Author Topic: Doug's trapping season (Read 12816 times)

Carp Commander · « **on:** November 01, 2013, 03:42:11 PM »

After many months of waiting the season final came. I hauled a pile of cages out to the "honey hole" to put in my muskrat line. To my surprise I found the water is still to deep. The canals have not drained enough to allow access. The honey hole will have to wait a few more weeks.

I scouted out three more locations that are new to me. Found pretty much the same scenario at each of them. I was encouraged a little when I started finding mink sign (see you in a few more weeks), lots of beaver sign (see you in six more weeks) but not a ton of really good muskrat sign. It seems to me that muskrat sign is difficult to find in fast and deep running water.

I finally put in a dozen muskrat sets and I guess that's better than nothing. At least the season is finally here. Good luck everyone!

P.S. Cage trapping makes me wish I didn't have a short box.

Doug

boneaddict · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2013, 03:47:36 PM »

This Doug wishes he had a pile of traps like that. Looking forward to following along with your season. Man I miss legholds and conis. Goodluck Hard to imagine trapping when its almost 70 out.

Hannibal · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2013, 08:15:51 AM »

I usually loose my gloves that way too............

bob maier · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2013, 05:08:26 PM »

If they are to loose Dave tighten them up!

Carp Commander · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2013, 06:08:48 PM »

Scouted a new area today. Awesome country a little further than I want to drive but thinking about pulling the camper up there in December and staying a while.

Blue · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2013, 06:46:51 PM »

Wow Carp commander, That last picture looks like it's a long way from home. I think I'm staying a little closer to home this year. It doesn't seem worth it to me to waist gas driving so far. I'm trying to make a bigger profit this year without all the expense. But I know sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

70sdiver · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2013, 06:21:09 AM »

hey how many rats did you end up with last year?I only got 16

Carp Commander · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2013, 10:29:23 AM »

Quote from: 70sdiver on November 03, 2013, 06:21:09 AM

hey how many rats did you end up with last year?I only got 16

Final total was 62 last season.

I am setting my sights at the 100 mark this year. I have mink on the brain pretty bad as well. Other than a few beaver spots (trying to keep land owners happy) I am strictly chasing rats & mink this year. I just need the water to come down another foot.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #8 on:** November 29, 2013, 10:04:08 AM »

After a disappointing opener with very high water, I took a couple weeks off and my oldest and I went home to Missouri and did some trapping and deer hunting with my family. My son got a nice 8 pointer, 4x4 for you westerners. We also had a bunch of snows and blues show up in the bottoms but never got a chance to shoot any.

My daughters and I put a rat line out this past Weds. and we will be running the first of our Washington traps in a couple of hours. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Doug

Carp Commander · « **Reply #9 on:** November 29, 2013, 10:04:53 AM »

Whitetail down

Carp Commander · « **Reply #10 on:** November 29, 2013, 10:05:36 AM »

Got Rats?

Carp Commander · « **Reply #11 on:** November 29, 2013, 10:06:27 AM »

A few geese!

3nails · « **Reply #12 on:** November 29, 2013, 10:43:18 AM »

I hope you start hammering them! Let's see them.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #13 on:** November 29, 2013, 03:19:05 PM »

Only six rats in three days but the help I had running the line sure is awesome!

onetrapper · « **Reply #14 on:** November 29, 2013, 05:26:55 PM »

I imagine the water is starting to close up

Carp Commander · « **Reply #15 on:** November 30, 2013, 08:14:54 AM »

Quote from: onetrapper on November 29, 2013, 05:26:55 PM

I imagine the water is starting to close up

Yes I am loosing a lot of water to the ice. I have a few ditches that I have never seen freeze solid.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2013, 11:13:34 AM »

Interesting experience on the rat line this weekend. I was running my colonies and have gotten in the habit of reaching into the water and grabbing the colony at the door. Just seems easier with gauntlets on. When you grab a colony like that it opens the door. So I grabbed the colony and pulled it from the grass and YEH got another one...but wait this one looks different...it's still alive! Before I realize it the muskrat makes a run for the open door of the colony and does an Olympic dive back into the canal!

