Started the trap line today

AM,

Why were you able to get more for full carcasses then for green skinned animals? Or did I read that wrong?

You read it right. I beleive it had to do with me bringing the green furs in wet the first time. There is a chance they may lose some of the hides since they had t be dried after they were off the carcass.
Here is a little tip for anyone not familiar with rat trapping and selling green pelts: Always dry the rats BEFORE skinning them. Once you get the hide off they will start to shrink. So, if you skin them wet, then freeze them, then unthaw them, then dry them, that is a lot of time that is only helping to shrink the hides as well as make them difficult to flesh if the flesh side dries out. I learned my lesson on this today

You read it right. I beleive it had to do with me bringing the green furs in wet the first time. There is a chance they may lose some of the hides since they had t be dried after they were off the carcass.
Here is a little tip for anyone not familiar with rat trapping and selling green pelts: Always dry the rats BEFORE skinning them. Once you get the hide off they will start to shrink. So, if you skin them wet, then freeze them, then unthaw them, then dry them, that is a lot of time that is only helping to shrink the hides as well as make them difficult to flesh if the flesh side dries out. I learned my lesson on this today

You mean you couldn’t convince him they were dried before skinning

Thanks for the update With this warm weather the coons should be up and moving. Good luck

You mean you couldn’t convince him they were dried before skinning

Thanks for the update With this warm weather the coons should be up and moving. Good luck

Pretty quiet on the line today. I pinched a possum in the bucket set and had a few pvc sets with stolen bait. Now I am patiently waiting until Tuesday so I can start another water line and go back after rats.

Pretty quiet on the line today. I pinched a possum in the bucket set and had a few pvc sets with stolen bait. Now I am patiently waiting until Tuesday so I can start another water line and go back after rats.

Pulled the coon sets this morning for the season. i just couldn’t get them to commit
Once they were pulled the kids and I went for a drive to check out a few areas to see if they had suitable ice for getting more rat traps out. I found what I was looking for so I went home and got the skiff and 20 traps for this trip. Since I know this area has been hit already, I just wanted to test the area but the only way to really know is to get out there and look. The first area I went to was loaded with houses, but at every hut there were pieces of carrots on the ice. That tells me that someone was already here. I then thought I would set a few anyway and see what I would get. But after setting a couple traps, I went a little bit further and noticed someone elses trap stakes. Noticing that, I backtracked and pulled my 2 sets and ventured out even further to stake my own area. Eventually, I finally found areas that looked untouched at least through the ice. I made 4 sets in this area and then had to go quite a bit further before finding sign good enough to consider setting. Along the way, I ran into quite a bit of very bad ice and open water making progress difficult. I was able to get all 20 sets in and could have used a few more traps, but I can do that tomorrow while I am checking. On the way back it was much more difficult because Iwas trying to find ways around the really bad areas. That only led me to even worse areas. I ended up breaking the end off the push pole and then it got REALLY tough. I had to walk in the muck breaking ice with my shins as I went until I finally got to better ice. Once I stepped on the ice and about busted my , I realized I had lost my ice cleats while in the slop. That was a very important piece of equipment to not have out there on the smooth ice. On the way back I checked the traps I had just set and couldn’t beleive I had caught one in one of the first traps I set, so hopefully that is a sign of things to come. Tomorrow I will be venturing even farther out and seeing what else lies out there to trap.

Pulled the coon sets this morning for the season. i just couldn’t get them to commit
Once they were pulled the kids and I went for a drive to check out a few areas to see if they had suitable ice for getting more rat traps out. I found what I was looking for so I went home and got the skiff and 20 traps for this trip. Since I know this area has been hit already, I just wanted to test the area but the only way to really know is to get out there and look. The first area I went to was loaded with houses, but at every hut there were pieces of carrots on the ice. That tells me that someone was already here. I then thought I would set a few anyway and see what I would get. But after setting a couple traps, I went a little bit further and noticed someone elses trap stakes. Noticing that, I backtracked and pulled my 2 sets and ventured out even further to stake my own area. Eventually, I finally found areas that looked untouched at least through the ice. I made 4 sets in this area and then had to go quite a bit further before finding sign good enough to consider setting. Along the way, I ran into quite a bit of very bad ice and open water making progress difficult. I was able to get all 20 sets in and could have used a few more traps, but I can do that tomorrow while I am checking. On the way back it was much more difficult because Iwas trying to find ways around the really bad areas. That only led me to even worse areas. I ended up breaking the end off the push pole and then it got REALLY tough. I had to walk in the muck breaking ice with my shins as I went until I finally got to better ice. Once I stepped on the ice and about busted my , I realized I had lost my ice cleats while in the slop. That was a very important piece of equipment to not have out there on the smooth ice. On the way back I checked the traps I had just set and couldn’t beleive I had caught one in one of the first traps I set, so hopefully that is a sign of things to come. Tomorrow I will be venturing even farther out and seeing what else lies out there to trap.

