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Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: Blsum on December 11, 2016, 06:55:01 PM


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Title: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 11, 2016, 06:55:01 PM
Well I finally got a few cat sets in. Started putting them in this last Tuesday. With only a small amount of time to do anything after work I was not able to put them all in at once. I set one behind the shop at work. The same place I caught my first cat last year. I set another one in a spot I've gotten a cat on camera the last two years now. And a third set where I found some fresh cat tracks. Pretty sure they might be cougar tracks but it looks like a really good cat area so I figured I would set it anyways. We will see what the trail cam or trap tells me.

That is all I was able to get set after work this week. Yesterday I was able to set up two prebaits with cameras. I will give them a week and see what shows up. While we still had some snow I was able to find where the cat I've had on camera for two seasons had been working some roads. Well I was going to put my last three traps in the area. Only problem is one of them was having issues so I was only able to get two more sets in. With Christmas plans and a few other things coming up I will only be able to run this line for a short while. Once we get into the new year I will be able to spread out a bit. I have at least two other cats on camera from earlier this year that I would like to go after.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: JakeLand on December 11, 2016, 06:59:38 PM
 :tup: I'm just pre baiting still for cats holding out until the 1st of January   :bash:
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: jasnt on December 11, 2016, 07:07:06 PM
Tagging along. Good luck this year bud
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 11, 2016, 07:08:27 PM
:tup: I'm just pre baiting still for cats holding out until the 1st of January   :bash:

I had a bunch of baits that were left over from last year. And only a few larger pieces to use for prebait. I'm planning on running through all the stuff in the freezer before I go after any fresh bait.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 16, 2016, 07:24:38 PM
Quick update. Been having issues with traps not going off because of different reasons. One still had the safety on.  :bash:  Another for what ever reason was triggered but didn't allow the rod that holds the door open to move out of the way.  :bash: Another the dirt had froze solid holding the door open.  :bash: and last but not least the door has been closed two days in a row now but nothing is in the trap. Think possibly a skunk may be getting out of the skunk exit hole. Thinking about shutting things down after tomorrow. At least till after the new year.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: bear hunter on December 16, 2016, 08:08:42 PM
 :sry: that suck. Set small traps for the skunk. I WOULD FUR'S FUR
GOOD LUCK
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: JakeLand on December 16, 2016, 08:12:30 PM
Do you have pan triggers? If so it's probably a skunk setting it off .put a small trap right next to the cat cage and put a real small piece of bait right at the door and you'll probably get him in the " skunk" trap
There's over 3' of snow where I trap and the cats and a few fox have been tearing up a few pre bait ares good so I'm going to set a few out tomorrow hopefully get some fox
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Humptulips on December 16, 2016, 08:43:54 PM
Jake,
If you catch a fox the Department is really interested in getting some DNA. Just a bit f fur in an envelope. Easy to do.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 16, 2016, 08:44:45 PM
Do you have pan triggers? If so it's probably a skunk setting it off .put a small trap right next to the cat cage and put a real small piece of bait right at the door and you'll probably get him in the " skunk" trap
There's over 3' of snow where I trap and the cats and a few fox have been tearing up a few pre bait ares good so I'm going to set a few out tomorrow hopefully get some fox