Having a great year so far. Skinned out a frozen coyote yesterday! Forgot just how hard skinning a cold yote could be.

Caught 23 muskrats this weekend and the struggle to catch mink seems to be continuing from last year.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2013, 11:22:36 AM »

Maybe some of you seasoned vets can help out with a muskrat question. I have couple of new properties to trap this year. Both of the pounds are fed by canal systems and the beaver have gotten into them. The beaver sign is very noticeable as they are about to take down several large cottonwoods. I have searched and searched for muskrat sign and I just can't find any. There are no dens, push ups, feed beds or toilets. Thinking that I must be crazy I waited until it iced over thinking the bubble trials would be all over it. Checked yesterday and nothing!

In small areas like this will the beaver run the muskrat out? I wouldn't think so as they don't compete for the same foods.

What would make a pound like this, fed by a canal system full of muskrats, with year round water, not hold muskrats?

onetrapper · « **Reply #18 on:** December 11, 2013, 08:45:15 AM »

Set some colonies in the beaver runs there are probably rats in pond sign can be hard to find at times. Make sure you wire colonies as the beaver will move them

Carp Commander · « **Reply #19 on:** December 15, 2013, 02:25:27 PM »

Had a good day today. Nice to feel the sun again. The teenage son of a coworker helped on the line and had a blast. My bet is he will be begging dad for some wire tonight.

No mink yet but there is always tomorrow. I have two mink traps that the coons keep getting into. I will set for coons once all the duck hunters are gone for the week. Those bigger traps are hard to keep hidden.

My friend's son, Easton, with a few rats from today.

Machias · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2013, 02:43:42 PM »

Nice!!

Carp Commander · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2013, 04:48:22 PM »

Went over 50 on muskrats this weekend and have been seeing a ton of coon sign. I hope to get some sets out Wednesday evening.

Started working on a skinning machine. Seems to work so far just need a coon to put on it.

Haven't decided on how I am going to attach the fur clamps to the base of it. I went with a 2000 pound, 12volt wench and 4x4 wooden frame.

Only took about two hours to put together and I have less than $100 into it.

Turner89 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 27, 2013, 09:48:36 PM »

We haven't had an update in awhile

How's the rat attack? Have you figured the Mink out yet?

onetrapper · « **Reply #23 on:** December 27, 2013, 10:00:04 PM »

Catch any rats in those beaver runs

Carp Commander · « **Reply #24 on:** December 28, 2013, 04:11:00 PM »

Been slow around here. I took some time off from the trap line for Christmas and I got engaged. Great gal who has put up with my crap for nine years already. I figured to make her an honest women before we hit the decade mark.

I have been playing around with muskrat floaters again this year. I have all but given up on mink (for now). I am in the 60's on rats this year so I think Ill make the goal of 100.

Looking forward to hitting it hard January and February!

Doug

onetrapper · « **Reply #25 on:** December 28, 2013, 08:49:24 PM »

Make any changes to floats what seems to work best for bait
Thanks
Darryl

Carp Commander · « **Reply #26 on:** January 04, 2014, 02:32:40 PM »

Quote from: onetrapper on December 28, 2013, 08:49:24 PM

Make any changes to floats what seems to work best for bait
Thanks
Darryl

Yes went from that big platform looking thing from last year to a more compact version. Still fascinated with making floaters work! Not sure what I am doing wrong as I can not get consistency with them and the numbers have been horrible.

I took one of Mike's "holey grails" GREAT trap by the way and put it head-to-head with one of mine. Six days and I caught one rat. I caught the only rat in the holy grail. Both baited with the same thing and same lure. I am thinking about moving them to ponds and seeing if that makes a difference. Later on I will try them again with gland lure and see what that does.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #27 on:** January 04, 2014, 02:38:54 PM »

Another great day on the trap line. Ten more rats this morning and I shuffled some more colony traps into a new area.

Ice is still preventing me from getting back into a honey hole. I hope the ice leaves before the rats start getting all bit up!

Some of the best help a dad could have!!!!!!!!!

