Unsettled but ready.

8044 Views 363 Replies 10 Participants Last post by knapper, 28 d ago

C2C

Discussion Starter · 7 mo ago

As the title says I'm unsettled about the season ahead. Fur prices have crashed and only about half of last year's catch was sold and at greatly reduced prices. My ave last year was $45 CAD with a catch of 108 coyotes of which I still have 45 unsold . The 7 fox and 7 raccoons I had were all given away to friends who got them tanned at their own expense so at least they didn't go to waste .

1 thing that is constant is a hi population of coyotes to catch so I'm planning on hitting them again ,maybe not with the gusto and enthusiasm as before but it's something I really enjoy and look forward to each year .

My dad says all hobbies cost money ...golf ,fishing ,sports ..you name it . Looks like maybe trapping is my hobby ,but hey,if it keeps me busy and I can make a buck or two and pay for gas it's worth a shot.

Got my new trappers licence and equipment is ready ,so as soon as deer season ends Nov 30 ,I will start hangin cable ..stay tuned .

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C2C

Discussion Starter · #341 · 2 mo ago

Thanx guys , dust has all but settled on sale, still a few unsold....I have no huge complaints ,we all knew the glory days were behind us so we shouldn't expect a big payday ..
Sold 56 of 63 I had on offer, $34 USD ave with a hi of $56 and low of $14.50...not outstanding but the big thing is there were only 7 unsold ..being USD is a big deal as it adds considerably to bottom line . I have another 9 from this year that I will send to next sale ,but think I will hold those 20 good ones in the freezer til first sale next year .

At least most of the coyotes as well as other furs on sale were moved ,hopefully trimming down the back log and surplus of fur that will always keep the price down ..all in all a good day.

Calving is coming along good, 60 done now ,another set.of twins at 2 a.m. and weather is fine ...

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pokeyjeeper

· #342 · 2 mo ago

Could have been worse but like you said hopefully most of the surplus is gone now and next year will be better congrats on your sale and keep watching them baby cows

C2C

Discussion Starter · #343 · 2 mo ago

I'm happy the sale went as good as it did pokey,at least stuff sold..here's twin set #5

Fence Fawn Working animal Grass Rural area

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C2C

Discussion Starter · #344 · 1 mo ago

Clay talked to the landowner where we tried for wolves and said ,Good news ,bad news ...

Said guy told him the wolves showed up again 2 weeks after we pulled our snares, all 10 of em .. that's Feb 19th,woukd have still been 10 days left to snare em but I wouldn't have had time anyway ..
Good news ,he asked about our success and when he was told we caught some coyotes and fox he replied that he hoped we would do better this fall ...so WE ARE.BACK IN !!
Will be a long summer , we have so many things I want try up there, hoping for decent snow and fairly early cold to put the yogis to sleep ,( here's one caught on camera a few days ago a mile away ) and push the deer out of the area. I've already got a good consistent bait supply lined up to keep everything happy as I plan on hitting coyotes hard again as well . Will make some meatcicles baits so birds don't gorge themselves and clean it all up ...buying a couple more cell cameras to help with checking . My cousin who has a registered line 40 miles away in the mountains told me to mount all trail cameras hi ,8 ft or above and tip them as he says they tend to spook wolves ,good tip ,I had no idea.
We will set lots of travel routes ,up to a mile way away to cover more ground and hopefully improve some catches

. Better start getting ready ,gonna drive poor Deb nuts waiting ..lol.
Hmm looks like pic won't attach .. will keep trying
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knapper

· #345 · 1 mo ago

May be if you are able to put in the cameras earlier than the wolves will may be get used to them, some.

C2C

Discussion Starter · #346 · 1 mo ago

Good idea bud ,hadn't thought of that ..may tell us if the grizz are still out as well .

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pokeyjeeper

· #347 · 1 mo ago

Good news for sure that you are able to set that place next season now to plan and ready the gear

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hassell

· #348 · 1 mo ago

Congrats., many sleepless night coming up cause of all the planning needed, HA !! I'm still like that.

