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Post by trapp on Dec 5, 2013 1:00:40 GMT -5
Thanx yote and wolf. You know at my age I'm thankful to just be out there. I get just as much enjoyment out of making too many snares and boxes as I do trapping. It is what keeps us young. My wife says you have been getting ready and buying equipment for over 40 years when do you think you will be ready?  |
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Post by trapp on Dec 13, 2013 18:54:14 GMT -5
Last try at using the truck yesterday, had to turn around, too much snow even chained up. Off the packed road it is well over my knees. Our upper line has reportedly over 3 feet of snow now. So today was the maiden voyage for the new Scandic 47 Km. Taking it easy varying speed to break it in properly. Wow what an awesome sled to ride. Will find out how it breaks trail in the deep snow next week.  Picked up another wolf, black one this time. Not real big but will save a bit more moose, deer and elk.    |
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Post by oldyote on Dec 16, 2013 7:15:12 GMT -5
Too bad about all your snow. I know the guys in northern saskatchewan are having a lot of trouble with it also. Great job on the black wolf and the cat! I am glad someone is getting some fur.
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Post by wolf1199 on Dec 16, 2013 23:28:53 GMT -5
Ron that thing is huge. Nice catch on your wolf and kitty.
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Post by trapp on Dec 21, 2013 16:14:15 GMT -5
Tutorial: Turning Pelts to Fur Out This is something I learned many many years ago taught to me by my good friend Bike Benz. It is a great help in turning pelts. You need 5 or 6 feet of small power saw starter rope and a hook. I made the hook from a small nail. Tie the hook on one end of the cord and make a loop in the other end.  Turn the nose of whatever you are turning. Thread the cord up through the pelt or down from the mouth. Attach the hook to the nose. Attach the loop end to a hook on the wall, to your bench vice, or anything else solid that will not move.  Now step back until the cord is tight, keep tension on the cord as you use you hands to turn/tuck the pelt inward. Once past the shoulders it will turn very quickly.      |
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Post by oldyote on Dec 21, 2013 18:30:34 GMT -5
Nice pics and explanation. Ok so when you turn them you start on the head? I always start at the bottom I have never actually seen how people done it. I just always did it this way. Maybe I have been starting at the wrong end?
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Post by trapp on Dec 21, 2013 21:32:16 GMT -5
Oldyote I have always turned from the head. Before I was shown the string and hook I used a broom stick. Less chance of tearing the pelt.
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Post by wolf1199 on Dec 22, 2013 0:36:54 GMT -5
Yes Ron turning by the head seems to never tear. I don,t think I know anyone up until now that turned from the bottom. Give it a try yote. I just use my fingers to flip. Tried the broom stick method. That string method I will have to try.
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Post by oldyote on Dec 22, 2013 7:04:55 GMT -5
Well I feel real silly but I have flip a few coyotes and thought my success rate for torn ones was pretty good but I have torn the odd one over the years. But I know it is a bit of a struggle and slow process. Hmmmm. Funny cause I have sat and in old Bills skinning room and watched him do coyotes but flipping hides is one thing that just never came up. Except maybe how to rehydrate them if too dry. I would say thaks but I got to try it first. Now where is my predator call. Lol.
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Post by trapp on Dec 22, 2013 22:37:31 GMT -5
As many of you know and see by my avatar that I have bionic knees. So usually someone goes with me. My good buddy Ryan traps with me after he gets home from his line in the North Thompson. Lots of work once he gets home so we start that after New Years. Another friend has been going out with me, one of my trapping students. Today he was ill so away I went first trip by myself with the new sled. Wouldn't you know it the those daamn monster trucks were running the trail. What a mess it was for me to ride, feeling the pain tonight, used muscles I forgot I had. Did pick up another lynx. So here is the highlight of the day. Only have a couple of squirrel poles up and pick up the odd one. Lots of squirrels but just not the middens like I am used to finding farther North. My first pole WOW 6 squirrels hanging there and my other site had two but one had his head eaten by an ermine.   I pull the snares off of the pole and just twist them all together making an eye to hang them up to thaw out when I get home.  Just something about the western red squirrel and snaring them. It's what love to do. Not much money in it just some satisfaction and peace of mind. I need to be out there this next summer on a squirrel midden hunt. Oh and make more lynx snare spots also. |
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Post by oldyote on Dec 23, 2013 7:52:06 GMT -5
Great pics. Looks loke fun to catch. Lol. Your wife was right about you planning and preparing for "next" year. Lol. Thanks.
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Post by trapp on Jan 1, 2014 15:12:01 GMT -5
Brought another wolf home yesterday. Tracks are now getting a bit scarce. The CO's and ranchers are very happy that some of this pack is being successfully removed. The ungulate population in the area has significantly dropped and range cattle are being targeted by the wolves. This snare set was not far from the main trail and trail into the bait station. We left it there until we returned from the end of the run. My buddy has a new Skandic same as mine. He is much younger than me and gets stuck with the grunt work, like packing those wolves to the trail. He put the Scandic in reverse and backed in through two feet of snow right up to the wolf, loaded it on the back and forward to where I was with my Scandic pulling the sled. Loaded into the sled and away we went. Now just have to head over to my other buddies fur shop and pelt it out this afternoon.  My lynx are really slow this year. Some sets just scent, others with scent and bait. They even seem to avoid the perimeter snares. Snowshoe hare everywhere. Perhaps this month it will pick up. Had a cougar visit one set and thankfully avoided the set also. I am having a problem with the "monster trucks". They are a Toyota cab raised about three feet off the ground with huge tires. They really wreck my trail. They are like a skidder and can go through 30 inches of snow. |
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Post by oldyote on Jan 1, 2014 23:02:54 GMT -5
Great job on the wolf!!
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Post by silversurfer on Jan 3, 2014 9:42:33 GMT -5
Nice pictures as always Ron.
I share your pain about these "monster" trucks as well as the side by sides with tracks, they are tearing the heck out of my trails.
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Post by Trapper Ron on Jan 12, 2014 15:22:31 GMT -5
Today was a terrible day on the line. Six of those monster trucks tore my trail ups so bad it took us a full day to do a 60 Km run. Pulled all my sets and will probably move to a different section of the line. Did pick up another lynx though. No sign of wolves since December 31st. Here are some pictures of the new pelican. Really worked well today but not much of a load in it (except snow). Oh and the lynx. I will make the dividers for it this week. Has a nice nylon cover for it also with an elastic pull string around the outside edge.   Here are the pins from Princess Auto to quick remove the hitch:  The heavy hitch pin. Had to drill out the hitch on the sleigh as well as the on the sled. Just a size bigger to fit the pin.  |
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