Shutting down

Trapping season 2012-2013 is officially over for RFMA 1804. I hit the trail on Saturday and pulled down all my snares, which were empty. A coyote found the wolf bait station but with warm weather and settling snow, the snares were now too high to make a catch. Which, again, I'm grateful for. The warm weather would have meant green belly I'm sure.

When I arrived on the 15th, Boulder Road was still untouched and in disastrous conditions - no way was I going to attempt it. I parked at the gas plant, unloaded my Ski-doo and sled, and made the 5-mile trek to the cabin. Again, lynx tracks abound here and I fear a wasted resource. Our hare cycle, by the science, is on the downside, meaning lynx are at the top and soon to crash with the hares. Now is when trappers should be managing the resource, not adhering to a quota that has no bearing on the realities of the lynx / hare cycle.

That night, I shoveled away all the snow from around the cabin. No point in letting it melt against the logs of the cabin. I couldn't get right down, as the lower foot or so of snow had turned to ice, but it will definitely help some.

The snow has been shoveled away from the cabin and it's now shut down for the trapping season.

While I was touring around taking down snares, I noticed the snow on my trails had actually melted down turning my trail a dark grey, making it easy to follow. Even the hills were easy to come down as the hard surface gave the track something to grab on to.

My Ski-doo was an absolute mess when I arrived, even worse on the return trip home, as the highway was wet and dirty. But the gravel roads were mud and it stuck to the Ski-doo like glue.

Covered in gravel road mud.

I bought this Ski-doo used, although it only had 42 kilometres on it. It's a 2010 Ski-doo Tundra 550F and apparently a guy had bought two, one for him and one for his wife. His wife managed 42 kilometres before deciding she didn't like riding a snowmobile. I bought it for a good price and haven't had a single complaint.

Before this trapping season began, I had 332 kilometres racked up on the odometer. Today, at the end of trapping season, it sits at 1891.8 kilometres. Which means it successfully carried me through many different conditions and snow types for 1560 kilometres over the course of the season. And always while pulling a sled with weight in or on it. No complaints here.

1560 kilometres are from this trapping season.

North American Fur Auctions is currently conducting the biggest auction of the year as I type this. I have 33 furs in this auction, including two mink that will be sold tomorrow the 20th. The rest of my furs will be sold on the 21st and 22nd. I will let you know how I do. I never got a top lot grade this year but managed to get both mink, 1 lynx and 4 marten listed as "labelled" furs, which means they are of high quality and the buyer of the lot can label his finished product with the famous NAFA label. Still at home, I have 3 lynx, 1 fisher and 2 marten hanging on the wall. They will be sold at the June auction. If you want to learn more about North American Fur Auctions, you can visit their website here: http://www.nafa.ca

Until next time!

A long trip home

I arrived at the cabin to waning light. Top Boulder Road was in serious condition. Half way down the road I started second guessing my decision to tackle it. The top part of Boulder Road is one of the highest places on my trapline at 4200 feet. At that point, because of a large pipeline, the area is wide open and subject to big snowdrifts when the winds get high. For several weeks now, I had been plowing my way through without too much trouble but still knowing full well things weren't getting any better. I finally made it to Boulder Hill and a better road but couldn't help but think I wasn't getting out without putting on the chains again.

I awoke early Saturday morning to a blizzard, realizing that my worst fears were about to come true. The wind was howling at what had to be 50 mph and small tornado's of snow were whipping up everywhere when I left the cabin.

This photo doesn't do it justice, but it was really snowing hard and very windy.

 By the time I reached the moose kill the sun was out and the snow had quit, but the wind was still howling. I was having trouble staying on my trails as most were now completely invisible. With no success at the moose kill, I carried on to the bait station, again floundering along the trail but still upright. The bait station hadn't seen any visitors but grey jays; obviously my wolf pack haven't returned to the area yet. I added the last of my fish bait (thanks to everybody for collecting it for me, it is much appreciated) to the bait station and re-soaked my hanging rag with wolf urine and carried on. And then I lost my trail and disappeared into waist-high snow. When I opened up the sled to get out the shovel to start digging out and couldn't find it, I cursed myself for forgetting to throw it in the sled. With a lot of foot and handwork, I finally was back on the trail.

Here I'm completely bogged down. When I stepped off my Ski-doo, I sunk up to my waist.