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C2C

Discussion Starter · #349 · 1 mo ago

hassell said:
Congrats., many sleepless night coming up cause of all the planning needed, HA !! I'm still like that.

Tell me Rick ,I've been using 5/64 snares set for them ,is it gonna be heavy enough or should I upgrade to 3/32...seems to be about half and half on guys I've talked to . I had a bunch of coyote 5/64 already made so simply changed the breakaways to heavier ones .. I guess it's like coyotes, if they are gonna chew you won't hold em with either.

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hassell

· #350 · 1 mo ago

I like the sound of the 3/32, where you make sets along trails that have a drop off on the one side is my favourite that you have done, heavier animals will cinch up tight making it too tough for them to chew out, like the gallows. I had a lg. wolf in a #3 with 12ft. of wire hooked to the ring, sitting on his haunch the whole time till dispatched. I think this makes sense.

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youngdon

· #351 · 1 mo ago

Waiting with baited breath for fall.🐺

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C2C

Discussion Starter · #352 · 1 mo ago

hassell said:
I like the sound of the 3/32, where you make sets along trails that have a drop off on the one side is my favourite that you have done, heavier animals will cinch up tight making it too tough for them to chew out, like the gallows. I had a lg. wolf in a #3 with 12ft. of wire hooked to the ring, sitting on his haunch the whole time till dispatched. I think this makes sense.

Quite flat in this area compared to the river hills where I catch a.bunch of coyotes ..Aspen poplar and willow patches . It is quite open but there lots of cow trails thru the place that should be ideal as travel routes .

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knapper

· #353 · 1 mo ago

I have heard that up here the wolves are caustious of flagging tape and will avoid it, they even use it to heard them to the traps.

C2C

Discussion Starter · #354 · 1 mo ago

knapper said:
I have heard that up here the wolves are caustious of flagging tape and will avoid it, they even use it to heard them to the traps.

Heard the same thing as well knapper... we are.gonna use it sparingly and not have a long tail flapping in the wind ,a coulle wraps on a tree and tied short and tight at my eye level...from all my talk with wolf catchers not just wannabes like me ,these critters make a coyote look like a dunce. I think our success would probably improve if we dared set earlier in the fall than we did last year ,seems like the wolves are there Nov thru mid Dec then they move ,returning mid to end of Feb,sesson closes end of Feb...however the ever present grizzly threat makes early setting not an option.. l lay awake now in Dec when we were set worrying about the big guys being out for a stroll and finding our bait .

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knapper

· #355 · 1 mo ago

What I heard said that they could heard them in with the tape about every hunderd yeard or so and not closer than that. Use sparingly.

C2C

Discussion Starter · #356 · 1 mo ago

knapper said:
What I heard said that they could heard them in with the tape about every hunderd yeard or so and not closer than that. Use sparingly.

...tracks about a mile away yesterday ...like they said on jaws " we are gonna need a bigger boat "..." I'm gonna need bigger cable "

Plant Snow Body of water Natural landscape Freezing

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knapper

· #357 · 1 mo ago

We have not heard of any out and around up here yet. they will be out soon.

C2C

Discussion Starter · #358 · 1 mo ago

What part of the west are.you located knapper that we share these toothy critters ? I'm 45 miles from the mountains in southwest Alberta and we have our fair share out here now .

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knapper

· #359 · 1 mo ago

I am in Alaska just outside Anchorage, we get them in the black bears in the yard sometimes and keep an eye out for the big guys when travaling around. I love to hunt black bear more than any thing.

C2C

Discussion Starter · #360 · 1 mo ago

Cool, bears in their place are great, however when they get so numerous that they leave the mountains cause of overcrowding its a problem..I hear folks all say ," well grizzly we're originally a prairie animal " ..so were buffalo and I don't think we want or need them back either..like to see some of your bear pics ,bet you have some dandies .

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