AK trapping season has started!

[Machias]

Awseome, congrats to your daughter!!!

[TeacherMan]

You notice her gloves  . I forgot her winter gloves in my wifes jeep. She is wearing a set of my trapping gloves (actually my bait gloves  ). She made sure I knew they didn't smell very good. I carried her up a ridge on my shoulders and she put them in my face, I about choked  She really didn't complain, anything is better than nothing when your hands are cold.

[Machias]

You know what they say, "Old trappers never die, they just smell like it!"   

[Arteman]

Cool thread Teacherman, congrats to your daughter.  Love getting my girls outdoors.   

[Lunchbox1981]

Awesome thread Teacherman.  Congrats to your daughter and I look forward to folowing along on your trapping season.

[TeacherMan]

A few more snares and a fox cubbies out! We've had three chinooks this winter so its been crazy keeping the sets from not getting a layer of ice on them. I'm heading out tomorrow to make a couple new bait piles and lynx cubbies plus toss up 12 more marten boxes. (I'll add pics) These three sets are going to go into my book some day  The cubby has the trap out about 4'-5' out in front of it but the only way into it is throw a pinch point, the traps location, notice the vertical guide sticks. I'm using rabbit, ermine, and moose hide as bait and fox urine up behind the set. The road snare is a spot I blocked the entire rd off with cross logs and actually added a tree to attach my snare to. I put that birch between the two cross logs, it actually slides out and acts as a drag. After that I put some spruce bows covering the rest of the holes in the trail. The last snare is on a hill, I like setting snares on hills, animals tend to push a little harder moving up a hill. I think this takes there gaurd down a little.

[mulehunter]

   Please let WOLF get thur snare!   

[boneaddict]

Awesome!   That will keep you busy

[Machias]

If your setting your snares for wolves you need to set a MIN of 100 yards, further is better.  If you catch a wolf at your set now, it'll be all over for the rest, they will avoid the bait set from now on.  If you set 100 yards back they do not associate the bait pile with the wolf/wolves that were caught.  You realllllly need to move those sets back.

[TeacherMan]

Agreed Machi but I also need to go in with a gun a wolf gear. The snares I set only had 9" loops on them. I wasn't expecting wolves. I usually dont set a bait for a couple weeks and let it get active. But with that said the amount of fox sign was hard to resist. I'll most likely end up with half eaten fox but that's trapping. I'm making 1/8" Amber loc snares in my shop today and getting them boiling. I like about a 14" loop on my wolf sets. I left the main ridge trail alone with my snares as well. I have a lot more steel to lay in that area. Growing up in WA it amazes me how large these wolves are up here. They are the size of an average WA black bear except they run in packs. Another issue with the wolves in my area is they havexa bad louse problem. Like really bad mange. It makes them a little crazy, two bow hunters in this area had problems with them this season. Not worth anything besides the fact your helping the moose population.  Off to. Check my sets.

[Machias]

Ok, sorry, I thought you were setting up for wolves.

[Humptulips]

Agreed Machi but I also need to go in with a gun a wolf gear. The snares I set only had 9" loops on them. I wasn't expecting wolves. I usually dont set a bait for a couple weeks and let it get active. But with that said the amount of fox sign was hard to resist. I'll most likely end up with half eaten fox but that's trapping. I'm making 1/8" Amber loc snares in my shop today and getting them boiling. I like about a 14" loop on my wolf sets. I left the main ridge trail alone with my snares as well. I have a lot more steel to lay in that area. Growing up in WA it amazes me how large these wolves are up here. They are the size of an average WA black bear except they run in packs. Another issue with the wolves in my area is they havexa bad louse problem. Like really bad mange. It makes them a little crazy, two bow hunters in this area had problems with them this season. Not worth anything besides the fact your helping the moose population.  Off to. Check my sets.

Read about the lice before. A real bummer. I understand to an extent it has spread over a third of AK.
Animal rights people and a timid AKDFG are to blame. I remember when the lice first showed and they had a chance to kill the only pack they were in but they held back because of protests long enough to let the lice spread.

[TeacherMan]

I thought we were about to have a break in the snow so I went out to break my traps free from the ice and reset them. First sets I stopped at I had this pair waiting for me, got to love the cross fox! One in a snare, one on a scent post. The male is an XXL! I almost had to put him on a coyote board. his feet go past the bottom of the fox stretcher. With that said the only thing I have to say about trapping that kills me is the time it takes to prep the fur correctly. I completely do the feet taxidermy quality. My fox are taking me about 90 min each  With that said they look really nice when they are done. Good luck on your lines guys! 

A few pics, I'm trying a new set, hay set. Looked great when I left it but the 6" of fresh last night I'm sure killed most of my sets. Good thing for snares!

[Machias]

Swwwwweeeet, man those things are beautiful!

[Camp David]

Teacher...I need your life. What am I doing behind a desk Great thread