EODRay
Active member
That thing is a huge pig Randy. You are putting it to them good. Glad Elton have you the nudge you needed to get back at it. I have enjoyed reading about the tails/tales.
Ode to Uncle Elton
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
NVLongbow
Well-known member
So glad that Elt was still well enough to do this. He remains in our prayers.
Yesterday, Lawnboy decided he wanted tag along for a morning of trap checking. The pics should suffice.
Beaver set #1
Before
After
Beaver set #2
Before
After
Six beaver from these two traps in four times I have checked them.
Two sets, two big flat tails. Now on to set #3. (Please don't have any more of this big hogs for me to skin.)
Beaver set #1
Before
After
Beaver set #2
Before
After
Six beaver from these two traps in four times I have checked them.
Two sets, two big flat tails. Now on to set #3. (Please don't have any more of this big hogs for me to skin.)
On to beaver set #3.
Forgot to take a "Before" pic, so you get an "After" pic.
Toss in 14 rats, and Fin has some time at the skinning bench. Not sure what Lawnboy thought of this gig, but was fun to have his humor along for the ride.
Should have had two more rats, but the coons are out in force, now that the weather warmed up and they ate two rats out of the traps. I am bringing some cage traps tomorrow in hopes I can thin out these thieves.
Thinking I will check tomorrow, Tuesday, and Thursday. Might pull them on Thursday, depending upon the weather and how many rats I am getting. My freezer is full of rough skinned beaver hides and frozen castors. Not in need of any more beaver, but the landowners want me to take more of them.
Forgot to take a "Before" pic, so you get an "After" pic.
Toss in 14 rats, and Fin has some time at the skinning bench. Not sure what Lawnboy thought of this gig, but was fun to have his humor along for the ride.
Should have had two more rats, but the coons are out in force, now that the weather warmed up and they ate two rats out of the traps. I am bringing some cage traps tomorrow in hopes I can thin out these thieves.
Thinking I will check tomorrow, Tuesday, and Thursday. Might pull them on Thursday, depending upon the weather and how many rats I am getting. My freezer is full of rough skinned beaver hides and frozen castors. Not in need of any more beaver, but the landowners want me to take more of them.
Thanks for sharing these. Trapping is something I really want to do and hope to give it a go soon. I've thought hard about spending the money and taking the time to go to Trappers College
http://www.furtakersofamerica.com/college.html
http://www.furtakersofamerica.com/college.html
EODRay
Active member
Wow, how many beavers can he possibly have left. You are slaying them like crazy. Wasn't part of the deal for Lawn boy that is he rode along, he had to help with the skinning duties as well? It's only fair.
Checked the line this morning, Probably only a few more checks and I will pull them all. The beaver abundance continues.
When Lawnboy was out with me on Friday, he helped me make this set. A beaver had been scent mounding on the bank at the bottom of the pic. He made a perfect location for a conibear, much to his detriment.
Here is the set when we left.
Here is the set this morning.
A couple miles down the river is the most reliable set I have ever had for beaver. The prior three checks all had a beaver. This is how it looked when Lawnboy and I left on Friday.
This guy was there when I arrived this morning. Four checks, four beaver. Wish I had that rate of catch with all my other sets.
Seldom you see a beaver in a conibear ending up in this pose. Usually, you find them in the horizontal position.
These are some big beaver, for traveling beaver. When you find a colony, you usually find two big ones in among a bunch of average sized beaver. These are all big ones.
The day ended with two beaver, sixteen rats, and two stolen traps. At least they left me my stakes, wire, and trap tags.
I have now met the goal for muskrats. Far exceeded the number of beaver I had interest in catching. Now, I just have to figure out what I am going to do with all of these pelts.
When Lawnboy was out with me on Friday, he helped me make this set. A beaver had been scent mounding on the bank at the bottom of the pic. He made a perfect location for a conibear, much to his detriment.
Here is the set when we left.
Here is the set this morning.
A couple miles down the river is the most reliable set I have ever had for beaver. The prior three checks all had a beaver. This is how it looked when Lawnboy and I left on Friday.
This guy was there when I arrived this morning. Four checks, four beaver. Wish I had that rate of catch with all my other sets.
Seldom you see a beaver in a conibear ending up in this pose. Usually, you find them in the horizontal position.
These are some big beaver, for traveling beaver. When you find a colony, you usually find two big ones in among a bunch of average sized beaver. These are all big ones.
The day ended with two beaver, sixteen rats, and two stolen traps. At least they left me my stakes, wire, and trap tags.
I have now met the goal for muskrats. Far exceeded the number of beaver I had interest in catching. Now, I just have to figure out what I am going to do with all of these pelts.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
Wow what an awesome day. I so wanted to go back out and check those traps with you. Must of been those fresh carrots we put out 
You have a real talent Randy. Hopefully next season I can tag along a little more and get to know how and why you do what you do with the traps.
Pretty sure Fin was regretting bringing me along the last time. I was asking questions like a 5 year old. Must of drove him nuts.