Sounds like a tough trip. But it also sounds like it may pay off!
Hope to see rats in a pic tomorrow

Sounds like a tough trip. But it also sounds like it may pay off!
Hope to see rats in a pic tomorrow

Picked up 4 more rats today and only 19 away from my goal of 100
The ice is getting worse by the day for me. I spent more time breaking through 1/4-1/2″ of ice than I have all season. The biggest factors in the melting ice is current and weeds. Combine these two with the abundant sunshine we have been having and you end up with quick melting ice conditions. It is much quicker and better for me to have solid ice right now. When I hit the better ice, the duck skiff moves along much faster than walking or paddling. I have out 29 sets and will keep it at that. I am so far out from the landing it makes it a real chore to get all the traps and stakes back when I decide to pull out of the area completely. I was suprised at how much 40 traps, stakes, spud bar, push pole, ax, life jacket, oar, and myself actually weigh. I lost a trap this morning to the deep water. Not really sure how it happened, but it fell off the stake and fell to the bottom of the marsh. I chopped a big hole looking for it to no avail. The competition from airboats is picking up around me. This morning there were 3 of them buzzing around. this morning I was able to get into a pocket with some really good looking runs and sign, so hopefully it will pay off tomorrow. I am thinking tomorrow is going to be a full day out there since I will be moving my original 19 traps if they haven’t connected yet. For some reason, I just don’t do very well trapping rat houses that are out in the marsh. My best luck has always come from bank dens or huts that are connected to the shorelines. So, I am thinking tomorrow I will be in search of islands with bank dens. Not sure where that will lead me. I never really know where I will be moving to until that day. It is all part of the adventure out there. This morning I was surrounded by eagles, they were everywhere in great numbers. I am assuming they are feeding on all the dead coots that are everywhere on the ice. No pictures today because my camera batteries were dead. I do have them charged up now so hopefully tomorrow will be a productive day.

Picked up 4 more rats today and only 19 away from my goal of 100
The ice is getting worse by the day for me. I spent more time breaking through 1/4-1/2″ of ice than I have all season. The biggest factors in the melting ice is current and weeds. Combine these two with the abundant sunshine we have been having and you end up with quick melting ice conditions. It is much quicker and better for me to have solid ice right now. When I hit the better ice, the duck skiff moves along much faster than walking or paddling. I have out 29 sets and will keep it at that. I am so far out from the landing it makes it a real chore to get all the traps and stakes back when I decide to pull out of the area completely. I was suprised at how much 40 traps, stakes, spud bar, push pole, ax, life jacket, oar, and myself actually weigh. I lost a trap this morning to the deep water. Not really sure how it happened, but it fell off the stake and fell to the bottom of the marsh. I chopped a big hole looking for it to no avail. The competition from airboats is picking up around me. This morning there were 3 of them buzzing around. this morning I was able to get into a pocket with some really good looking runs and sign, so hopefully it will pay off tomorrow. I am thinking tomorrow is going to be a full day out there since I will be moving my original 19 traps if they haven’t connected yet. For some reason, I just don’t do very well trapping rat houses that are out in the marsh. My best luck has always come from bank dens or huts that are connected to the shorelines. So, I am thinking tomorrow I will be in search of islands with bank dens. Not sure where that will lead me. I never really know where I will be moving to until that day. It is all part of the adventure out there. This morning I was surrounded by eagles, they were everywhere in great numbers. I am assuming they are feeding on all the dead coots that are everywhere on the ice. No pictures today because my camera batteries were dead. I do have them charged up now so hopefully tomorrow will be a productive day.