I spent the rest of the day exploring both the north end and east end of my trapline. Lynx tracks are still everywhere and moose are forever abundant. I encountered some wolf tracks on the east end but I'm sure they must be part of the north end pack, maybe not though. At one point while I was on Grizzly Road, I noticed some ermine tracks crossing in front of me. Something caught my eye to my right so I stopped. What I saw was a hole punched through the snowbank created by the grader. This ermine decided it was easier to go through the bank, rather than over it. The hole went directly through and out the other side.

Easier to go through, rather than over?

A big ol' moose chewing on the willows didn't give a care in the world I was watching him.

Sunday morning I was on the road by 10:00 am. I wanted to get back home, shower and catch the Oilers game. I figured I would be home by 1:00 pm if Boulder Road was in good condition... if there is such a thing. I made it to the top of Boulder Hill without problem but then saw a huge snowdrift right at the top corner. Punching it, I slammed the drift hard and then bogged down. Half an hour later, I had the chains on and was once again heading up the road, fighting it hard. Not more than 500 yards from where I was first stuck, I was suddenly stuck once again, this time with chains on! Somehow I managed to get the truck moving backwards but now I had to deal with the trailer and Ski-doo behind me. Luckily, my ruts were so deep the trailer had no choice but to follow them. Now I was faced with the dilemma of trying to turn the truck and trailer around on the narrow road. Remembering where I'd had a marten set that I had snowmobiled down to several times, packing down a trail, I figured I could back the trailer down the trail far enough that I might be able to turn around. Not seeing the trail because of the snowdrifts, I guessed where it was and managed to get it right. Soon I was headed back towards the cabin and heading towards Whitecourt. It took me 5 1/2 hours to get home from the time I left the cabin. Boulder Road is now officially out of commission. It will be a 5-mile snowmobile ride to the cabin from now on.

Until next time!

Feels like spring

It almost feels strange, this not having to go so hard. Since October, I have been on my trapline every week and February marks month five. Trapping is tough work; in fact, morning to nightfall and until bedtime, the trapper is on the go, working the trapline during the day and preparing fur in the evening, along with the many other chores that need attention around the cabin. And the more successful you are, the more work there is to do. But it is an enjoyable work, one that leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment and living a lifestyle few get to experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

With just 17 snares out, 9 on the wolf bait station and 6 on the moose kill site, as well as two on a coyote trail, there is little to check; especially when care needs to be taken not to disturb a site too much. Short of adding some bait to the bait station and a quick check of snares, there is nothing else that needs to be done. So, what used to take me an entire day, is now down to a couple of hours. I would put out more snares but I fear I'll catch another lynx, as they are so abundant. And my coyote and fox population here is pathetic. They're here alright, but in such low numbers that I've never heard a single coyote howl in a year.

On this check of the wolf bait station, Dakota and I became excited when we discovered a lone wolf was headed directly to our bait site. The wind must have been wrong though because he passed right by without giving it a second look. Further up the trail, however, he did enter the bush but again, missed the bait site.

Here you can see the wolf track down our trail. To the right, and in about 25 metres, is our bait station.

With seeing only fresh lynx tracks (everywhere) and the one lone wolf track that wasn't so fresh, we headed back to the cabin to do a little work. I wanted to clear some of the snow off our paths, take it off the roof (we had about 4-inches of new stuff), clear some wood from the front deck, and basically just enjoy what was turning out to be a gorgeous day.

Almost 10 degrees Celsius. Pretty good for February.

The snow is off the roof. Soon I'll have to shovel it away from the cabin.

Paths are all shoveled around the yard.

Enjoying a cold beer in the warm February sun.

I'll be back next weekend to check on the bait sites and my two snares. At this point, I don't think I'll be adding anymore sets, especially with a full lynx quota. With a little luck, however, we might catch a canid yet, we'll see. A wolf in my first season on this trapline would be an accomplishment.

Our catch to date:

5 lynx
10 marten
1 fisher
2 mink
2 beaver
15 ermine
25 red squirrels

The lynx, fisher and marten carcasses will be on their way to Ontario shortly, as part of a study I signed up for through the Alberta Trappers' Association. Environment Canada is doing a study to see what affects the oil and gas industry is having on our furbearers and need as many carcasses as they can get of certain species. Trappers play a part in many studies that both our provincial and federal governments do on furbearers in this country... makes good sense.

Until next time!