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[Hiker]

I really enjoy everything about trapping, well maybe not falling through the ice and freezing my tail off.
One of the most exciting things for me is to chop a hole through the ice and checking my beaver traps. I love reaching down in that freezing water and feeling for the spring of a 330 to see if its been set off and man does the heart start to pound when it has. Then the work begins, chopping the stakes out of the ice and pulling that beaver up out of the water. That's fun.
Beaver have to be one of the toughest animals to skin.
Also seeing a Ol' trap shy fox or coyote in your trap and seeing the look on their face.......
Muskrat back floating in the water while in the trap and that fur shining in the sun.

Share some of yours.
Jeff

[hunter777]

Hot coffee in the truck :thumbsup1:

[hunter777]

I love to see a red fox shining in the sun in the snow while your walking up on it.
Pulling up a water trap and not knowing if you got something, then when it breaks the surface....
Can you use any traps in Co besides cage traps?

[Hiker]

No, not since 1992.......not that I'm counting. I still get the fever.

[hunter777]

You can still trap in Co if you go to a conservation officer and get a damage control permit. I think you just need a landowner to say he's having trouble and your in(probobly more to it). Plus in Colorado trappers make more than in the states where everyone can trap because of the animal damage control buisiness. If you can trap problem animals during the fur season you can make out on both ends of it. I read a story written by an adc trapper from Co and he made like $2000 in 2 weeks trapping coons for adc work. Paid per animal. I'll PM you the contact name and # for the Colorado Trappers Association.

[Hiker]

Thank you! I'll research it. I appreciate the info.
I have problem Coyotes on my property now. I can't keep any barn cats and the Yotes won't come around during the daylight so I can inflict them with "lead poisoning" but with a #3 and a dirthole or a pee/pole set I could bust them in a couple of days.

[hunter777]

Hiker,
I sent you 2 PM's. Did you read them?

[Hiker]

Yes I did and thank you, Hunter777.
I thought I responded back to you, sorry.
I appreciate the info. I'm working on following up with them.
Hiker

[hunter777]

Good luck!
Just took red #29 and coon #17 this morning! They both had the best fur of the season too :thumbsup1:
Not trying to rub it in, it's just that I'm having a blast.

[Hiker]

Great job! Do Coon go into to their dens and semi-hibernate in your area in really cold weather?

[steeliekingfisher]

for me, i would have to say the sight of a bobcat in a cage. We too are only allowed to trap in cages here. But with a good custom built cage, its just as easy as with a foothold. I only go for the cats, with fur prices averaging in the 300's for the Northwestern and Rocky Mountain Bobcat, its the only way to go. I only trapped WA this season, but next year I will spend a month in the desert southwest for Bobcats also.

[hunter777]

I was telling Serious Hunter (from Idaho) about those cats you have there! We have a few around here but were not allowed to keep them. Only if you draw a tag (for 1) in Pa. Theres a lot of them in Pa.
Season closes here in NJ today. I'm on my way to the fur buyer in the morning. :thumbsup1:

[Hammer1]

Quote:
I love reaching down in that freezing water and feeling for the spring of a 330 to see if its been set off and man does the heart start to pound when it has. Then the work begins, chopping the stakes out of the ice and pulling that beaver up out of the water. That's fun.

I'm going to be as kind as I can be here. Reahing into the water to check a 330 is about the most dangerous thing you can do. You better have someone with you to cut you out or you will die. .! How in the hell would you get free with a 330 wrapped around you wrist, below the ice in freezing water.
But you are right when you say exciteing, it is not to be confused with "wise"

Please don't do that again.

[Hiker]

Hammer1,
This is how I check the 330, I chop a hole by the stake and run my hand down the stake to the spring, not the trigger! I check the spring to see if it's been set off. I never place my hand by the trigger and to do so would be foolish. :o

[Hammer1]

Good to hear that your acting cautiously Hiker.
The way I was reading it, you had me real scared. :thumbsup1:

hammer1