Excitement on the Trap Line today.

[Humptulips]

The day started out pretty good. In the second trap I looked at I had a civet, my intended quarry. I dispatched him with CO2 and threw him in the back of the pickup and on my way to the next set.
This is on the shore of lake Quinault and I have an experimental otter set there. With the Lake coming up fast I decided to move it but wanted to try a larger trap. So I packed in the new trap and was nestled it in between the roots of a big spruce. I spent a lot of time bent over the trap getting it in place. Really poor prospects for covering so again I spent a long time fiddling with bits of moss to get everything looking right.
When I was done I was standing about 6 feet away folding the trap up that I had replaced when boom, a snag broke off and landed right on my trap. There was about a 18"x 12' chunk on it. Did not do much good for the trap but I was standing there just a minute before. Strange, there was not a breath of wind when it broke off.
Nothing very notable for the rest of the day until I got home. Remember that civet I dispatched. Well, he is gone, not good. A little too much of a hurry when dispatching. I look around and when I open the tool box (it has a hole in it) there he is. I let go of the lid just as he sticks his head out and it lands right on the back of his neck, breaking his neck.
FYI, this is not a scent free method of dispatch.
I have a 9:00 AM appointment tomorrow at the Chevy garage to fix a screw up they made on my cruise control. Do you think they will want to reschedule?

[Magnum_Willys]

Wow ! Nothing like a typical day on the trapline ! Glad just your set go messed up and not your head.

[Machias]

LOL,, I dispatched a skunk once put him in the bed of my truck and when I got home he was sitting in the bed blinking at me.  Too funny.  Glad you weren't hurt!!

[jasnt]

glad your ok!  I'm sure they will want to reschedule lol

[Trapper John]

Bruce,
So let me get this right ........ a widow maker fell and missed you    Thank God, he was looking after you
Glad you didn't get hurt.  I would have a real hard time writing about you in the newsletter.

As for the truck ................ no I would bring it to them anyway    
They will fix it faster get it out quicker and cost you less   

JC   

[big wood]

glad you got 8 more lives left

[bear hunter]

  Wow you got lucky. Glad you didn't get hit by the branch. It could of killed you.  about the skunk. I had one I shot come back and started to run off. I already put the 22 away and jumped back and popped him again. Got luck on that guy. Lol NO on the re-schedule lol I would love to see the look on there faces. Lol

[pianoman9701]

I've never heard of a civet in WA. How common are they? Is this the same as a spotted skunk?

[jasnt]

I've never heard of a civet in WA. How common are they? Is this the same as a spotted skunk?

yes it is a spotted skunk and as many of these guys catch I'd say they are very common on the west side

[Trapper John]

I've never heard of a civet in WA. How common are they? Is this the same as a spotted skunk?

yes it is a spotted skunk and as many of these guys catch I'd say they are very common on the west side

"Very Common" 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Having been knocked out while grouse hunting by a falling tree (wind was blowing), I can tell you it doesn't get much more confusing than waking up face down in the wet leaves with your shotgun under you and a tree on top of you. 

[pianoman9701]

I'm glad you woke up at all! 

[DOUBLELUNG]

I'm glad you woke up at all! 

Thank you sir!  Me too - fortunately it was a fairly rotten paper birch, would have fared far worse with most other species.

[ouchfoss]

Wow Bruce! Almost sounds like otter karma! Haven't you been trapping that exact spot for years? 
Looks like I'm not the only one who had a "sleeping" skunk scenario this season!

[JimmyHoffa]

The animals are setting traps of their own.