last season starter

[white316]

November 2,beaver season opened yesterday i need some bait for the marten & fisher traps.
I made 14 beaver sets yesterday all with 330s and set a few fox snares.
Theres an inch of new snow down and scattered fox tracks here and there,i see fox tracks going up a growed in tractor road where i have a snare set,sure enough a cross fox with the grayest rump i ever seen,, the,, 5/64 7x7 was hardly kinked at all.

I caught 9 beaver and a muskrat,I reset the traps all in the same place and headed for home.
Marten & fisher only open on the 15th so i have lots of time to play with the beaver,
The next morning no fox and 5 beaver,I pick every thing up from that place,
I have more beaver colonys over by my camp witch is 26 kms away,I got to get these beaver skinned and get the supplies ready and make a load to the camp.I will be trapping solo again this year but thats ok,

I get the beaver all skinned and chopped up in fist size chunks going to leave it out doors for a few days,,to make it smell good.
I want to put out at least 150 sets for marten & fisher.we don't have many fisher in this area,so i will use mostly 120s,,fisher can be caught in 120s to but i perfer the 160 size for fisher.

To be continued,

[catmando1]

Ok........ ya got me hooked white.......when is the next episode? ;D

[white316]

The truck and trailer are loaded i just got to stop and fill my 6 - 5 gallon cans with gas,deer season is on and the main logging road is well traveled,
When i turn off at mile marker 58 to get to my line i see snow on the mountains there is ice on the road ,as i start up one big hill the truck spins to a stop,i get out turn my hub locks put the Ranger in 4x4 and continue on my way,
When i reach the camp theres a good 8 inches of snow down the first thing i do is open the door its damp in the camp i hang the blankets from the ceiling and light the propane stove.

I carry the gas cans up in the woods and hide them under some spruce brush,carry the food and water in the camp,put the feed bags of bait on the roof [bad idea]
I grab 2 330s and walk down to the beaver pond witch is about 250 yards away,i still have my work boots on so i make 2 dam sets.Its all most dark as i walk back to the camp and start on supper i walk outside and listen to the coyotes howl off in the distance,my beaver bait is smelling good i notice as i go back inside,after supper i sit on the bench get the mp3 player out open a can of pepsi and think about those 2 beaver traps untill i fall asleep,
First thing in the morning i go out and unload the 4 wheeler while i am waiting for the water to boil,i need a coffee to get me started,on my way to the beaver pond i catch the 2 adult beaver pick the traps up,i only take 2 beaver a season out of this pond beside my cabin.I put the beaver in feed bags[as i do to all my furbearers] and put them in the back of the truck.

I load down the 4 wheeler. with marten boxes.The bears tear down all my boxes every year ,,some they destroy so i'm not sure how many i will have to replace,so i will spend today and tomorrow putting up marten boxes/

To be continued

[white316]

I find ratchet straps the best for keeping anything tight on the 4 wheeler,I spend all day putting up boxes and i am back at the camp half hour after dark for supper,I see theres been a 4 wheeler around my truck while i was gone ,,deer hunters i guess.
I am holding a buck tag to,but deer hunting will have to wait a few more days,i have a spot baited with apples-grain & salt.

The next morning after coffee i load the 4 wheeler down with boxes and head off again,some boxes the bears tore all apart pieces every where,every season i have to replace 20 to 30 boxes,i get most of the line set up and get back to the camp an hour before dark,i have to load up and go home,work in the morning,
When i get out on the main logging i take the truck out of 4x4 and think about how lucky i am to be able to do what i love doing.

to be continued

[fuzz269]

Iam hookeed now, I can't wait for the next chapter.

[backwoodsman]

Love trapping journals. Most of my old ones burned.

[fuzz269]

BWM you should post up your old "gramps" trappin storys, they were great stories too.

[white316]

Jul 8, 2010 0:05:11 GMT -5 backwoodsman said:

Love trapping journals. Most of my old ones burned.

?

[white316]

An early november rain brings worry to my cabin the beaver meat on the roof was already smelling rank ,this mild spell will bring out every bear in the woods,i don't think they can get on the roof but they will do a lot of damage to and around the cabin.

I have to work 2 more days before my time off and my cabin is all i can think of,In the mean time i pack up the rest of the supplies i will need for the big day[setting traps] i get my rifle out i have 3 rifles a 3006 a 308 and my favorite a savage in 270 cal.

finally the last day of work for a week i will be leaving after supper to go in to the camp.so i can wake up fresh and set traps all,day long,, as i kiss the wife good by she tells me how crazy i am to stay way back there alone but after our 22 years togeather,,she knows not to worry,

As i turn off the main logging road i keep going over the supplies in my head trying to make sure i didn't forget anything,A mile from the camp i stop and take the rifle out of the case and lay it on the seat beside me,i put 3 shells in my pocket and keep going
as i approach the camp i can see every thing is up side down and inside out,
I put the high beams on the door and i can see all the claw marks but they never got in,i shine the spot light on the roof and the feed bags of bait are still there,there is a stream of b---d
that leaked out of the bag and run down the wall,and the bears pealed the chip board in a 1/4 inch all the way.

I leave the truck running with the lights on as i unlock the door
its nice to know the bears can't get in or on the roof,i take what i need inside including the rifle,i get a roll of 14 g wire and cut in 5 foot lenghts doubble it a twist it togeather for attaching the traps.

to be continued

[maxwell]

Its getting more interesting all the time.

[white316]

After i get about 40 pieces cut,i start setting the springs on the 120s anything to save time,all the boxes are in place ,i just have to put the bait in put the trap in, tie it add a dab of lure and i am off to the next one.
I get the mp3 player put the head phones on lay on the bed and drift off to sleep.
Theres frost on the 4 wheeler seat in the morning as i try to get my coffee finished and get a move on,when i get to the first set its still dark so i set it up with the flashlight it takes a bit longer when you can't see good,on to the next set,

The part of the line i am on this morning runs beside a small stream that runs into a big river,,, beaver -otter mink and muskrat along this stream,but my main concern now is the marten sets,
Another few sets and i will stop for dinner beside an old beaver pond i walk over to the dams edge and see mink tracks in the mud,i eat my 2 sandwiches as fast as i can and move on the last few sets i use the flashlight and make my way back to the camp,i am on a horse shoe loop and only 20 minutes away,i am tired and hungry but i couldn't be more content i love trapping out in the middle of nowhere with the place all to my self.

to be continued

[Cam]

Ever think about writing a book.

[backwoodsman]

Loving it White, dont stop. Thanks Fuzz, glad you liked them. I may put some of Gramps stories on sometime later. I dont want to take anything from Whites. Ex wife burnt almost everything the kids and I owned White, her idea of revenge for me catching her cheating I reckon. Luckily Gramps journals werent in the house much to her dismay. Most of mine were though going back to the mid 70's, 25 or so years prior to the burning. Kids and I didnt get much more then the clothes on our backs and what was hidden at family and friends already(not much).

[mohawk]

This is a great read, White! Can't wait to see what happens next.
Backwoodsman, you should put those stories on here, they were good stuff too and I could certainly read 'em again.

[white316]

backwoodsman start your own thread and post away an active forum is a great forum.