#409122 - 11/12/07 01:35 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: otterman]
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Kusko
"Mr. Mayor"
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 2086
Loc: Bethel, AK
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You gotta love Alaskan Rats they are so unlike the rest of the state absolutley huge  Nice fox kusko how was the leather side?
blue, blue, blue........
I can't get to my "real" fox line until the river freezes so I"m on foot.
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"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin." Linus Van Pelt
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#409446 - 11/12/07 10:48 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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Pete in Frbks
trapper
Registered: 12/28/06
Posts: 539
Loc: Fairbanks, Alaska
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The Daily News (online) is reporting that Los Anchorage received "record snowfall" and that there were hundreds of accidents, etc in the city yesterday.
I read on in the article and find out that, at least in Anchorage, size does NOT matter.
Their record breaking snowfall was measured at FIVE INCHES!
Pete
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#409532 - 11/12/07 11:44 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Pete in Frbks]
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otterman
trapper
Registered: 12/24/06
Posts: 1504
Loc: SW Alaska
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So how come Alaskan Rats are so dinky. The ones we had in Idaho would quite often fill a rat strecher. I have yet to catch one here much bigger then the ones Kusko showed us? To much time under ice? Poor feed? any ideas?
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It is interesting how much a man will do to suceed and how much more he will doto make sure he has excuses for failure when sucess isa simple process
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#409556 - 11/12/07 11:58 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: otterman]
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white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
trapper
Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 5070
Loc: McGrath, AK
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I have often wondered about that myself. It goes against the rule of species getting larger as you move north. Maybe that principle doesn't apply to aquatic critters.
Maybe Moosecaller or Bearpaw can weigh in on that question.
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#409751 - 11/12/07 03:49 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: trapperjoeAK]
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trailblazersteve
trapper
Registered: 12/26/06
Posts: 498
Loc: Eagle River,AK
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Ken or Barb-Looks like your in town and I missed you.If you get this message,I have your replacement ballasts on my desk.If I don't see you in the next few days pm me your address so I can mail them.
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#409760 - 11/12/07 03:56 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: trailblazersteve]
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piperniner
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 586
Loc: Alaska
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T.B.S. : They were both too busy buying up the Margarita mix.
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#409879 - 11/12/07 05:09 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
trapper
Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 5070
Loc: McGrath, AK
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Steve: Barb should be there by now.
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Mean As Nails
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#410713 - 11/13/07 02:16 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Pete in Frbks]
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Arctic Trapper
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 198
Loc: Los Anchorage
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#410720 - 11/13/07 02:36 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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Arctic Trapper
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 198
Loc: Los Anchorage
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Real tuff, I was hoping it would let up for a day so I could see sign and set on them. I saw alot of trails, but it was hard to distinguish between otter and other critters (i.e bear). I was hoping to find otter scat, but everything was so wet and mushy, I couldnt make anything out.
I did manage to set 4 marten sets, but they werent on sign, just in an area I thought might hold Marten. Used the 300's and it worked like a charm, the hardest part for me was wiring the pot to the tree.
Im hoping for a break in the weather, was supposed to hit Montague Is. Wed-Sun, but PWS is forcasting 4-8 ft seas. Was planning on checking the sets on the way back.
Well see....
_________________________
2007-2008 Critter Catch
Marten - 2
Otter - None Yet
Mink - 3
Ermine - 1
Wolverine - None Yet
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#410883 - 11/13/07 08:32 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
trapper
Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 5070
Loc: McGrath, AK
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Nice looking set AT: Why did you leave the safeties on those traps?
Man I hate snow in the boat !
Did you go back and look at your pictures to see if you did leave the safeties on :-))
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#411002 - 11/13/07 10:33 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: white17]
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AkChuck
trapper
Registered: 11/02/07
Posts: 23
Loc: Hiline Lake, Alaska
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AC doesn't look like you've had much cold weather either. We've been in the 30's since mid Oct. Three feet of snow and no ice except a few of the small creeks sure make for a rough opening.
