A couple of surprises this weekend...

Weather, weather, weather.  It's awful.  Actually, it's great for being outside, but horrible for winter travel.  Flights out of RSM have been turned around because of icing up, the river and sloughs keep showing overflow because the temps keep rising into the 40's for crying out loud, right before they drop back down and freeze everything and then bring snow again...and the forecast as of tonight says that it will get up closer to 50 this weekend!!!  You'd almost think this wasn't SW Alaska in January...

But regardless, we keep getting out there, as always.  Starting a family sure changes the frequency of the outings you get, but the quality goes up without a doubt.  :)  The greatest part of this year out here has been the addition of Warren, now that he is of a capacity to be actually engaged by what we are doing.  It started this fall with pike and sheefish fishing, and it continued into the burbot lines and now trapping.  I just cannot wait until the boys are both of age to come along, and we can get down to business like dad and I used to.

This weekend started out with a visit to the weasel traps again, and (see last post) we scored.   But we went out again and checked again after re-luring.  This time, no weasels, but Warren was simply overjoyed at the catch he spotted when I lifted the lid of the weasel box:

A double on Shrews!!!  Ha!  He acted as though it was a double on wolverine!  Priceless, indeed.  I love this photo :)

And then, I received a call from someone about a lynx that had been in a trap for at least two nights that they knew of.  The weather, as I had mentioned, has been awful, and that particular day it had been blowing 40+ and whiteout conditions.  Two nights and three days is long enough.   Forde and I decided to head out and put the cat down to avoid more delay with the ugly weather.  Made up a short video (long, 'full length' version not uploaded to youtube, but it will be on this year's trapping DVD) :)  and so here it is:  A brief glimpse of our ride, set to some tunes, and then the kitty dispatch at the end, filmed with the new GoPro camera!  A great second run for it as it performed well...

Thanks for watching!

The mighty Ermine at last!....

Well, I don't know what sort of voodoo there is about them, but the Ermine has given me some of the biggest challenges of any species I've trapped.  I have been trying for four years and could never get that first one in.  Whether it be set refusals, set-off traps that I had to wonder about, or even this year's stolen victory - it has been a long road.  But finally, we made it: (a blurry pic, I know, but this is the original - and there's more)  THAT is a happy boy - and his dad's pretty stoked too!!!

A couple weeks ago over the Christmas break, Warren and I took two of the weasel boxes we had out and relocated them to where I had been fox trapping - and seeing a TON of weasel sign.  I only left one weasel box in place, in fact - down by the river at one of the village fish camps.  I never added more bait as it was not gettting robbed by voles, but I did change up the lure - went with some Dobbin's Klondike Call instead of the weasel lure I had been using.  After that, for about two weeks, me and Warren only checked the sets in the new locations and never got back to the fish camp box.  Last night the whole family was taking a walk down to the river and I thought it would be fun to check the "forgotten" weasel box.  Even though I pulled him most of the way, Warren had to walk with Mommy and Abram, who was safely tucked in to mom's hugely oversized parka, riding in the baby bjorn :D  Here's a glance back the snowmachine trail:

When we approached the set I had to walk over with Warren because the drifts were too deep for reasonably easy walking with Abram.  But when I got there I noticed right away that there were weasel tracks going in AND out of a hole under the fish camp cabin.  And we're talking a hole that is like 6-8 feet from our weasel box...  Yep, ...there go the tracks in the right direction...Hmm, this is good....and then I stuck my head behind the plywood and BINGO!  There's Mr. Weas.  Woohoo!  Here's another pic from when we got back home: 

..and a skinning shot.  He insisted on gloves even though he drowned in them :) And we could tell he's used to seeing us butcher on the kitchen table - as we skinned the weasel together (oh yes - he did his part to pull on the hide several times) he kept saying "cut it up" and "eat it"... ha ha!  Don't think we'll be trying that, but he sure is funny...
(pic coming soon - ...work filter nonsense again :D)

and a short video of the 'reveal' :)

It's that time again...

Mid January.  The fox are pairing (or now paired, for some) up and looking for love.  What does this mean?....  It means nice easy post sets and an exponential increase in the chances for doubles, that's what it means!  There might be no better time to be out trapping our furry red friends - a nuance of the 'season of love' is that the fox will travel more and eat less now.  Well, at least those who haven't already found a partner, anyway.  And their traveling is in pairs instead of solo.  Which means, for those of us laying steel, that scent posts are where it's at.  Here's an example.  An "outstanding object". In this case, a knob at the base end of a downed log that sticks up above the snow.  This one happens to be in the near-middle of a slough, so there is nothing close to it in ANY direction.  By close I mean 100 yards or more depending on direction.  An object like this placed in a canine key crossing is solid gold.  This one happens to be about four feet off a major snowmachine trail however, and that is the sole reason why I haven't set it.  I don't like trapping for someone else.  Anyway, here is the branch, only two nights after a fresh snow.  How many trails do you see leading to and from it?

