Go out in March and install the clips and hang the traps. If the snow is deep, install a clip 6 feet above the ground and another 6 feet above the snow. Cut brush away, etc. The horizontal poles really make a difference because then you always have a good place to tie your trap off - not a big deal if you're setting in white spruce, but a big timesaver in scrawny black spruce.

About mid-October bait your buckets. Tie the bait in the middle of 3' of wire, run the wire out two holes in the bottom of the bucket (same side as your notch for the trap), fold the wire over and stick it back in the bucket. If the bait is bloody or greasy, throw some wax paper over it. Repeat. Shove second baited bucket into first one, smashing bait out. Repeat, repeat, repeat, .... Freeze the whole stack.

Now, when you go to set, all you need to carry is a bucket and some lure. Set trap, put bucket on, smear lure, go to next one.

If you find anything even close to as fast, let me know and I'll start doing that.

IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Bushman22/martenhanging.jpg[/IMG]




Prefer horizontal pole sets but have about 20% vertical just to mix it up. Horizontal sets are more productive in my area

Nice Pic, Bushman. Did you tell me the plastic boxes were collapsible? Is that feathers or a fish I see hanging under your pole? Hope you're having a good season. Mine is now over except for a few coyotes.

I just cleaned out most of the remaining fur from my fur shed this AM and took it to our Association sale. Guess I'll know tomorrow whether I should have sent it all to NAFA or not. Dang, but it looks EMPTY out there now!

Hello

I'm new here and noticed that some of you use swing poles. I have never made them and was hoping someone could explain how they are set up.

Jason

ok, so here is what we have going on with the marten. beaver for bait and magnum marten scent

friend of a freind in kaltag

After this year, I have officially decided that I do not like horizontal or even sloped poles on my line. With all the snow they are out of comission in a day or two. And, since I have never observed a refusal on a vertical pot, I am just going to stick with them. I never cut poles, but if I found a naturally occurring spot I would set them. No more. Something to keep in mind if you have very heavy snowfall.

Hi Jason, welcome. There is a post titled Swing Poles where they are discussed.

we ahve not had a problem with the horizontal poles, and that is why we built the boxes, never had a trp in operble in all the snow. the good thing is that it seems to limit the female catch as out of over 40 only 3 have been females.

The problem that I have had with nonvertical sets is that they straightup drift in. It is crazy. Even ones at an angle. And if for some reason the wind is not blowing then it builds up on the pole. Not a big problem if pole is small, but I had sets on naturally occurring sloped trees and six inches of snow pretty much blocks out the pot. But, as Ted pointed out on the swing pole thread, my situation is pretty unique. Not too many places are cursed with 30 feet of snowfall in a winter.

Hey nice pics guys cant wait till next season when im trageting marten...i have already started making my boxes..even though i will probebly have a quota of only 4..lol.

Luke

Were do you guys get your beaver? do you trap the or buy it? and if you buy it were can i get it?

We had lots of marten this year and I set out everything I had - including a few Bionic traps. They are probably the most humane trap and practically fool-proof because of the position the marten has to have its head to pull the bait on the trigger. Their disadvantages outweigh this though. They are expensive, bulky and you have to carry another tool to set them. You can only get a small piece of bait on the trigger which the mice can clean off in a hurry and dries out quick ( I used squirrel legs - the right size and tough so easy to hook on the trigger)I mounted them on a piece of 2X4. My main use in the past was to carry a couple that I could tack to a tree where I was snaring squirrels - if I had a marten stealing from the snare poles.

nice
i notic alot of ur marten are really dark

Here's my old stand-by. Wing hanging for bait with a smear of lure.



another view of same set;

White, I can't remember? Is that a #0 or a #1? That is exactly how I caught mine this year....I'm still pumped.

from Alaskacajun


Here's a pic of a leaning pole with a chunk of muskrat for bait and using a #1 jump on the pole.... Asa Lenon provided the lure it's pretty strong and if the wind is right I smell the set before I see it!

From Top Jimmy

Here is a set that works on the ground and then swings the marten up off the ground when he gets caught.







It is good for those marten that won't climb to a bucket.

-TJ

Question from SE_ALASKAN
TJ- how did you attach that pecker pole to the tree with loosly tied wire? and is it attached to the tree in the middle or 3/4 of the way down for a pivot point? have you ever tried attaching your bait to the triggers of a 120 ?

Answer from Top Jimmy
Loose wire is how it was done there, as it is faster to set up. That set takes a lot of work to get up compaired to a lean to pole or box/pot set, and any time you can save is great. I have heard of guys drilling out a hole and then using a nail in there as well for a swivel point. The swivel point is about 1/3 to 1/4 from the tip of the pole (I haven't heard the term "pecker pole" since I left Wrangell by the way!) with the heavy end of the pole in the air. You want all the weight at the back end so it will swing up the marten. And like Recondo said, you will take more females with this set, so be careful not to over do it.

I have not tied anything to the coni triggers. Takes to much time when making sets and I would rather have them focus on the bait past the trap so that they shoot in and get suit cased instead of just one bar getting them. I want them D.. E.. A.. D.. Dead! I don't want them struggling the trap at all.