Good luck
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#411041 - 11/13/07 10:59 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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AkChuck
trapper
Registered: 11/02/07
Posts: 23
Loc: Hiline Lake, Alaska
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You can still land on floats out here.
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#411220 - 11/13/07 01:00 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: AkChuck]
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canvasback
trapper
Registered: 12/22/06
Posts: 2090
Loc: The Great State of NEW YORK
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How much do you figure it would cost to put up a shed in Alaska, depending on location, that was 8 ft wide x 12 ft long x 10 feet tall? Would that make for a decent fur shed or too small?
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canvasback
I check my traps twice a day :
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#411266 - 11/13/07 01:34 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: canvasback]
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piperniner
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 586
Loc: Alaska
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F.T. : What a cutie - we will be expecting some trap line journals from her in the future also.
C.B. : Same price as your H.D. if you are in a location in Alaska that has one - or you have labor and or freight to ship the materials to a remote location. Although bigger can sometimes be better, there are lots of fur sheds like that.
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#411282 - 11/13/07 01:47 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: piperniner]
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otterman
trapper
Registered: 12/24/06
Posts: 1504
Loc: SW Alaska
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CB that would cost me right about $5000 here
_________________________
It is interesting how much a man will do to suceed and how much more he will doto make sure he has excuses for failure when sucess isa simple process
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#411285 - 11/13/07 01:48 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: piperniner]
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canvasback
trapper
Registered: 12/22/06
Posts: 2090
Loc: The Great State of NEW YORK
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Thanks.
There is 3 of those sheds going up for auction and they got lights installed plus electric outlets.
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canvasback
I check my traps twice a day :
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#411946 - 11/13/07 08:27 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: trapperjoeAK]
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Arctic Trapper
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 198
Loc: Los Anchorage
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Haha! Now that is what its supposed to be like! Someone has discovered the beauty of PWS during trapping season... Nice pics. I like. Give me about 6 weeks and I'll be home for a month to fight the snow myself. Between that and 2 weeks in March I'm still figuring to be in on the deaths of a few otter this year.
I wanna see some catch pics from this year!
We thought about tarping the boat... Never really got around to it/decided it wasn't worth the effort... Just spent 10 minutes clearing the back deck when you get moving in the morning. The harbor deal is a serious issue. You think it is bad now, wait till their are no deer hunters. Then they don't put any effort into keeping it functioning. Had some mighty close calls on that tunnel trying to get the boat out of the harbor.
Also, that west wind is pretty common. You just have to plan for a long nasty trip beating your way up passage canal on the way back most trips.
P.S. Nailing pots to trees is much faster than wiring imo...
TrapperJOe,
I knew the pics would get your attention. Yeah, you warned me about it and I knew I would have to deal with it, but Terry over at Harbor office told me it fell almost 3 ft in 12 hours!!! I just pray its not like that everytime it snows. I'd like to get more sets out this weekend, but its calling for more snow.
Seas in Cochrane were confusing on the way back, hit 4-6 ftrs rounding Passage Canal, then it went glass calm from Blackstone to the harber due to all the slush build up in the bay.
Harbor office couldnt help me with clearing the ramp due to the heavy snowfall, wasnt a priority until all the roads were cleared. She was nice about it though and lent me a shovel and said she could put me up in a slip if I couldnt get it out of the water. It was quite a chore to get out, cleared about 30 ft out of the way, it was just enough to get my truck out but not the boat, still needed to clear another 30 ft. Luckily a guy pulled up feeling sorry for me and pulled me out the rest of the way.
LEN, looks like Im gonna have to cancel my deer hunt on Montague this week, weather is forcasting 5 ft seas, blowing 25 knots, NOT GOOD. Im bummed, had the cabin reserved Wed thru Sun, but Im not willing to chance it. Plus the wife says Im crazy to go.
