Started the trap line today

Holy snikes was it COLD this morning My hands are blistered, my shoulders are sore, and my knees are very tender. The ice got really thick in the holes overnight and chiseling it all out was no easy task toady. But, even with all that, I am still having a great time trying to outsmart a rat Not real good numbers today, ended the day with 12. In talking to a few others out there, they said there catch wasn’t great this morning either. But, this morning I found a whole bunch of new runs that I am sure have not been hit yet this year outside of the refuge. I pounded a bunch more sets in the refuge this morning and will more than likely pull a few of the dead runs tomorrow to take to another area and set in the morning. At the beginning of the week my goal of 100 rats was not looking to promising, but I am now over the halfway point. This under ice trapping is quite a bit of work once you get thicker ice like we have now, but when you catch rats you forget all about it.
Thanks for all the interest on this post. I am having as much fun reporting as I am catching. Also, if I am overdoing the reports, just tell me to shut up

You are not over doing a thing. Keep up the good work and updates
I love the good reading and pics you have been producing Wats

You are not over doing a thing. Keep up the good work and updates
I love the good reading and pics you have been producing Wats

yeah Mike, love the reading. Almost as if I was there myself. I remember the sore knees, shoulder and hands. The cold air and chopping holes, lets see now. Why did I use to do it. Oh Yeah because it was blast. keep the reportd coming

yeah Mike, love the reading. Almost as if I was there myself. I remember the sore knees, shoulder and hands. The cold air and chopping holes, lets see now. Why did I use to do it. Oh Yeah because it was blast. keep the reportd coming

AmWatson,
Used to trap in high school…….love your post and love the pics…..keep em coming

AmWatson,
Used to trap in high school…….love your post and love the pics…..keep em coming

OH OH OH look who called out a dozen in the traps today guess who guess who…. me!! My prediction for tomorrow….18!!! 18 is the mark for tomorrow lets wait and see now..AM I am loving every bit of this by the way thank you..thinking about putting a #110 behind my file cabinet tomorrow to see if i can get one myself

OH OH OH look who called out a dozen in the traps today guess who guess who…. me!! My prediction for tomorrow….18!!! 18 is the mark for tomorrow lets wait and see now..AM I am loving every bit of this by the way thank you..thinking about putting a #110 behind my file cabinet tomorrow to see if i can get one myself

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thinking about putting a #110 behind my file cabinet tomorrow to see if i can get one myself

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OMG…that just cracked me up
If I get 18 tomorrow, my fingers are going to fall off from all the skinning. It was so cold out today that I froze today’s rats whole and will wait until Saturday to skin them.

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thinking about putting a #110 behind my file cabinet tomorrow to see if i can get one myself

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OMG…that just cracked me up
If I get 18 tomorrow, my fingers are going to fall off from all the skinning. It was so cold out today that I froze today’s rats whole and will wait until Saturday to skin them.

Somebody call Mike and tell him to put down the skinning knife and get a report up. He should be thawed out by now.

Somebody call Mike and tell him to put down the skinning knife and get a report up. He should be thawed out by now.

What are all you guys going to do when he decides to take a day off? This kind of has the feeling of the Truman Show, don’t you think?

Honestly though, great job relaying your adventures to us. Like most people, I don’t know anything about trapping. Sure seems like a rewarding hobby.

Lars

What are all you guys going to do when he decides to take a day off? This kind of has the feeling of the Truman Show, don’t you think?

Honestly though, great job relaying your adventures to us. Like most people, I don’t know anything about trapping. Sure seems like a rewarding hobby.

Lars

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Sure seems like a rewarding hobby.

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It’s an incredibly rewarding hobby. It’s also an incredibly frustrating one. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Sure seems like a rewarding hobby.

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It’s an incredibly rewarding hobby. It’s also an incredibly frustrating one. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Blue–>
Well, Blue knows nothing about frustration today
I spent from 8:00 this morning until 5:00 this afternoon working my line and then going with Blue and his dad Tom on their line. My legs are feeling it and it is sooo nice to sit down and relax.
My day was just short of pathetic 30 traps out and only 1, that’s right, 1 (one) rat to show for it
On the refuge, I had 12 traps set in one stretch and every single one of them were snapped this morning. No mud, no weeds, nothing but empty traps. So, frustration was the key word today. I pulled quite a few traps out of their and moved them to a new area outside the refuge. If they are like that tomorrow again, I may pull everything from there and walk as far as I can walk to get away from other people. But, while I was setting in the new area, I watched a good number of rats swimming around under the ice, so that was a good sign.
This afternoon, I met with Blue and his dad to set some beaver and muskrat sets. Tom and his dad are very good at trapping and I jump at the chance to spend time with them on their line. We walked for what seemed like forever looking for set locations. They were able to get all the traps they brought set on great locations. The spots were so good they had already caught 4 just by checking a few they just set on the way back out I had a great time today and can’t wait for the next day to go and check the traps. Once the ice gets to thick to chop holes I will be ready to get out and do some serious ice fishing

