Smossy's Trapping Season 2013-2014 (Success)

[Smossy]

So I officially placed out my first traps today, Three Muskrat Traps in various locations along walls on the inside of a small creek/stream. I've seen lots of rats out there while Ive fished this area and I'm hoping to get lucky First experience/year out. Gonna keep everyone posted as time goes by. Hopefully I placed them right, The water was a few feet deep and flooded, I was just using a hook on a pole to drop them in, two of which are right on the inside wall of some old cattails.

Also to add, In this same location we've also found LOTS of damage from recent beaver activity. They're turning this beautiful area that Ive always loved into a waste of downed tree's and Im really wanting to get them out of there asap. Theres 3 large tree's freshly downed and one more half gnawed through that's about the 3 feet across. Pretty big tree to, Seen about 4 or 5 large access points on the shore so I know Ill be able to get one atlesat. If anyone has a beaver trap I can borrow or buy for a bit Id really appreciate it. I may not be able to build/purchase one for the next few weeks and at the rate its/theyre eating through stuff, who knows what else will be destroyed, 6 months ago there was no sign of beaver, now this - I want them out of there.

Ill try to post photos in a bit and if anyone recognizes the area please keep it to yourself 

[3nails]

 And so it begins.........    You'll wake up in the middle of the night and be like, "Hmmmm.... I wonder if anything went in. Did I put it in the right spot? What can I sell to get more traps? Do I really need two kidneys?....."  Good luck and have fun!

[Smossy]

[Smossy]

And so it begins.........    You'll wake up in the middle of the night and be like, "Hmmmm.... I wonder if anything went in. Did I put it in the right spot? What can I sell to get more traps? Do I really need two kidneys?....."  Good luck and have fun!

Lol Im already wondering, Im debating if I should check them tomorrow or wait until monday, Its about a 40 minute drive from home. Having a hard time really finding any promising area's really.

[pd]

Go get 'em, Smossy!  (And, keep those kidneys, both of them.   

[Bigluke1981]

Good luck, hope to see a pic of your first  critter soon. 

[kramer]

Good luck.

[Smossy]

First trap set successfull! 

Was setting for muskrat in about 2-3 feet of water, was a big surprise to find no muskrat and 1 out of 3 traps had a mink in it. Was super exciting to say the least.
I'm hooked. Only problem is I dont have a fleshing OR stretching board for mink right now  was never expecting to get one just yet.

So now I need to find a way to preserve it until I can place an order for materials.

[trapperguy22]

for now just dry it then skin it and then roll it up and put it in a bag and throw it in the freezer it will be fine till you get a mink baord. you can flesh it right on the board with a large spoon not much to flesh on a mink.

[Smossy]

for now just dry it then skin it and then roll it up and put it in a bag and throw it in the freezer it will be fine till you get a mink baord. you can flesh it right on the board with a large spoon not much to flesh on a mink.

Ok thanks for the info. Put in like a plastic bag? leather/skin side in when I roll it up?

[hardkorrhunter]

Right on right on!

[jackmaster]

Easiest way is to make your own shape a 1x2 to the shape of a bullet and case skin the mink and stretch flesh a nd hang you can do the same for all critters except beaver those you need different size hoops, know any one with long pieces of small rebar, easy to bend into different size hoops, awesome job dude, your hooked now.....
.

[earlmarne]

congrats.that is really cool.

[3nails]

 Fish on! You're hooked! I wonder if anything is in the ones you reset yet. 

[bearpaw]

congrats on the catch...