Hey i have graduated from school a while ago and have been thinking about taking the winter off of work to go trapping. There is a great place for me to trap along a river that is in a valley along lots of bush, pines as well as some open area. I would be able to trap for many miles both ways along the river and any directions through the bush and clearings. I have been looking at some canvas wall tents that are 16x20 feet and have a wood heating/water heating/cooking stove. I was just wondering if anyone has tryed this or if anyone has some opinions or ideas. I have just been wondering if there would be any problems along the lines of predators such as bears, wolves, etc. comming around or trying to get in the tent from the smell of food and skinned animals drying on the stretchers.
Any tips or information would be greatly appreciated.

get a camp trailer, and enjoy the line. Yancy

That would probably be the best method. But this area is fairly remote and the only way in is by foot (like snowshoes) or a snowmobile.

If you do attempt this make sure you have plenty of firewood. That said even if you are using a fuel stove you can never have too much firewood. 10 years ago I moved into a house that had seven cords of wood already setting there. We had a wood stove in one end of the house and a fireplace in the other. I ended up cutting 5 cords and had to buy another 7 cords. Yes we used our firplace/woodstove very much and yes the winter of 96/97 was a good one here in Montana..

I see what you meen. It would use a lot of wood as it would have to be burning non stop for about 3 or 4 months or whatever amount of time i would stay out there.
Thank you for your input
It is greatly appreciated

Trapper55 I applaud your adventerous spirit. I think 3 or 4 months would be a long time on the line. I think it might be more enjoyable to break it up in smaller sections.

Wall tents are great. But they can take some time to get used to. I would recommend that you talk to the guys at Davis tent. I bought two of there 12 x 18's and am very satisfied with them. The 16 x 20 that you are considering is a huge tent, especially when you consider snow load. Just the canvas is going to weigh around 100 pds. One guy would have a very hard time getting it set up. You might want to consider getting two smaller tents. With that size tent you will also need a larger stove to keep it warm.

I lived in one for a year.Made a wood floor vfor it. But this was in South Jersey,and North Carolina. not Canada

I elk hunt out of one every year and love them. One of the most important things is put a plastic tarp fly over the top and extend it out in front for a covered entry way, we go 10-12 ft.The purpose is to keep snow from accumulating on the roof and it keeps the canvas dry, extend it all the way to the ground on the sides too. A well set up tent can be as comfortable as a cabin, warm and dry. The covered entry way is perfect for fire wood and also a good place to cook. I spent 31 days in elk camp 3 years ago and didn't want to come home!

another important consideration that i have found while camping in the back country. PICK YOUR LOCATION CAREFULLY! little things such as trees blowing off in a storm or 4" of water running through your tent floor can make for some exciting times and dangerous.otherwise a wall tent is great , i use a 16x20 for 5 guys. also don't take the firewood supply lightly , the storm from above was 60 degrees one day and about 15 degrees , 2 days later and after the heavy rainfall , dry wood was pretty darn important. depending how many bears are in the area and how the berries etc. do , you could have probs. there also . good luck ,sure sounds like fun!

You are getting some very good advice. As stated these guys make a super tent.
http://www.davistent.com/


As mickeysdad pointed out a couple of large plastic tarps can make the difference between being miserable or being comftorable. I covered up my pop-up camper in a late October Moose hunt. The weather was tough cold and wet for the entire week. That $30 tarp kept the canvas dry and warm as well as allowing the snow to just slide off the roof.

I doubt Bears or Wolves will cause you any grief. The thought does get the blood flowing though when you hear a bump in the night !

2poor , you haven't had any bear prob.s where your at? when we go to ontairio ,canada or nothern minn. there have been quite afew times the bears were filthy thick. i'm talking years with very few berries etc. , you couldn't leave camp for 15 minutes and the little buggers would be leaning up against your trk windows etc. looking for a twinkie. and any fish slime on the boat and the buggers where doing the hula hula dance in there trying to find the fish half the night. and we keep a pretty clean camp.

I trap in the fall ! November on to be exact. The bears are sleeping by then. I doubt they will come visit that time of year !

Now go set up a camp in Bear Country in June and you will get a Visitor every night.

I live in Bear Country every day. Spent hundreds of nights in Northern MN and Ontario in a tent. Yet to be Bear ate !!

I was building fence in the Bighorns for the forest service one summer/fall. We had some pretty early snow and I spend about three weeks in snow conditions in a wall tent. Not all that bad, keep the roof cleaned off. You have to get up about 2AM each night and stoke the fire, even with a decent bedroll. If you are going to do some tent living spend the extra money on a very good bedroll/sleeping bag.

Was building fence with a pretty crazy cowboy who was from Belle Fouche SD. He WANTED bears to come into camp so he'd have bear stories to tell people. Tossed food around here and there and violated every bear/camping rule you can! I had my black lab with me and she just hated bears. We got woke up all the time by her barking at a bear that was coming into camp. My other tent mate was half indian and seemingly immune to the cold. We were camped by a nice little brook trout stream, and he'd go down every day and kick the thin ice off the water and take a bath. Makes my boys shrink into my chest to this day to think about it.

I had some fun with that cowboy and Indian. Would not trade those memories for anything.

Here is our Soldier Creek fence camp in 1987. Great view when you got up every morning.

By the way thanks a lot trapper 55! Now you got me all wound up to get back to Wyoming! Doggone kids!

I think the dogs are one of the most important things to bring along. I've got one that hates people and one that hates other animals. Never leave home without them.

This is the only PIC I had in my Photobucket account of Elk Camp, but you can see the entry way, we don't have any big bears where we hunt so we do cook in the entry way, that is me in the PIC

K-9
I'm getting ready to head up to Soldier Creek area in a few weeks. I always spend the first few days of grouse season hunting Soldier Creek, Buck Mtn, Buck Creek Vees and on back into Battle Park.

Could have been I went by your camp a time or two. I spent 3 or 4 weeks up in that area the summer and fall of 87

Hey thanks for all the tips and information

I am sure you have. If I remember right you have to go by there to get back to Battle Ground Park. Is Deer Haven still there?