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Post by oldman50 on Dec 23, 2014 14:20:48 GMT -5
Thanks slyfox! You are right though, haven't had much success with them. The one that did connect was under an old dead willow branch. A lot of sign in that area but not any trap locations.
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Post by bbrennan on Dec 23, 2014 16:11:35 GMT -5
Austinp have you ever gone and caught hundreds of coyotes in a week or can you name some one who has? I understand your point but I know there are guys who caught hundreds of rats per day in sd. A couple years ago the biggest obstacle was where to put them!
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Post by papabear on Dec 24, 2014 10:26:53 GMT -5
Dear Friends, Austinp wrote; ......"operating out of a truck all day on dry land versus on foot or from afloat in the water are two different degrees of physical demand. And taking it a step further, all-out beaver trapping is toughest yet. Anyone who ever set six traps at a big colony way off the road and was rewarded next day with a pair of 60+ pound adults and 40+ pound 2yr olds can relate " I can certainly appreciate that statement. I learned many years ago that slogging through a cattail choked marsh is HARD WORK. Combine that with the fact I have short legs a low step stride and loath cold wet feet makes me a perfect candidate to be a dedicated land~lubber. And though at times I get an urge to trap mink, muskrats, beaver and otter I do so at locations of easiest opportunity in no more than knee deep water or in the case of rats' and beaver Im quite content to wait until the waters are stiff enough to walk on. From my experience a stroll through the woods bearly breaks a sweat which I definately cant say is true of donning a packbasket full of gear and trudging thru a marsh or swamp. At days end I much prefer emptying pockets and boots of a small amount of forest duff or the occasional burdock as oppossed to looking like I had been dragged thru a mudhole at a monster truck show, lol. Now to the point of the question asked at the beginning of this thread. In my opinion rats seem to be very active during times of high and fluctuating water. I use some rat floats and believe they seem to be most effective during times of fluctuating water levels in streams and rivers, however Ive had very little success using them in ponds and lakes. I seem to have the best luck by placing a mound of wet grass, roots and mud on the float and using some lure. I seldom use bait but when I do its usually a couple pieces of apple, carrot, potatoe, or parsnip. Regards
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Post by oldman50 on Dec 24, 2014 17:22:33 GMT -5
Thanks papabear, I have only had one rat buy the whole float idea. I have been having a great year with the rats. I agree on the high water. Rats really move during those time periods. So do mink! All of the real huge buck mink I have ever caught were during one of those wet damp rainy nights when the water creeps up a bit. I only have a small line because I have to check before work. I can't imagine having a couple of hundred sets out. I'm beat from just keeping track of the 35 or 40 sets I have out now. Gonna take a little break from the rats in Jan. and get on the canines. Be a nice vacation. LOL
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Post by mikeb on Dec 25, 2014 20:15:01 GMT -5
I Have to agree about the mink the few i catch every year seem to be during water rises-muskrat as well-in ditches of off main creeks.
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Post by cnyh2ofowler on Dec 26, 2014 10:09:09 GMT -5
Santa must be a trapper. Pulled all of my sets but 14 easy to get to ones on Christmas Eve so I could be back from checking early. Water came up 8 inches due to the rain and Christmas morning I went 9 for 14, my best day this year, some may say it was the high water, but I know it was Santa because I'm sure I made the nice list this year.
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Post by oldman50 on Dec 26, 2014 17:38:44 GMT -5
9 for 14 is great. Better buy a lottery ticket.
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catman4
If your to busy to hunt & trap then your to busy...
Posts: 745
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Post by catman4 on Dec 30, 2014 16:58:10 GMT -5
x2
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Post by oldman50 on Dec 30, 2014 20:47:50 GMT -5
Pulled the last of my feed bed sets today. Catching all my rats now on edges and deep runs. Edges are starting to ice up just a little. The rats that are in this little inlet are big. Been getting 4 to 5 a day but slowed down to 2 or 3. A few a day build up pretty quik. I know you guys wanna see the ice but I would have liked another week on those feed beds. Coulda hit 100 easy. Oh well, gonna be breaking ice tomorrow. Nothing like a work out before work.
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Dec 30, 2014 21:43:50 GMT -5
ice is almost thick enough to walk on here... couple more nights in the teens will do it. Bitter cold temps next week, there will be no open water at all by this time then
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Post by Dave Morse on Dec 30, 2014 22:28:50 GMT -5
Do you have the 1-2 inches of fresh snow on top of the new ice?