 There are tracks of no less than seven visits to this object.  In two days' time.  Check below where I highlighted the paths and then look again.  Some are harder to see as they are in depressions and shadowed, but they are there.  Easily could have had a double here, and likely the number of individuals this represents is much higher than two.  But, I have to make sets in the area but more hidden so as to be the one taking my fox home.  My guess is if I came across a spot like this in a secluded area - meadow, etc - there would be consecutive days of doubles at such a set-up.  And once you get the catch circle with added eye appeal, not to mention scent, the traffic will increase yet again as well.

Now for some friends of mine...

This little fellow must only have been in the trap a few minutes when I got there - note the utter lack of catch circle.  The rock used in the post is right in front of him, and the snow isn't even knocked off it yet:

And then there's this guy - reminds me of the pics I see of the fellas out west with their badger catches - Boom! explosion!  The snow was around his shoulder height when the set was made, and of course flat as a board.  He was busy!  And check out the willow tree shrapnel he flung all over the dang place!  And yet he was as nice and calm as could be when I showed up to take his picture. :)  Sure wish I had some better light, but what can you do when you trap in a heavily traveled area and you have to be the first one there.... A statement image of why I love this time of year so much...

And then there's this guy..he duped me several times, and then I decided it was time for the feather set.  Sure enough, a double front foot catch.  Gotcha! should have already started with the double sets, too, apparently.  Looked like several others checked him out during his stay...

This year has thus far produced the biggest red fox I have seen yet here in the bush - this big male goes 39 inches from nose to the end of the leather, all but 59 inches WITH the tail.  The five-foot fox pelt is within reach!!!...

Also got some cleaning done here lately.  Had a tote of 'backup' traps that sat for a while and must have had some water in the tote.  We're talking chunky colonies of rust, not just rust.  The bottom of the tote is now orange permanently.   Anyhow, I enlisted the help of Warren and we got 'er done together.  Here is a shot of him sampling the task, complete with his snowmachine goggles for eye protection. :)  If he's like this when he's two I can't wait til he gets older....

So this is what many of the traps in that tote looked like, some better, some worse...

Start with several charged cordless drill batteries (this will EAT 'em)  and attach one of these babies to the drill:

After wire brushing them, they need a good rinse, and then re-boil them. They look a lot nicer already. :)

Once you have them reboiled, you need to get yourself a first-class setup to dye traps, like I have. :D  This means in the kitchen on the floor, with a tub of Formula One trap dye in the bottom of a rubbermaid tote.  Once dipped, I wire each bundle to a cut plank for framing to dry between coats.  Excess drips into the tub of dye, and the assorted storage containers I position to collect drips from spring safeties, dog triggers, etc.  Like so:  (These were literally just dipped, and so still have the purple-black wet look.)

Even the wolf and wolverine traps that were unfortunate enough to be in the tote of rusty death joined the fun...

Year 30...Here we go...

Well, started out the day today a little under the weather.  ...but it wasn't enough to miss an opening day.  Thus far, only got out some fox sets and some weasel boxes, but enjoyed all of it.  There's lots of season to go, and it'd be nice to have some dang snow.  Setting for fox without snow brought me back to the days of burying traps in dirt.  I think this is the first time I have EVER carried my sifter and Trapper's Cap with me since coming to Alaska.  Many times I have wondered why I keep them around, as I have gotten used to trapping in snow exclusively.  Today I got to 'dust them off', and it was kind of fun.

Here's some shots I took of our Weasel crew:  Jason, Warren, and Cooper.  It was blowing and blowing COLD.

And here's one of a set location -  behind some sheet metal leaned up against the back wall of a fish camp shed:

And another of the boys...with the not-yet-frozen Yukon in back:

And here's one example of today's fox sets made in dirt/chaff.  We'll see how frozen these sets are in the morning, with all the rain/sleet we've been seeing.  heh heh....


The set location with the trap bed chipped out.

Another, closer.  I like to keep the bed as close to exactly the size of the trap as I can when doing the 'dirt' thing.  Using buckwheat hulls or dry dirt back in PA was the same way - as passed on to me by Pappy. :)

Trap in place.  Put the Trapper's Cap over the pan and sift away, careful not to get junk underneath it so it can travel freely.

And the covered set.  Call lure smeared on tree about six feet up.  Lure and stick in the hole.  Chain buried back underneath where the trees come together, wire goes from there up under the mossy clump in the V-notch and wraps up and around trunk on right.  These fox don't have nearly the phobia of wire that those PA or even WA fox did.  Less pressure does those sorts of favors for you.  Until I see a refusal I can pin on it, I'm not changing things up either.  That said, my wire has no scent on it, just in case. :)  Pan is offset to the right here based on approach, which is not readily discernible from these iphone pics - but, steps have been taken. :)  If they don't get caked with sleet or rain, they have a prayer, though of course the second-day-burn-off is likely in order, so we'll see how these first couple do.  Was a great day either way.  The first time Warren walks up to a bouncing red ball of fur with me is going to steal my show...