Blue–>
Well, Blue knows nothing about frustration today
I spent from 8:00 this morning until 5:00 this afternoon working my line and then going with Blue and his dad Tom on their line. My legs are feeling it and it is sooo nice to sit down and relax.
My day was just short of pathetic 30 traps out and only 1, that’s right, 1 (one) rat to show for it
On the refuge, I had 12 traps set in one stretch and every single one of them were snapped this morning. No mud, no weeds, nothing but empty traps. So, frustration was the key word today. I pulled quite a few traps out of their and moved them to a new area outside the refuge. If they are like that tomorrow again, I may pull everything from there and walk as far as I can walk to get away from other people. But, while I was setting in the new area, I watched a good number of rats swimming around under the ice, so that was a good sign.
This afternoon, I met with Blue and his dad to set some beaver and muskrat sets. Tom and his dad are very good at trapping and I jump at the chance to spend time with them on their line. We walked for what seemed like forever looking for set locations. They were able to get all the traps they brought set on great locations. The spots were so good they had already caught 4 just by checking a few they just set on the way back out I had a great time today and can’t wait for the next day to go and check the traps. Once the ice gets to thick to chop holes I will be ready to get out and do some serious ice fishing

What a nice day to be outside
I had a little better day today so that made it all that much better. I am still having a snapped trap situation on one section of the line. So, I set the triggers a little tighter and wedged the spring on the lathe to see if that makes any difference tomorrow. But, I am starting to wonder if there isn’t some “outside” help involved here. On the section where there is no other people around, my traps either have a rat in them or are still set. I will be taking the kids with me on half the line tomorrow and then those traps will be pulled and moved to the areas where I am the only person out there. Also, these traps have not really been producing much anyway after the first day. But, I am finding plenty of fresh sign and they will have a better chance to connect elsewhere. I am getting good results in the sets that are not near houses or bank dens. I was also able to get all 40 traps out today and ran out of traps before I ran out of sign I ended the day with 13 rats

What a nice day to be outside
I had a little better day today so that made it all that much better. I am still having a snapped trap situation on one section of the line. So, I set the triggers a little tighter and wedged the spring on the lathe to see if that makes any difference tomorrow. But, I am starting to wonder if there isn’t some “outside” help involved here. On the section where there is no other people around, my traps either have a rat in them or are still set. I will be taking the kids with me on half the line tomorrow and then those traps will be pulled and moved to the areas where I am the only person out there. Also, these traps have not really been producing much anyway after the first day. But, I am finding plenty of fresh sign and they will have a better chance to connect elsewhere. I am getting good results in the sets that are not near houses or bank dens. I was also able to get all 40 traps out today and ran out of traps before I ran out of sign I ended the day with 13 rats

What are the pelts going for? Duck hunting this fall those rats where in my dekes all the time driving my pup nuts I felt like was not sure if it was legal thou.

Nice take by the way

What are the pelts going for? Duck hunting this fall those rats where in my dekes all the time driving my pup nuts I felt like was not sure if it was legal thou.

Nice take by the way

Rats are selling for around $6-7 for the better ones and less for smaller or damaged ones

Rats are selling for around $6-7 for the better ones and less for smaller or damaged ones

Did not do well today at all Caught 4 rats out of 40 sets so the percentage sucks.
But, for a few days I was thinking my traps were being messed with since I had so many snapped. Well, after walking up to the area today, it was immediately apparent that someone wanted me out of the area. I had 4 trap staked busted off and a few others that were not quite busted all the way Since I haven’t seen anyone do it, they will get away with not having a ice spud shoved up their
Needless to say, the traps were removed from the area and moved out to another spot.
I had planned on going until this Friday and pulling the line for the year and get to icefishing. But, with the ice starting to get cloudy, finding sign is getting very difficult. Also, the ice is already getting very soft and growing weaker by the hour. I am pretty confident out on the ice, but even I put the life jacket on while I was checking traps. The spots I found today are not real promising so I am not really expecting a great day tomorrow. Trying to keep ahead of the competition and weather is getting tougher to do, but I am going to try like heck to keep going until Friday

Did not do well today at all Caught 4 rats out of 40 sets so the percentage sucks.
But, for a few days I was thinking my traps were being messed with since I had so many snapped. Well, after walking up to the area today, it was immediately apparent that someone wanted me out of the area. I had 4 trap staked busted off and a few others that were not quite busted all the way Since I haven’t seen anyone do it, they will get away with not having a ice spud shoved up their
Needless to say, the traps were removed from the area and moved out to another spot.
I had planned on going until this Friday and pulling the line for the year and get to icefishing. But, with the ice starting to get cloudy, finding sign is getting very difficult. Also, the ice is already getting very soft and growing weaker by the hour. I am pretty confident out on the ice, but even I put the life jacket on while I was checking traps. The spots I found today are not real promising so I am not really expecting a great day tomorrow. Trying to keep ahead of the competition and weather is getting tougher to do, but I am going to try like heck to keep going until Friday

Time to get that mink and coon line set.

Time to get that mink and coon line set.

Great Read
Thanks for taking the time Mike,really enjoy following your days trapping.