Hope to add a dozen or more raccoon sets everyday this week. Next saturday beaver opens and I have four locations that the land owners want them removed. Sky's are blue again. Trapper
__________________
Over 50 yrs. trapping, if I can help answer any question, just email. Served Wisc. as Pres., V.P. and on the Trapper Ed. Committee. On the National level as a Director. Director of the year in 1992.
|
10/29/06, 07:24 PM
|
|
MacCurmudgeon
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Northeastern Minnesota
Posts: 2,246
|
|
|
Trapping is a lot like panning for gold: the tinpanner hopes for something in every pan, and when he finds a little color, it shows him he knows what he's doing; the trapper hopes for fur in every set, and when the trap or snare is full, there is confirmation of some level of skill.
In the end, it's not the panner's gold sales that keep him going, anymore than the trapper's fur check, it's the quest that builds the fire under their backsides.
__________________
“It is tedious to live, it is tedious to die, it is tedious to c**p in deep snow”
Old Norwegian observation
|
10/29/06, 09:19 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: The Pacific NW
Posts: 1,342
|
|
|
Hey, my son shot and skinned a squirrel. He sprinkled salt on the skin side, what should he do next? It's been a couple weeks and it's dried nicely, but of course, stiff as a board.
|
10/29/06, 09:34 PM
|
|
Royal Oaks Taxidermy
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: California
Posts: 843
|
|
|
What does he want to do with the squirrell? Mount it? or save the hide as like a rug? Or should I say coaster LOL...
Anyhow dry salted like that will prevent bacteria, however you need to rehydrate it to either 1. tan it, or 2. to use it for mounting.
If he is wanting to save more squirrels he can simply freeze them as they are with no salt or anything until he decides what he wants to do with them.
|
10/30/06, 05:51 AM
|
|
Hired Hand
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,600
|
|
|
So far behind that I haven't even wax my traps yet...hope to get to them tonight or tomorrow. The weather has been a bust anyway with lots of rain over the past month. Most of the trails & fields I work are under water...couldn't do a dirt hole set if I wanted to. I've seen a few small fox while out deer hunting...haven't seen any yotes but I've heard them singing the last few nights.
__________________
CJ
|
10/31/06, 07:53 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 152
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Haggis
Trapping is a lot like panning for gold: the tinpanner hopes for something in every pan, and when he finds a little color, it shows him he knows what he's doing; the trapper hopes for fur in every set, and when the trap or snare is full, there is confirmation of some level of skill.
In the end, it's not the panner's gold sales that keep him going, anymore than the trapper's fur check, it's the quest that builds the fire under their backsides.
|
Very nicely said and its the real truth  Trapper
__________________
Over 50 yrs. trapping, if I can help answer any question, just email. Served Wisc. as Pres., V.P. and on the Trapper Ed. Committee. On the National level as a Director. Director of the year in 1992.
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Rate This Thread |
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:53 AM.
|
|
