Post by finndog on Nov 23, 2007 10:03:57 GMT -5
Hi All, Sunday Rat and mink seasons starts here in this part of the state. I will spend today goin over my traps and adding about 4 ft of extra chain to ea. foothold trap. Why ?? ya mite ask, Well I have found out, The deeper ur catch is under water. The more likely ya keep traps and catch!! And like the old sayin goes, give em enough rope and they hang themselfs!!! lol. In this case, Chain!! Out of the past 14 yrs. trappin here, I haven't lost a catch or trap. (knockin on wood!!!) Last yr. after the snow came, I seen other tracks that wasn't mine. Who ever it was, Was lookin for my traps. But any trap that held a rat or mink, He walked by as they was out of sight. Sure it addes to the weight on ur back, But in the long run, U keep ur traps. Now for the second thing I use, Is a 5 ft walkin stick. Its marked at where the water will come over my boots. It also pointed on 1 end, ( to stick in the bank to stop from gettin a wet butt) And a hook on the other. We got some nasty rains last yr. But I was still catching fur as with the longer chains, and the hook on the stick. I could find my traps under 6 ft of water, and reset them higher up. Now with short chains, I wouldn't b able to do this. I did lose some traps to trees floatin down the creek. (6 out of a 150 traps.) I've talked to another trapper that lost most of his traps durin the flood. I always try to tie off to tree roots, Or push a stick 2+ feet in the creek bank. lol I just got my butt chewed from the wife kickin some of my traps i gettin ready to dye. Got to love her thow, she lettin me boil traps on her cookin stove!!! Good luck on ur line, and may ur traps be full!! later. finndog