Bruces Trapline

[UrbanTrapper]

Awesome job Bruce!!! Is that one of the traps you made?

Yep, I built them as a double door trap for cats. Didn't seem to work out. I set that one with just the one door open. They work as a double door swim through also.

I like that idea!  A trap that could be used for both cats and beaver really appeals to me.  The cat has to brush up on a conibear-type trigger to fire the trap, right?  Do you think gravity alone would be fast enough to drop the doors on a cat?  How/where did you bait this trap for cats when you had it in the double door configuration? 

[Humptulips]

I built it just like a swim through with the conibear type trigger then I built a bait cage that went in the middle and the trigger set just over the top of it.
I thought if they went for the bait they would bump the trigger.
I never caight anything in it but a couple birds (turned loose) and civets. Civets are a real problem in it because I can't drown them. Had to shoot them. Not my idea of fun!
When I built it though I figured if it didn't work out I could tear the bait cage out and it would be ready to go in  the water which is what I did.
On the recent cat I just opened one door and threw the bait  at the other end.

Love/hate relationship with them though. They work great in a few places that are too wide for my other swim throughs and I have caught stuff in them but they are so big I hate to pack them far. If I catch a few more cats in them the balance will tip to loveing them a little more.

As far as gravity being enough I think that would work with a gillotine stlye door for cats fine. It would then not work as a swim through though.
In water it lays wide way down and for cats narrow way down. Gravity doors would make you choose one or the other but you could not do both.

[Humptulips]

Nice spell of weather we had but what traps I had were pretty well empty except for civets of course. 31 so far.
Crappy weather finally got some movement. Caught this guy thursday in half rain half snow kind of weather. Lousy picture but a nice cat, 30 pound tom. best colored belly this year after I got the mud washed off.


Turned a kitten loose but didn't get any pictures. My bad as they say.
All my water sets are pulled. Just a few cat sets out.

[fatslinger]

Did you move the trap for the picture? Or do you leave the floor of the trap uncovered? I've been spending the time to cover the floor of the trap w/ dirt, maybe that's my problem.

[bearpaw]

very nice bruce... 

[Humptulips]

Did you move the trap for the picture? Or do you leave the floor of the trap uncovered? I've been spending the time to cover the floor of the trap w/ dirt, maybe that's my problem.

That is where the trap was set. I do always cover the floor of the trap but the cat uncovered it. I also cover the top and sides but I uncovered things a bit to get the picture.
This one I had a piece of bait and no trap in the location for maybe 10 days. A cat came and ate all of the bait except the bones. I then set the trap. I took 5 days for him to comeback and go in the trap.
I had another similar spot where I set a trap but the cat for whatever reason wouldn't co in the cage when it returned. Not sure what the answer is to getting some cats to commit.

[Humptulips]

Birthday present for me today. Actually a pretty nice cat, good sized tom and not bad color.
Not happy though.

[3nails]

Nice! Will you keep your cat sets out right until the end?

[kirkdekalb]

very good

[CementFinisher]

Awesome, nice cat. So how much do you normaly get for the civets

[UrbanTrapper]

That's awesome, Bruce.  I haven't trapped for west-side cats yet.  How do you look for and find the places you set for cats without snow for tracks, cliffs and all the stuff one can key in on East of the mountains?
 

[CementFinisher]

find em alot in draws with lots of reprod and brush, with some type of clearing within a mile or so. thats just me

[Humptulips]

Nice! Will you keep your cat sets out right until the end?

Yes, I think I will. I don't have many sets out so I have room to move them around.

[Humptulips]

I set along the road. I prefer an untraveled road so I can set right on the edge. It is important to set where there is food for the cat. That's why they are visiting so it will be in or near a clearcut that is from say 6 to 20 year old second growth. Sign of rabbits or mountain beaver or an active beaver colony are a big plus. Also I like to set their travelways. Let's say you have two good clearcuts connected by a road, I will set between them but at the edge of one of the clearcuts.

How much for Civets?
Last year I received $18 for all mine to one party, private sale. I thought I would be able to sell to him again but that fell through so a bunch of them will go to NAFA this year and I am not sure what they will bring. I have sold there in the past and received as high as $21 avg and as low as $2. You just can't tell with them. I haven't sold any there in a while as I have had private markets. For a long time I sold them to a guy in MT for $13 avg. That fell through with the wolves Hard to figure right. He had a small store that depended on the tourist trade and sold them to hunters mostly as wall hangers. Civets are rare everyplace but the PNW. Any way with wolves no hunters and no sale for civets.
I have also sold them for taxidermy a couple years but it is more work. feet have to be skinned a few measurements made, ears turned also. I sold them for $30 to $50 but it is one at a time sales.
I also sell the skulls and at times the carcasses. I have sold quite a few of the carcasses to the University of Wisconsin for $20. Some years they want them some they don't but I always save the skulls and sell them.

[fatslinger]

Nice cat and Happy Birthday!