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Dec 31, 2014 8:00:23 GMT -5
just a skiff here... but that may vary depending on a few miles any direction from the Naples valley.
I only have a few sets in today, pulling them and all-out until tomorrow. Then start rolling back out thru some local ditches and spring flow creeks that nobody else wants to walk into. A dozen rats here and a dozen there from each adds up, until hard ice finally locks in sometime next week
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Post by uncledoug on Dec 31, 2014 14:41:09 GMT -5
Set a new swamp yesterday, the land owner said he didn't THINK anyone had trapped it in 10 years, set two runs/5 160's from the easiest to get to hut, THINK he may be correct. Going to set more soon as the ice is walkable, tomorrow or Friday I believe.
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Post by oldman50 on Dec 31, 2014 18:44:17 GMT -5
Nice Doug! Look like nice rats. I am in the inflow of the pond now. Got all the easy ones out of the pond earlier. The inflow is a tough go. Ice is never hard enough to feel real safe. When you fall through the bottom will eat you up. The good side is the rats. Big bushy dark ones. I know for sure that there is no rodent on earth that would make me risk well being like the Muskrat. The banks are lined with thick cattails and these rats eat good. Edges with 220s and 160s do the trick.
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Post by mikeb on Dec 31, 2014 19:03:48 GMT -5
Nice looking rats!!Yes be careful with that ice walked a little today-some was good enough to walk on -others not so much started breaking through!!!Hopefully tomorrow!!Darn snow squalls dont help picked up another inch or so here tonight-might need the push broom tomorrow!!Stay safe everyone!!
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Post by mikeb on Dec 31, 2014 19:05:45 GMT -5
agree with oldman getting all my lathe and 220s ready now-most 110 trapping is over for me here-with the few exceptions of a bank run here and there
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Post by Dave Morse on Jan 22, 2015 20:33:33 GMT -5
Muskrats back pm for details
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Zagman
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,186
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Post by Zagman on Jan 23, 2015 8:28:35 GMT -5
Nothing "easy" about any big catch of any species in ANY state.....only easy for the guys who've NOT done it to say that it is.....or assume so.
These comparisons and talks have been going on forever on the internet......and are quite silly.
Lot's of dreamers.....very few doers.
MZ
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Jan 23, 2015 8:31:03 GMT -5
Lot's of dreamers.....very few doers. MZ Yup, agreed 100%.
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Post by johnm on Jan 23, 2015 8:52:06 GMT -5
There is a reason it is called 'big numbers', most guys can't do it.
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Jan 23, 2015 8:59:27 GMT -5
There is a reason it is called 'big numbers', most guys can't do it. most simply won't. I went to bed at midnight, up at 5am and working until 11am. Then drive an hour plus to Montezuma, chop holes in the ice from noon until dark. Then repeat that process all day tomorrow. anyone who has ever cut 50 - 100 holes thru 4" of ice while pulling a sled around for a couple mile's hike in waders can tell you what a physical day on the trapline is. Most cannot
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Post by uncledoug on Jan 23, 2015 11:57:40 GMT -5
There is a reason it is called 'big numbers', most guys can't do it. most simply won't. I went to bed at midnight, up at 5am and working until 11am. Then drive an hour plus to Montezuma, chop holes in the ice from noon until dark. Then repeat that process all day tomorrow. anyone who has ever cut 50 - 100 holes thru 4" of ice while pulling a sled around for a couple mile's hike in waders can tell you what a physical day on the trapline is. Most cannot Austin, I've been using a old spud bar for chopping holes and I'm looking for a better way, any suggestions? Thanks Doug
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Post by REDNECK on Jan 24, 2015 0:28:48 GMT -5
I was told it to late to be trapping doug have to come over and make a spud for ya you got the welder going I will be us in my anger next year
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Jan 24, 2015 8:08:23 GMT -5
Doug, I prefer a sharp axe to a spud until ice is about 4" thick, then I switch to auger if still setting. But most of my places are shallow water and 4" of ice leaves no room for the traps to close underneath.
Ice is tricky... never know what you'll deal with. I walked two units of Montezuma yesterday, within a mile of each other as the crow flies. One was frozen solid with 4ish inches of ice... the other had thin spots all around the perimeter and could not be walked at all. Always test every step across deep water, which is what I use a light spud for.
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