Trap Line!

[keekee]

Clean skinning.......... Just taking the extra time to make sure you skin as close to the hide as possible with out cutting the hide.

I have a table set up for clean skinning beaver. It has clamps on one side of the table, after I make my first cut I cut the skin on both sides of the belly. Roll the beaver over on its side and clamp one side of the fur to the table. I grab the other side of the fur and pull back to keep pressure of the skin. As I pull I run the knife along the hide in short downward cuts, making sure not to leave anything but the white hide, no fat or flesh at all. It takes me more time but I don't haft to do any fleshing at all. It takes a very sharp knife and I cant get in a hurry at all or I screw it up...lol




Brent

[Hawks Feather]

Stu, Thanks for asking.

Brent, Thanks for answering.

Jerry

[KySongDog]

A novice (that's me) can sure learn a lot of neat stuff on this site! Thanks guys!   

[Brad H]

Here's the only thing I can give you guys that I know you haven't seen from me in my first season. This is a killer rock covered hill that get visited by a big tom bobcat or two once or twice a season. This time around though, all I caught was this skunk in my Montana reg #3. It's my first skunk and it shot Lucas Smith in on the leg when he approached it to dispatch it. I think he underestimated the skunks spraying range. Anyway, I'll try this spot again next year.

[Hawks Feather]

That is a pretty good looking skunk - even stripes.  When I was a kid I had a few traps and I got one or two skunks a year.  They sure do stink when they want to.  I was lucky and never got hit with the spray.   

Jerry

[bushmaster]

I been there with the skunks!!

Growing up, my uncle took me to chek the traplines and showed me a few tricks.  But I could never get my hands on any steel.  I remember seein alot of conibare traps too.  Box trappin was how I've done and has mostly consisted of fisher cats.  For those of you who arent from the North, a fisher is (in my opinion) the most vicious critter in North America.  We had one chew its way out of a havahart in the welding shop while all the guys were hangin around.  I've never seen a look of terror on so many faces as they all scrambled for the door.  I was only 12 and had no option but to pee my paints laughing. 

Trapping sure makes for some warm memories.
PS anybody got a source for purchasing traps?

[Brad H]

I've heard fisher are bad ass. I hear about them being taken in NY state alot of the time. We usually get around four or five wolverines trapped every year on the west end of this state, but no fisher that I know of.

Here's two of the places I bought traps from last year...

http://www.minntrapprod.com/

http://www.rpoutdoors.com/

[Todd Rahm]

Any watre trapping up heres through some serious ice.  I got a a crap load of traps in the shed........................I might get them out this year depending on the snow fall and such. Plus I think Wyatt wants to trap pine squirrels. 

Steve nice falt tails and Brad.......................nice striped coon ya got there.  :roflmao:

[clousewt]

Nice picture of the skunk.

[nailbender]

 Oh yeah!   Must have Zoom on that camera cuz that's way to close judging from the position of that tail!