Started the trap line today

Mike, I am guessing your knee is full with fluid. Been down that road many times, too many times. Used to have mine drained, not sure how often they do that any more. Said it may cause infection and don’t do it as often. But if they do drain it, amazing how quick it feels better. Won’t hurt those traps if ya can’t get to them for a day either. I would say you have done a great job on the trapping this year anyway, if it does come to an end. Good luck on the knee—John

I would say you done a great job also Wats.
And as John said, it won’t hurt to soak them traps a little longer with the numbers you are pulling right now. Stay out of there a day and see whadup Don’t get in a big hurry and make a bad choice. You have time, let em soak tomorrow

I would say you done a great job also Wats.
And as John said, it won’t hurt to soak them traps a little longer with the numbers you are pulling right now. Stay out of there a day and see whadup Don’t get in a big hurry and make a bad choice. You have time, let em soak tomorrow

My biggest worry was the trap check law. I couldn’t find where it states if under ice rat sets were considered drowning sets and had a longer check time. Just the thought of not checking traps daily doesn’t set well with me. I am currently working out a deal with Blue to possibly get to my traps a little later tomorrow. The wife just looked at the knee and said I need to go and have it checked…..again It looks like I may have torn the ligaments more.
At this point, it looks like the season is done. In order for me to make the goal I will need 32 rats tomorrow. I only have 36 sets out so mathmatically it isn’t going to happen. Looks like it is time for coyote hunting and fishing

My biggest worry was the trap check law. I couldn’t find where it states if under ice rat sets were considered drowning sets and had a longer check time. Just the thought of not checking traps daily doesn’t set well with me. I am currently working out a deal with Blue to possibly get to my traps a little later tomorrow. The wife just looked at the knee and said I need to go and have it checked…..again It looks like I may have torn the ligaments more.
At this point, it looks like the season is done. In order for me to make the goal I will need 32 rats tomorrow. I only have 36 sets out so mathmatically it isn’t going to happen. Looks like it is time for coyote hunting and fishing

I got the rats skinned and took a few pics to share. The first is all of them together. At first I thought most of them were on the small side today, but after I got them dried, there were a couple good ones.
The second pic is a close up of a very small rat. this little fella had a really neat grey colored hide and about as soft as I have felt. Hopefully if I am able to get to the traps tomorrow they will all be full for the final day

I got the rats skinned and took a few pics to share. The first is all of them together. At first I thought most of them were on the small side today, but after I got them dried, there were a couple good ones.
The second pic is a close up of a very small rat. this little fella had a really neat grey colored hide and about as soft as I have felt. Hopefully if I am able to get to the traps tomorrow they will all be full for the final day

Here is the little grey fella

Here is the little grey fella

Cool pics! There are 3 nice looking rats there. Isn’t it funny how they grow when the fur starts to dry

Good job Wats. Hope the knee is feeling better today!

Cool pics! There are 3 nice looking rats there. Isn’t it funny how they grow when the fur starts to dry

Good job Wats. Hope the knee is feeling better today!

Went to the clinic again this morning. The swelling had gone done quite a bit overnight, but the pain is still there, but now it is tolerable. X-rays turned up no broken bones which was great. Diagnosis was a ruptured burser? I think that is how you pronounce and spell it anyway. So, I was instructed to NOT kneel on it for 1-2 weeks, ice the knee a few times a day, and basically take it easy on it for awhile.
As far as the traps go, Blue Fleck and his dad took me out in their boat this afternoon and got everything pulled. It was a good thing we went today because most of the areas will not be walkable by tomorrow. There were a few places that I was walking on pins and needles just to get to the traps. Ended the day with 4 rats giving me a season total of 122.
I want to thank Tom and his dad for giving me a much needed hand to get to the traps. I would have never made it on my own. What has been taking me around 7 hours a day only toom roughly 1 1/2 hours by boat

Went to the clinic again this morning. The swelling had gone done quite a bit overnight, but the pain is still there, but now it is tolerable. X-rays turned up no broken bones which was great. Diagnosis was a ruptured burser? I think that is how you pronounce and spell it anyway. So, I was instructed to NOT kneel on it for 1-2 weeks, ice the knee a few times a day, and basically take it easy on it for awhile.
As far as the traps go, Blue Fleck and his dad took me out in their boat this afternoon and got everything pulled. It was a good thing we went today because most of the areas will not be walkable by tomorrow. There were a few places that I was walking on pins and needles just to get to the traps. Ended the day with 4 rats giving me a season total of 122.
I want to thank Tom and his dad for giving me a much needed hand to get to the traps. I would have never made it on my own. What has been taking me around 7 hours a day only toom roughly 1 1/2 hours by boat

Good news Wats
You couldn’t have had any better help than Blue Fleck and his Dad either

I really enjoyed your thread. It was great to keep up with your day to day trapping adventures. Thanks for the great reading, cool pics, and information you shared

Hope you have a speedy recover with the knee!!!!