You have a real talent Randy. Hopefully next season I can tag along a little more and get to know how and why you do what you do with the traps.Pretty sure Fin was regretting bringing me along the last time. I was asking questions like a 5 year old. Must of drove him nuts.
jryoung
Well-known member
Proably wouldn't have been so bad if you showed up prepared to get muddy instead of in jeans.
elk_hunter
Active member
Holy crap...never seen so many trapped critters before. Very cool Randy, that's awesome. And those beavers are PIGS - wow! Fat bastards!
drahthaar
Active member
You could make some slippers?
shoots-straight
Well-known member
On the beaver you make about .50 c and hr skinning, fleshing, and stretching. The muskrat you'll do good on. They seem to be holding their price.
You should eat some of those beavers. Have a Hunt talk beaver feed.
You should eat some of those beavers. Have a Hunt talk beaver feed.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
Proably wouldn't have been so bad if you showed up prepared to get muddy instead of in jeans.
That's a good point. I had a pair of older waders on but they rubbed the skin off my ankles and calves so bad I ditched them. It was a day of walking the banks and checking the carrots. I don't even know how to set a trap. Probably take off a couple digits if I tried.
Didn't have time to take many pics when I checked on Monday. End tally was 8 rats and one mink. Also lost two big 330 conibears to someone, either a thief or a fisherman who likes to trespass and doesn't like trapping. Was pretty frustrated to lose some more traps. The stakes were there and the wires were untwisted from the chain. Hard to imagine a beaver in a conibear being able to untwist the wire from the chain and swim off with the trap.
But, today I was able to check the two remaining beaver sets that the thieves did not find. Had a beaver in each of them. They just could not resist the smell of a strange flat tail in the neighborhood. If only wolf trapping was this easy.
If a beaver wants to raise the ire of a landowner, just go and start tipping over his mature aspen trees.
Then, auger a big trail across his property from the river to the fallen tree.
I would bet $100 there is a beaver in this trap come morning. He has set up his docking station to be one of the most lethal sets a beaver trapper can find.
The day's tally - 2 big mature beaver and 12 muskrats. Coons or mink got another rat.
Been a fun three weeks. Probably going to leave the traps out until Sunday and then pull everything. Time to get the shop organized and de-junk the truck. Spring bear season will be here in two weeks.
But, today I was able to check the two remaining beaver sets that the thieves did not find. Had a beaver in each of them. They just could not resist the smell of a strange flat tail in the neighborhood. If only wolf trapping was this easy.
If a beaver wants to raise the ire of a landowner, just go and start tipping over his mature aspen trees.
Then, auger a big trail across his property from the river to the fallen tree.
I would bet $100 there is a beaver in this trap come morning. He has set up his docking station to be one of the most lethal sets a beaver trapper can find.
The day's tally - 2 big mature beaver and 12 muskrats. Coons or mink got another rat.
Been a fun three weeks. Probably going to leave the traps out until Sunday and then pull everything. Time to get the shop organized and de-junk the truck. Spring bear season will be here in two weeks.
twodot
New member
Hey Randy, you might want to send those a few of those beaver over to Duluth to USA Foxx. They do an outstanding job of garment tanning them for 27.dollars each. We have used them for years. The boys are sending a monster badger and a nice pale yote over to them next trip to town. They make outstanding gifts. Have a pro trapper bud back in Ind. who sends all his stuff there for tanning then he sells the finished fur locally and has people clamoring for them. You ever want to give a water trapping clinic, sign me and the boys up!
Pulled the traps yesterday, but forgot the camera the last two days of checking traps. Was a good time to get out and remind myself just how much fun one can have while doing some damage control. In the process, earn a few bucks and hopefully gain a little permission for waterfowl, come January.
Final tally was:
280 muskrats
9 mink
16 beaver
2 racoons.
Now, deciding which ones to send to the fur auction, which ones to get tanned for gifts,and which ones to have made into garments.
Thanks to Uncle Elt for getting me out to do this and for his fortitude to live a life in spite of his challenges. He recently tried to go fishing in Nevada where he tipped his boat in the river, in the process, losing his wallet, $400 of cash, and nearly his life. But, given his desire to try milk the most out of what days he has, the odds of anyone talking him out of trying his hand at outdoor activities is pretty slim. Actually, the odds are about zero.
Thanks for following along.
Final tally was:
280 muskrats
9 mink
16 beaver
2 racoons.
Now, deciding which ones to send to the fur auction, which ones to get tanned for gifts,and which ones to have made into garments.
Thanks to Uncle Elt for getting me out to do this and for his fortitude to live a life in spite of his challenges. He recently tried to go fishing in Nevada where he tipped his boat in the river, in the process, losing his wallet, $400 of cash, and nearly his life. But, given his desire to try milk the most out of what days he has, the odds of anyone talking him out of trying his hand at outdoor activities is pretty slim. Actually, the odds are about zero.
Thanks for following along.
WapitiBob
Well-known member
Thanks Randy. I had no idea people still trapped.
When I had the Fishlake elk tag in 2010 the beavers would drop several trees a day across the trail we walked up. That was a real eye opener as what they could do.
When I had the Fishlake elk tag in 2010 the beavers would drop several trees a day across the trail we walked up. That was a real eye opener as what they could do.
