yup ST Lawrence

How long can Alaskans subsistance hunt waterfowl during the year?

from what i read...they're closed from the time they start laying eggs (sometime in june or july) to early fall. idk....might be different in some places.

CB a few things first to participate in the spring subsitance hunt you must be residing in the local area my son can not fly out to see me in Dillingham in the spring and hunt ducks. THE spring hunt to answer your question begins in March or April and ends in June thyen starts again Aug 1. The regular season begins Sept.1 and runs till end of OCT

You can unless you own a an airplane in Anc. and your name is johnny Hawk.

We finally got out to check the meazly 6 sets I put out in PWS opening weekend, wanted to set more but the weather came in hard so I had to pull out. Last week we couldnt get out to check the sets due to 40 knot winds, blizzard and white out conditions. And the last 5 days Los Anchorage was in a heat wave. Weather finally broke in PWS, so we headed out.

Of the 4 flower pot sets, we got 1 Marten and get this, 3 Mink. I didnt think mink climbed trees, but apparently they do. Due to not being able to get out last weekend and the warm temps, my Marten and 1 mink had green belly, bout the size of a quarter on both.

Question - Is it worth putting them up for the fur buyers or do they devalue them so much that it isnt worth the effort. If so, Im thinking I would tan them and maybe mount them myself.

Heres a pic of the first mink, I left the digital camera at the boat for the others.

and the total catch
my otter set ended up underwater due to the tide, one trap was fired off and I did leave the safety latch on one spring.AT

Put um up, shouldnt hurt too bad if the rot hasn't set in too bad (this is just my guess though).

Borax the area see what happens. Not usually a problem on the thicker hides but have never had to deal with it on the thinner.

That is awesome. 4 out of 4. Mink in a tree. ;0) Go figure. Get any more sets out?

The mink are hungry. Maybe you should put more effort into them.
I caught a mink on a pole set once around Unalakleet.
mt

yeah, go figure, they were soak and wet and at first I thought I got a ermine, but realized they were way too big and not in their winter phase coat.

First 3 sets were mink and was totally shocked to see the marten hanging there on the 4th. I threw 7 more sets out before the weather turned again. Wondering if they will climb them again. Well see next weekend.AT

Alrighty boys, as you all might remember, last year I had posted a sign on my favorite trapping location, to show the judge who cited me that one trap does IN FACT make a trapline, if in the perfect location:



Well, as you might remember, last year we had a huge deal about banning trapping and what not. Well, one of the parts of the ordinance was that no trapping within 50' of a residence. So, this year I had to modify my porch nofication:



And yes, I am well aware that I am STIRRING THE POT. But, I find it a bit amusing.

Finally got a few sets in today, hung a few snares and set a few footholds. Did not get alot of ground covered. Have to start hitting it hard this week. SOFT snow that is 2+ feet deep in many spots is making it tough. snow was more than waste deep in a few spots I went to check out before driving into them, glad i checked first.

fish

what size footholds are you using in that 2'+ soft???
how deep are you setting, relative to the surface??

I am playing around with some new things this year mackinaw. I never had deep powder like this on nunivak, it was always hard pack snow. I am setting 1.75's and #2's for fox. I made two 2 sets using a snowhole set, trap set on the downside of the bank in front of the hole i punched into the snow. then i make a V coming away from the hole on the downside of the bank. compressing the snow and making a nice bed. The snow i messed with will be hard by tomorrow leaving a perfect trap bed. Because it was kind of warm today I bedded my traps in wax paper instead of coffee filters. ROTTON salmon heads in the holes for bait and some of Dobbins Alaskan red fox lure.

I went out to give the old 550 a spin after getting it running and cruised over to check my two footholds. Low and behold I had one. My first fox in a foothold! I'm brand new to them with fox and fish has been tutoring me.

I made a snowbank in a U shape, dug a hole in the back and used my own lure/ bait (tainted castor) to get him.

Here is a pic.

I always wonder what you all mean by having enough trap to come up through the snow. How much trap, for how much snow...??

Your snowhole sound just like my snow/dirthole. I dig more of a narrow V-trench with no or little backing to allow it to be out in the open and still not worked from the side. Just pick a close hump or bank with sign. the center of the V is about 7" deep with the hole at the base at 45%.

With several days of snow accumulation expected 6-12++ inches I wonder if I should up my trap size.. I use mb550's.. I think White is trying these out..

Any thoughts??

Yep I ordered some 550's for fox but in the past I have always used #3 coils. Of course it doesn't take that much trap to hold a fox but you want enough power to move the jaws through the snow. I'm hoping the 550 will do the job.

White likes larger traps than I have used for fox. With different snow conditions here than what I am use to, I may have to upsize to #3's as well. Only time will tell I guess.

Nice photo kusko, WAY TO GO.

I like the black and white touch

Kusko... It looks like you have four coiled that 550, did it change your pan tension much??