White17, I looked at the pics and cant remember if I pulled that safety or not, I know I pulled the one on the other side, but I see the other is still on. I'll need to check it next week and hope I didnt scare a critter off for good. Although I have a strong suspicion that I will be digging this set out from at least a 1ft or more of snow.
AkChuck, Welcome aboard, I Googled Hiline Lake and pulled up a lodge, looks like your north of me, I tried road trapping up in Denali Park last year, it was tough going. I hope it cools down for ya. Good luck to you to!!!
Trapping in PWS, gotta love it!!!! 
AT
p.s. Los Anchorage got another 3-4 inches this afternoon!!!!
Edited by Arctic Trapper (11/13/07 08:38 PM)
_________________________
2007-2008 Critter Catch
Marten - 2
Otter - None Yet
Mink - 3
Ermine - 1
Wolverine - None Yet
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#411958 - 11/13/07 08:32 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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Arctic Trapper
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 198
Loc: Los Anchorage
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LEN, Yeah the wire sucked the trap and pot right in snug. I will need to wire the top though. Not sure I could set the coni in good with the pot nailed to the tree. Not sure I understand your method of attaching the lure and tainted fish to the top wire, my bait is wired inside the pot, is yours too and is the tainted fish just another scent your throwing out?
_________________________
2007-2008 Critter Catch
Marten - 2
Otter - None Yet
Mink - 3
Ermine - 1
Wolverine - None Yet
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#412415 - 11/14/07 01:51 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Arctic Trapper]
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trapperjoeAK
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 740
Loc: Chugiak, AK -- Currently detai...
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I hear you familytrapper... I use 120's so with two notches cut they stay in the pot better probably. Also, I didn't like to wire bait in the pots since they didn't stack as nice and lastly, I attach pots to pretty big trees sometimes... Much bigger than optimal, but if a 30 diameter tree is all there is, I don't feel like having 6+ feet of wire on the pots. 1 nail top, 1 nail bottom, bait pre wired and stick the wire up through the center hole of the pot and fasten to top nail. Takes about 30 sec. Lots of different ways to do it though... I doubt this way would work as well with 110's.
This is also one of those things where you don't tend to think about the climate, but I am sure it is much less convenient to try and handle nails and such in cooler areas. In coastal stuff, I just wear rubber gloves and they go on and off constantly. I just had the nails in my pocket. Actually used a LOT of nails to stabilize conibears for otter. Speed things up. Don't want to spend time looking for and cutting sticks which you may or may not be able to get into the ground anyways.
Where the three bodies of water meet, you can get some really wierd confused seas. Strange stuff. PWS gets a lot of very localized weather, so you can have 25-30 knot winds blowing out of any given bay on any given day... and then meeting in the same spot.
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#412624 - 11/14/07 10:25 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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canvasback
trapper
Registered: 12/22/06
Posts: 2090
Loc: The Great State of NEW YORK
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Do Coyotes have any effect on the Moose population?
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canvasback
I check my traps twice a day :
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#412685 - 11/14/07 10:57 AM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Family Trapper]
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Pete in Frbks
trapper
Registered: 12/28/06
Posts: 539
Loc: Fairbanks, Alaska
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Nope. When there are a lot of wolves, and thus a lot of kills around, the coyotes seem to thrive. Apparently they are able to scavage off the moose carcasses.
When a wolf pack catches a coyote (or red fox) out on the ice of a lake, the coyote loses out bigtime.
Usually there is nothing left but bits of fur blowing in the wind.... And tracks that look like someone played a game of football out there. Which is apparently, essentially what happens.
Pete
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#412767 - 11/14/07 12:21 PM
Re: The Almighty Alaskan thread #2
[Re: Pete in Frbks]
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white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
trapper
Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 5070
Loc: McGrath, AK
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..............The answer is blowing in the wind...
_________________________
Mean As Nails
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