3nails · « **Reply #28 on:** January 04, 2014, 03:24:33 PM »

Those are good times!!! 10 rats is a good day. Let me know when you get those floaters figured out.

Ole man fintucky · « **Reply #29 on:** January 04, 2014, 05:49:54 PM »

Just wondering what is the going rate for rats and coyotes? And who do you sell them to? A guy named roger used to buy mine 15 to 20 years ago. He would come down from Spokane twice a year.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #30 on:** January 04, 2014, 06:23:59 PM »

Quote from: Ole man fintucky on January 04, 2014, 05:49:54 PM

Just wondering what is the going rate for rats and coyotes? And who do you sell them to? A guy named roger used to buy mine 15 to 20 years ago. He would come down from Spokane twice a year.

Very difficult to quote as the fur market is just that, a market. RUMOR has it the prices are going to drop this year but last year I had a twelve dollar average on rats. That number is one of the best prices in many, many, many years. I don't do a lot of yotes as they won't go in a cage. Shot coyotes will bring a much lower number depending on the amount of damage, caliber used and such.

Are you putting them up for auction or wanting to sale them green?

PS.. Thanks for tip you gave Aaron the other day. I have trapped it before but keep running into too many duck hunters. I worry about stuff getting stolen.

Ole man fintucky · « **Reply #31 on:** January 04, 2014, 07:49:22 PM »

Wow!! $12 a rat is really good. My last year trapping averaged $2.75 a rat. Too bad leg hold traps are a thing of the past. We would set a bunch each day and would average about 40 to 50% success rate in that ditch. One could make a few dollars. I would skin and stretch any coyote. Last time I sold a coyote I think I got like $8 for it. Wasn't worth it. Had a nice coyote on Wednesday. Only a hole big enough to fit a 22\250 round through it. Keep posting the pics, I enjoy checking in and seeing the success. Used to really enjoy trapping, had more time back in the early to mid 90's.

onetrapper · « **Reply #32 on:** January 04, 2014, 08:24:56 PM »

Lots of time before the rats get bit up...from everything I've read floats are so so in fall winter. Spring is the killer time has to do with the activity level of breeding season I guess

pnwmtnmn · « **Reply #33 on:** January 05, 2014, 12:35:46 PM »

During the spring the males will be checking any REPEAT ANY hole for females. When they crawl out they leave scent from the glands and that attracts other males and some females.

Humptulips · « **Reply #34 on:** January 05, 2014, 09:42:48 PM »

Quote from: Ole man fintucky on January 04, 2014, 05:49:54 PM

Just wondering what is the going rate for rats and coyotes? And who do you sell them to? A guy named roger used to buy mine 15 to 20 years ago. He would come down from Spokane twice a year.

Looking for a market for carcass
or put up fur? I would call Eric Degman (509)881-0618 in Wenatchee

UrbanTrapper · « **Reply #35 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:37:04 PM »

Quote from: pnwmtnmn on January 05, 2014, 12:35:46 PM

During the spring the males will be checking any REPEAT ANY hole for females. When they crawl out they leave scent from the glands and that attracts other males and some females.

Thanks, I'm learning from this. So spring would be the best time to use muskrat gland lure then, right? What lure do you recommend?

pnwmtnmn · « **Reply #36 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:50:20 PM »

Any muskrat gland lure will work as long as it is muskrat gland. and fresh greens.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #37 on:** January 12, 2014, 02:44:54 PM »

A decent haul of muskrats today. I had several triples!

Carp Commander · « **Reply #38 on:** January 12, 2014, 02:53:11 PM »

Had an unusual experience today. I pulled a colony that had a triple in it. I found one of the rats had been eaten on. I can only think of a couple explanations but maybe someone else knows what happened here. When I found the trap it was dislodged from the run it was set in and about three inches of one end of the colony was out of the water.

1. The rats moved the colony and exposed it to either a hawk or mink (steep bank covered in grass, so no tracks).

2. A mink went under after a leg that was sticking through the trap and pulled the trap out of the run.

Anybody ever seen this before? At first I thought mink all the way but mink are not shy of colony traps so why didn't he go in after the rest.

I actually hope it was a mink because I left 7x7 single door baited with fresh muskrat.