Bret

Good news Wats
You couldn’t have had any better help than Blue Fleck and his Dad either

I really enjoyed your thread. It was great to keep up with your day to day trapping adventures. Thanks for the great reading, cool pics, and information you shared

Hope you have a speedy recover with the knee!!!!

Bret

The wife told me it is bursitis in the knee
I don’t know where I came up with burser
I think it will heal great while sitting in the ice shack catching fish, if the ice stays around.
I am going to try and meet tom and his dad tomorrow to sell the rest of the fur. Then that chapter will be closed for the season and will open up the next 2 chapters; coyotes and fishing. But, there is still some coon calling in the works as well

The wife told me it is bursitis in the knee
I don’t know where I came up with burser
I think it will heal great while sitting in the ice shack catching fish, if the ice stays around.
I am going to try and meet tom and his dad tomorrow to sell the rest of the fur. Then that chapter will be closed for the season and will open up the next 2 chapters; coyotes and fishing. But, there is still some coon calling in the works as well

Thanks for the great post and all the fun reading .I hope your knee gets back to normal soon.Thanks again .

Thanks for the great post and all the fun reading .I hope your knee gets back to normal soon.Thanks again .

Thanks guys I had a blast trapping rats. there were days when I had to really think about why I was out there. It was a lot of work, but it was also very rewarding. I got some great tips from people on the site and that was the biggest key to my year. I could have fumbled around out there for a few years learning on my own. I was able to take what I was shown and then also learn a few things on my own as well. I will definitely be doing this again next year. I plan to get out a lot earlier next year, but I will need to be looking for a small trapping boat. Next season I plan on getting a lot more rats than I did this year.
Trapping kept me active physically and mentally so that was a positive thing. I also got to spend a lot of time just seeing nature up close and personal.

Thanks guys I had a blast trapping rats. there were days when I had to really think about why I was out there. It was a lot of work, but it was also very rewarding. I got some great tips from people on the site and that was the biggest key to my year. I could have fumbled around out there for a few years learning on my own. I was able to take what I was shown and then also learn a few things on my own as well. I will definitely be doing this again next year. I plan to get out a lot earlier next year, but I will need to be looking for a small trapping boat. Next season I plan on getting a lot more rats than I did this year.
Trapping kept me active physically and mentally so that was a positive thing. I also got to spend a lot of time just seeing nature up close and personal.

Mike, great reading on your trapping adventures, gonna miss them. Hope the knee heals in short order. One thing about the outdoors, never know what you will see or where. But better to capture things going on around you then just looking at traps. Makes the time that much more enjoyable. congrats on a good year on the trap line.–John

Mike, great reading on your trapping adventures, gonna miss them. Hope the knee heals in short order. One thing about the outdoors, never know what you will see or where. But better to capture things going on around you then just looking at traps. Makes the time that much more enjoyable. congrats on a good year on the trap line.–John

Thanks John You were a huge part of my success this year The skiff you loaned me was pretty slick on the ice and open water. I would never have gotten to half the places I trapped without it.

Thanks John You were a huge part of my success this year The skiff you loaned me was pretty slick on the ice and open water. I would never have gotten to half the places I trapped without it.

Thanks for the great posts Wats Looks like I am going to have to find something else to do at work now

Thanks for the great posts Wats Looks like I am going to have to find something else to do at work now

Sold the 46 rats and 1 grinner this morning.
I received $7.25 for the rats and $1 for the grinner. Not bad since I got $.75 more of these than the first run.
I think I am going through withdrawls already. It has been awhile since I didn’t have to go check traps in the mornings. Sure am going to miss running the line everyday and the challenges and adventures that come with it. The money from trapping will sure help to make it through the winter. I may put some coon sets out again if this weather doesn’t get cold. But, that will be at least a week before I make that decision.

Sold the 46 rats and 1 grinner this morning.
I received $7.25 for the rats and $1 for the grinner. Not bad since I got $.75 more of these than the first run.
I think I am going through withdrawls already. It has been awhile since I didn’t have to go check traps in the mornings. Sure am going to miss running the line everyday and the challenges and adventures that come with it. The money from trapping will sure help to make it through the winter. I may put some coon sets out again if this weather doesn’t get cold. But, that will be at least a week before I make that decision.

Great read Watts
Thanks for keeping us updated everyday.

Ron