I am sure you guys are getting bored of my reports, but here goes anyway
The cold temps last night made the ice a lot better for my trip across the ice. I also found another way around to get to the traps that is a little easier. The new way is a little longer, but I stay on top of the ice a lot more than before. I pulled and reset about 20 traps this morning as well as checked them. Not great numbers, but I did end up with 8 really nice furred and size rats. Everyday I venture just a little bit further and find decent sign. I am basically batting clean-up behind the guys that were out during open water. I did manage to actually see quite a few rats swimming under the ice in the new areas so that is a promosing sign. I may not be pulling big numbers like before, but I will easily reach my goal this week by slowly plugging away a little at a time. This morning I had 2 eagles right above me in a tree watching me chop ice and put traps in. They were talking back and forth to each other for quite awhile. I was really wishing I had the camera in my pocket then, but it was back in the truck. I am still seeing easily 100+ eagles out there everyday. The only thing I am not seeing that I really want to see is mink. Blue Fleck and his dad got one the other day in a rat set. I will admit it, I am jealous I really want to find one of them in a rat set this season.

I am sure you guys are getting bored of my reports, but here goes anyway
The cold temps last night made the ice a lot better for my trip across the ice. I also found another way around to get to the traps that is a little easier. The new way is a little longer, but I stay on top of the ice a lot more than before. I pulled and reset about 20 traps this morning as well as checked them. Not great numbers, but I did end up with 8 really nice furred and size rats. Everyday I venture just a little bit further and find decent sign. I am basically batting clean-up behind the guys that were out during open water. I did manage to actually see quite a few rats swimming under the ice in the new areas so that is a promosing sign. I may not be pulling big numbers like before, but I will easily reach my goal this week by slowly plugging away a little at a time. This morning I had 2 eagles right above me in a tree watching me chop ice and put traps in. They were talking back and forth to each other for quite awhile. I was really wishing I had the camera in my pocket then, but it was back in the truck. I am still seeing easily 100+ eagles out there everyday. The only thing I am not seeing that I really want to see is mink. Blue Fleck and his dad got one the other day in a rat set. I will admit it, I am jealous I really want to find one of them in a rat set this season.

Wats, did I mention how BIG that Mink was….

Wats, did I mention how BIG that Mink was….

Never bored – I look EVERY day.

Never bored – I look EVERY day.

Bored? Never, I just started reading this post today and couldn’t stop. Man what memories you bring back!! Fantastic job, really, really, enjoy it.

Bored? Never, I just started reading this post today and couldn’t stop. Man what memories you bring back!! Fantastic job, really, really, enjoy it.

What do they make out of rat furs?…..and the other critters you catch?

What do they make out of rat furs?…..and the other critters you catch?

Most of the fur that is caught in the United States goes to Canada and from there is sold to oversea buyers. They make clothing mostly. Russia is a large buyer but now China has taken a HUGE interest in buying furs. The market is really driven lately with so many Chinese becoming richer. To the Chinese, wearing fur is a way to show their ranking financially. But yeah, a lot of hats, gloves, and coats are made from the furs.

Most of the fur that is caught in the United States goes to Canada and from there is sold to oversea buyers. They make clothing mostly. Russia is a large buyer but now China has taken a HUGE interest in buying furs. The market is really driven lately with so many Chinese becoming richer. To the Chinese, wearing fur is a way to show their ranking financially. But yeah, a lot of hats, gloves, and coats are made from the furs.

Beaver meat is great in hotdogs and ring bologna. We have a bunch of it frozen for processing.

Not all that stuff goes to waste as some people would have you believe.

Beaver meat is great in hotdogs and ring bologna. We have a bunch of it frozen for processing.

Not all that stuff goes to waste as some people would have you believe.

Blue-You going to share some of that I have had it fried in flour once and it was very good. Better than roast beef anyday. I do draw the line at eating muskrat, but I do have 2 recipes for rats if anybody wants them

Blue-You going to share some of that I have had it fried in flour once and it was very good. Better than roast beef anyday. I do draw the line at eating muskrat, but I do have 2 recipes for rats if anybody wants them

Beaver summer sausage, jerky, and barBques. It’s all good and you can do the same with the ‘marsh rabbits’, muskrats.