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#13842 - 04/30/04 05:16 PM What Did You Learn?
Hal Offline
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
The season is over now, but before it gets too far away, share with us a little tip that you picked up this past season, or something that you plan to do differently next season.

smile – Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#13843 - 04/30/04 05:18 PM Re: What Did You Learn?
Hal Offline
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
I’ll go first. I always use a piece of 14 gauge wire on end of the chains on my bodygrip traps. But that sharp piece of wire can really play hob with the gauntlets. Last season, actually last summer, when I replaced the wires on the traps, I bent the last 1/4 inch of the wire, back onto itself and crimped it down so it had a blunt end. This virtually eliminated the holes in the gauntlets, at least from that source. smile

smile -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#13844 - 04/30/04 05:45 PM Re: What Did You Learn?
kevinat Offline
Member

Registered: 09/28/03
Posts: 69
Loc: Orem Ut
Ive only been at this for 2 years so its all a learning experience for me. I learned a lot about snaring though. My best spot was on a steep incline going from one clearing to another. By the time the critters got to the snare they were at a good clip going either way and it was all over but the skinnin.

The hardest lesson was that Ill never use the auction again. I turned in 26 fox 26 coon 5 beaver and 1 muskrat. I got just over $200.00 and $45.00 of that was for the beaver. If I cant sell to a buyer direct Ill have em tanned and sell em myself.

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#13845 - 04/30/04 11:59 PM Re: What Did You Learn?
J Severing Offline
Member+

Registered: 02/18/01
Posts: 234
Loc: Livingston Manor N.Y. 12758
after losing some ground,to a trapper getting back into the game, I relearned the value of keeping in touch with the land owners or caretakers through out the year.

had the run of a couple of places for so long,I didnt realize they were changing hands, either through a conveyance or a new care taker.

not a good feeling pulling into the drive way to let them know your gonna be setting up and the
new people ask who the heck you are, before you even get a chance to get out.

worse feeling finding out they gave permission to someone who knew you trapped that ground, sence you were a kid. sorry weve got a trapper, nice guy by the name of......, live and learn and learn again...jim

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#13846 - 05/01/04 02:26 AM Re: What Did You Learn?
Ric Offline


Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 3695
Loc: Wellington,OH=USA
You need to be flexible,don't get stuck in a rut.We had a misserable wet fall and winter.I actually had a red fox drown at a dirt hole set!Almost hung it up but then decided to follow the advice I had given others.Dropped back to a small number of sets that I could maintain properly and made a respectable catch

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#13847 - 05/01/04 02:26 AM Re: What Did You Learn?
mountainman33 Offline
Member

Registered: 01/29/02
Posts: 412
Loc: Central Maine
This is what I learned.....That all the cussing,stomping spitting, kicking, and cussing some more ain't gonna shut off the rain faucet. you sometimes have to look adversity in the face and laugh and make do with what you have. I also learned that I take way to much for granted, like my health. I ripped my back this winter carrying out two 50 pound flattails, not as young as I used to be. This laid me up for a good month and really hurt my take on beaver this winter. But you know what? I needed that month and had I been 20 years younger, I would have bulled on and probably been in worse shape before the end of winter. Wisdom does come with age. I will definately keep tuned up with a new fitness program, well, not really new. It just requires that I scout more for fall and winter trapping all year long. Also, I may seek a beavering partner, someone to share that load with. Lotsa hiking ahead.

...MM... laugh

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#13848 - 05/01/04 02:54 PM Re: What Did You Learn?
Jack Turner Offline
Member

Registered: 10/18/00
Posts: 379
Loc: Harrison, Ohio
Having been a trapper for 14 years, I am a multi-species, multi-trap trapper. Lots of footholds, some snares and fewer coni's. Target all legal furbearers.

After walking my line for two weeks following snows and frozen ground conditions, I saw firsthand just how many animals had been within ten feet or less of my sets without working them. In addition, I grew tired of constantly trying to keep sets working in rain, snow, frozen conditions, mud etc. Now, I realize that all this is part of trapping. You ain't gonna catch them all and mother nature doesn't care about your traps.

Having said that, I am going to continue to use footholds in water next season, but I think that I am going to run 90 percent snares on land. I want to examine my overall catch ratio compared to past years. Snares are quicker, cheaper and are working 24/7. The negatives... gotta be in the right place with the right loop size. But I figure that, I can save money and cover more area without the hassle of keeping traps working or the animal shying away from my set due to foreign odors or other hesitation.

So what did I learn? I suppose I needed to break out of my typical "cookie-cutter" trapper thinking and be willing to experiment more.

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#13849 - 05/01/04 10:25 PM Re: What Did You Learn?
Steve Offline
Member

Registered: 09/17/00
Posts: 245
Loc: Milton, Indiana
Over the past couple of seasons I've learned two things that are improtant to me. First, always have a cold weather emergency kit with you when trapping in below freezing temps. Nothing excessive, some waterproof matches, wool gloves, a spare pair of wool socks, and as much as I hate it a cell phone. (Might as well take advantage of the technology)

Secondly, is to keep things simple. Simple efficient sets without a lot of construction worked very well for a mixed bag trapline.

Steve

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#13850 - 05/02/04 01:50 AM Re: What Did You Learn?
Newt Offline
Member

Registered: 07/31/00
Posts: 508
Loc: Port Republic,South Jersey & C...
Keep my cell phone in a water proof container around my neck.
For $9.95 you can buy a water tight bag at Boaters World.That you can hang around your neck or keep on your self some place. DONT stoe in in the boat some place.Radios and Cell phones dont work when you flip a boat over and they are under. Keep it on you."IF" one of us would have done this.We would have been rescued in about 10 minites by a Coast Guard Helacopter. Not 3 hours and the good lord helped with that. REMBER *CG when you are on big water and nead help.

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#13851 - 05/02/04 02:23 AM Re: What Did You Learn?
woodduck out Offline
Member

Registered: 03/19/03
Posts: 139
Loc: Greenville, Ohio
I learned a lot this past season laugh

1) When in cold water always wear insulated
waders or hippers
2) Mink are nothing more then a snake with fur
3) Not to chop ice with a short handled ax
4) Not to use to much pressure when fleshing
possums
5) Use lots of pressure when fleshing coon
6) Not to set a trap for muckyrats where you
can't drown them
7) Don't leave clip to rifle at home and have
rifle in truck
8) Don't leave hippers rolled down when crossing
a feeder stream that are over a foot deep or
walking in snow drifts
9) Don't walk on ice close to muskrat huts
10) Don't set trap on steep rocks
11) Don't forget bait and lure when going out to
make sets
12) Don't leave apples in truck over night,
can't put frozen apples on coni trigger
13) Remember to take shotgun on trapline during
duck and goose season
14) Always walk up stream not down
15) Always have hip boots pulled all the way up
before getting into water, took a couple of
times before that one sunk in laugh
the most important part is to have fun while trapping laugh wink Jeff aka Woodduck out

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