Trapping....Year 30...

The writing on the back of this polaroid just says one thing...  " '83 " .    I can still picture every inch of this field in my mind's eye - back on the Schoonmakers' farm.  Many times I chased fireflies in that field, or chased Dad around with walnuts in one of our heated battles.  Not very far from that spot I had my first ever encounter with a buck, bow in hand, when I was just about twice as old as I am in this picture.  That number, 83, makes this thirty years now of digging in the dirt and snow.  From fox to coon to possums to lynx to marten...its been a heck of a journey.  There is something about trapping that gets into your blood.  Here, on the eve of opening day, here in my thirtieth year of setting steel, I am looking outside at the absolutely horrible conditions - blowing rain, ready to freeze -  and smiling with anticipation.  Because I know that no matter what, regardless of the weather, I will be out there tomorrow, making sets.  Whether those first sets of the year endure the weather and connect or not really doesn't change a thing.  Trapping is something I do, and love.  You have to love it.  If you don't, all that's left is just plain work.  It has become such a part of me that I cannot imagine going through Fall and Winter without it anymore.  After all, it's been a part of me for far longer than not.  Tight Chains to all of you setting steel tomorrow.  I'll be out there with you.

Warren's first beaver check... ("Wabam!", part 2)

As the followup to yesterday's post, we went out this evening to check the beaver set we put in with Warren over in first creek yesterday.  As we rounded the last corner of the slough, excitement was high.  Warren was shouting "Wabam!" before we even got close to the lodge.  Dad was grinning ear to ear. :)  Here's a shot of the lodge:

And first, here's a repeat post of the set BEFORE pic from yesterday:

And today's AFTER shot:

It is always nice to see a dark shape just under the surface.  When beaver trapping that is.... :)

So then it was time to reveal to Warren exactly what we were doing here.  Here's a short vid with his reaction.  Wish I could show you how big his eyes got when he saw the beaver up close.  You might get some idea how struck he was by the low voice he was talking in - not in the normal Warren volume, by a long shot.  But, oh man...did he get excited!



Dad had to jump out to get the drowner cable untied...

 Warren was hollering at the beaver the whole time by now, and when we brought it into the boat, he started by petting it, and pretty soon was inspecting every inch, poking the orange teeth (as he hollered "Bite You!!"), the eyes, the tail...everything.  Pretty much had to pull him off for some pics.  Here's my favorite - with his balled up fists and tiptoe stance as he boiled over with giddiness!  I don't think I've ever seen such a big smile on his face:

 Checking him out some more:

And one last pose as he held tight on the trapchain:

And then, after we got back to Russian, it was time to carry the beast up the hill to home.  Sure beats carrying the rodents a couple of miles like we did in Pilot Station before the boat.  Besides, I have to get my herniated discs warmed up for moose season somehow.... :)

"Wa-bam!!!"... (says Warren).... :)

Yesterday we finally got the chance to get out and try to find a couple of bait beaver - and the best part was that we got to take Warren with us.  Cruised across the river after work and found our target slough as dry as I have ever seen it.  Didn't even know if we were going to get in, the water was so low.   But we made it, and not long after we were in the first beaver slid off the bank out about 100 yards in front of the boat and disappeared.   We kept on cruising, looking for an active lodge, and found two that were high and dry, presumably abandoned, as there was no place for a food pile even if the lodges were being used.  Finally we found what we were looking for - a good size lodge with a fresh mudpack on top and a nice green food pile started up.  Bingo!  And it wasn't long after we pulled up and tied off to make a set that one of the beavs came out of the lodge and started circling us.  Warren wasn't sure at first what the swimming little head was, but pretty soon the familiar grin spread across his face that tells us he sees something good.  While dad made the set, mom and Warren kept a sharp eye on the beaver, which Warren said was "Peekin"and "Hidin" as it made pacing half-circles around us.  He especially loved when it would slap its tail.  Got the set in and then pulled Warren up to the front of the boat with me to tell him all about it, and he offered his input :D  :

And then a posing shot for mom. 

When the picture snapping was over we turned around and headed for home - and the beaver we had seen coming into the slough was back!  As we closed to about the same distance as before he slid into the water, and then as we caught up he became nervous and gave a particularly heavy SLAP! of the tail just in front of the boat...and Warren lit up like a lightbulb.  He would slam both hands/arms downward and scream at the top of his lungs "Wabam!!", "Wabam!!".....  I was laughing so hard I could hardly keep a straight line with the tiller.  And then later on at night as he was in the crib by himself drifting off to sleep, we could hear through the closed door, "Wabam!!!"....."Wabam!!"....

Lord how I love that little boy.  :D