All of my traps are conibear triggers. I think the one was a rust issue or possibly frozen. The safety was just me being in to much of a hurry and forgetting to double check  :bash: the last one was the dirt and other material I used to bed the trap freezing solid and not allowing the door to close. All my doors close from the side so in order to bed them like I want to I end up with some bedding on the bottom edge of the door. I'm tossing around some ideas for a redesign just not sure if it will work as a dual purpose swim through/land trap.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: JakeLand on December 16, 2016, 08:53:54 PM
 Bruce- I'm hoping to have better luck this year with the fox considering they wouldn't go into my cages last year, they would just dig it up but if I catch some I would give them whatever they would need or want
  As to the doors freezing try dipping the bottom in wax and or order some anti freeze from F/T and try that
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Humptulips on December 17, 2016, 11:02:13 AM
What I do to keep the doors from getting froze open is I set the trap up on a small chunk of wood like a slat to keep it out of contact with the ground and then use some leaves sparingly scattered for covering. The leaves especially if they are a bit dry break up when the door springs. Dirt is about the worst for freezing so I try to avoid that.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: jasnt on December 17, 2016, 12:08:06 PM
Anyone try pete or coco fiber
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Kit Carson on December 17, 2016, 01:08:06 PM
Good luck this year man! Still remember last year's story; catching that Cat behind ur work on the LAST day  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 22, 2016, 08:51:51 AM
Well this last saturday I shut all the door to my traps beca use I wasn't going to be able to check them in the required amount of time and didn't have the room or time to pull everything out that day. Well I went back out Monday aftenoon to pull all the traps out till I can get my rig fixed and till after the holidays. Well I get to the last trap and as I'm walking up to it I hear something that sounds like it's in the trap  :dunno: hmm. Well I move all the brush to find that a Stellar Jay had figured out how to get in through the skunk escape hatch. Only problem is he couldn't figure out how to get back out. First time I've ever caught a bird. Let alone in a trap that wasn't even set. I took a picture of him but it didn't turn out and I released him unharmed before I realized my picture wasn't very good. I will updated everyone again once I get things up and rolling again.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: jasnt on December 22, 2016, 12:47:24 PM
Good luck with the truck. Just went through the same thing
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: ouchfoss on December 22, 2016, 01:22:11 PM
I'm thinking I've had several closed doors the last few seasons just from stellar jays and gray jays (camp robbers). Got a raven in one trap last year. I would have never figured on catching one of those. He pecked my dad pretty bad when he let him go.  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 29, 2016, 06:15:49 PM
Looks like I might have some action at a prebait site. Took the last big chunk of meat I have out to hang from the tree and replaced the crappy Tasco camera with a nicer one. I decided to drive around the perimeter of the area and found a lot of cat tracks. Should of taken some pictures but my phone was dead. There were definitely cougar tracks in the area. As well as some smaller tracks. Possibly cougar cubs or a bobcat or both.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: bear hunter on December 29, 2016, 07:10:15 PM
 :dunno: no traps out?
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on December 29, 2016, 07:36:11 PM
The rear end on my rig is starting to go out. I don't want to drive it anymore then I have to. The new part is suppose to be here either tomorrow or Monday. Once I get it fixed it's game on.

:dunno: no traps out?
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: jasnt on December 29, 2016, 07:45:48 PM
One thing I haven't run across this year is cougar. I'm sure once the season closes I'll see them weekly again
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on January 05, 2017, 06:41:55 PM
Well I'm finally back at it. With the limited time I had after work today I was only able to get one set in. But its where I had the prebait working. Hopefully it pays off. Kind of ticked off at my trail camera. I had fresh cat tracks in the snow all around the prebait and no pictures except for when I was setting it. Only thing I can think of was it was to cold for it.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Cultusman on January 05, 2017, 06:48:20 PM

That set looks like it should work, Good Luck.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on January 05, 2017, 06:55:40 PM

That set looks like it should work, Good Luck.

Thanks. Hopefully it does. Always willing to listen to the advice of an experienced cat trapper like you and many others on the forum.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: bear hunter on January 05, 2017, 09:06:36 PM
 :tup: good luck hope you get that pretty kitty
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Triplej on January 05, 2017, 10:12:18 PM
Good luck !
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Kit Carson on January 06, 2017, 01:18:53 PM
Get em!!  :tup:
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on January 07, 2017, 06:41:32 PM
Well haven't had any action in the last couple of days. Got two more sets in this afternoon and tomorrow I'm planning on setting one of my swim through traps for beaver. Getting low on bait so I'm gonna need to replenish my supplies.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on January 17, 2017, 07:15:40 PM
Well I pulled all my traps again. Looks like I'm gonna be a busy boy for a little while. So unfortunately I won't have time for running traps, at least till I get all these side jobs taken care of. On a brighter note. I can still live vicariously through all of you. Good luck out there guys and gals.

I never did catch that cat that I had coming in. Have a funny feeling the guys that were out in the area running their hounds for "racoons" may have something to do with that.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on March 13, 2017, 05:56:53 PM
Finally done with all the things i had going on. Been way to long since I've run the line. Got two beaver sets in today and planning on setting two more tomorrow. I need to get some cat bait if I'm gonna even try to catch one this year.

I ended up winning one of Bruce's cat traps at the rendezvous this last weekend.  :IBCOOL: The trap I bought in last year's auction did me good so hopefully this new one will as well.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Machias on March 13, 2017, 06:40:24 PM
Awesome, congrats on a nice win!!
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: Blsum on March 16, 2017, 11:43:38 AM
Well haven't been doing to good. Have had 3 traps sprung with nothing in them. Looks like they may have crawled over one and set it off. Another one was crammed full of debris and a stick prevented a door from closing. The last one the trigger wire got caught on the door and held the door open.  :bash: hopefully they aren't educated to much now. We will see when I go to check them tonight.
Title: Re: Blsum's 2016/17 trap line
Post by: ouchfoss on March 16, 2017, 02:25:23 PM
That happened to me a few times this season. Seems like if you get a good heavy rain, you need to check your swim thrus every day. Too often sticks float through and trip it. That's part of the reason I made all my triggers really stiff and shortened. There was several times this season where my cage had several sticks in it and it was still set. I'm sure there was a few beavers I wouldn't have got if my triggers were like they were two years ago.  :twocents:
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