Not a big haul, but....

[quackhead]

My boy was pleased with it!

[rebelp74]

Good stuff man!

[Feelin' Fowl]

Probably more that Assa got this week...

Poor Jim...

[assateague]

It is. It's more than I've got in about 3 weeks. Fucking sucks.

And tonight at midnight, all my fox sets magically turn into coon sets, since coon is open until the end of February, but fox went out today.

[quackhead]

It is. It's more than I've got in about 3 weeks. **** sucks.

And tonight at midnight, all my fox sets magically turn into coon sets, since coon is open until the end of February, but fox went out today.

Coons moving much over there?
I got that one last week which stretched lrg, but should've been stretched a bit narrower. He was nice and prime. Thing was super easy to flesh though. I was surprised.

[assateague]

No, they haven't been. But hopefully they'll pick up over the next couple days. The last 9 days straight have been below 30 degrees for a high, but today it was 45, and the next several days are supposed to be in the 50s during the day. Hopefully that will get them out and about more than they have been. Although, really, the coons have been pretty poor all season for most around here.


Did you get your lots back yet?

[rebelp74]

So y'all have certain seasons on certain species for trapping? Here it's just trapping season from Nov 20-Mar 31.

[assateague]

Most everything comes in Nov 15, and goes until Jan 31, except coon, which doesn't go out until March 15th, I believe, although trapping for coons that late around here is pretty dumb. And muskrats, which don't come in until Jan 1st, and go out Mar 15.

[quackhead]

Most everything comes in Nov 15, and goes until Jan 31, except coon, which doesn't go out until March 15th, I believe, although trapping for coons that late around here is pretty dumb. And muskrats, which don't come in until Jan 1st, and go out Mar 15.

No lot numbers yet. You?
I did call today and have my top lot hat coming. I take it you havnt snagged anything in your colony traps?

[quackhead]

And did you put any fisher sets out yet?

[Feelin' Fowl]

What are you supposed to do if one of your "raccoon" traps is holding a fox in the morning?

Set it free? Call someone?

I already know what you will do. Allegedly.

[quackhead]

He would let it go, of course.

[assateague]

Incidental catch. Nothing I can do about that, of course. The downside is that they're already started rubbing here, so the the foxes are on borrowed time, as far as being worth anything.

[assateague]

And did you put any fisher sets out yet?

Nope. I don't have any 220s, or really a clue what I'm doing. Hell, I don't even know when the season is on them. I did a little checking, and I can use dry land 220 sets, as long as the area they are set in is considered a "wetland", which is pretty much any wooded area around here. Also found that I have to have a tag from DNR for the hides (like otter) before they can be sold. It's definitely something I'm looking into for next year, though. Need to speed up the learning curve on fisher sets this off season.

I haven't got any lots yet, either. I've been waiting for the email, but I suppose I could log in to my account and see if they've posted there yet. And congrats on the hat! It's a small victory, but I'll take em where I get em

[Feelin' Fowl]

Incidental catch. Nothing I can do about that, of course. The downside is that they're already started rubbing here, so the the foxes are on borrowed time, as far as being worth anything.

Incidental catches are fair and square?

[assateague]

Well, no, but normally you won't get in trouble if something "happens" while you were trying to release a non-target animal. Normally.

[Feelin' Fowl]

Well, no, but normally you won't get in trouble if something "happens" while you were trying to release a non-target animal. Normally.

Got it

[Weston81]

Such as a thump on the snout with a piece or rebar to calm the fox down? That kind of "happens"?

[Weston81]

These are alleged happenings of course

[assateague]

Generally, I would try to step on him in order to subdue him to release him from the trap. Sometimes the adrenaline may be pumping a little too hard.

[Weston81]

Ah, I've read that this is very effective. Seems I recall seeing a YouTube video of this. Little fella went right to sleep.

[assateague]

But seriously, I would only keep a fox for about another week around here, incidental catches resulting in "damage" of course. After that, they would get released using my bag and my boot. But even then, if they're REAL mad, they may not be so lucky, but I do try my best after a certain point to get them out of there no harm. That "certain point" being in about a week, when they won't be worth much, and will be worth far more next year. Plus, the females are all well bred by now.

[rebelp74]

Coyotes and bobcats get my adrenaline flowing with the rebar. That's some borderline next level shit.

[assateague]

Sometimes I'm glad nobody can see, because when I have an amped up critter, I'll have to swing 5 or 6 times to get a decent whack at him. Many swings and misses on occasion.

[rebelp74]

Yup and with the coyotes many swings and jumping back when it jumps at you after hitting it, just praying they don't pull out. Coyotes take 4-5 hard connects and bobcats 2-3.

[Weston81]

Have followed both yours an qh's trapping journals. Where did you guys learn how to do it? Really interesting stuff.

[AKPirate]

STOP RESISTING!

[Weston81]

STOP RESISTING!

[rebelp74]

STOP RESISTING!

x2

[assateague]

Have followed both yours an qh's trapping journals. Where did you guys learn how to do it? Really interesting stuff.

I learned from my neighbor. My grandpa always used to set traps around the chicken houses, and I often helped him do that for many, many years, but that was for wild dogs and foxes that were coming for the chickens, so it was trapping, but not really "trapping". The old guy who's my neighbor was the one who really got me into it a while ago, and taught me how to "trap", reading animals, making more than one kind of set, etc. I never took an actual class until last year, when I wanted to get my damage control permit from the state, so I had to take it, but I've been back twice with other guys who are getting into trapping, and I've picked up tips I never would have thought of both times. That's what I like about trapping more than hunting- people are more than willing to share tips and ideas, and you can always pick up something new, because there's so much more to it, as long as you're open-minded enough to listen and not think you know it all, no matter how long you've been doing it. I wouldn't know the first thing about water trapping or how to catch a fisher, and I'm not afraid to ask. I can catch the hell out of foxes and coons, but that's the end of my "expertise", if you even want to call it that. Every species is different, and even if it uses the same trap, there's different psychology behind it which fascinates me.