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Old 11-10-2020, 07:26 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Default Solo trapper

https://www.solotrapper.com/ Just seen this on Facebook Has quite the website is he well known in Alberta ,offering wolf hunts, interested.

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Old 11-11-2020, 11:22 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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?

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Old 11-12-2020, 07:48 AM
Esox Esox is offline
 
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If youre interested in a wolf hunt, give Kyler Knelson a call. He has by far the highest success rate in alberta and I believe he is running a pretty good deal right now for canadian residents. Downside is that you have to travel up to Fort Vermilion.
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Old 11-12-2020, 08:07 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Esox View Post
If youre interested in a wolf hunt, give Kyler Knelson a call. He has by far the highest success rate in alberta and I believe he is running a pretty good deal right now for canadian residents. Downside is that you have to travel up to Fort Vermilion.
Okay thanks ,just figured I'd get some comments about this other trapper, like is this a grey area with trapping or is it legal or nobody's commenting.

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Old 11-12-2020, 09:57 PM
wolfcrazy wolfcrazy is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 35 whelen View Post
Okay thanks ,just figured I'd get some comments about this other trapper, like is this a grey area with trapping or is it legal or nobody's commenting.

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Try Byron out this guy has a great track record

https://www.wolfhuntinadventures.com/

If you’re on Facebook you can see photos of the last couple years.
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  #6  
Old 11-13-2020, 12:32 AM
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Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 35 whelen View Post
Okay thanks ,just figured I'd get some comments about this other trapper, like is this a grey area with trapping or is it legal or nobody's commenting.

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I'd say my two cents worth but due to inflation it's only worth a cent or less.

IMO only, registered traplines and adventure tour outfitting should be kept separate. Traplines are a working man's licensed trade. A commercial fisherman or professional logger would not take tourists on the job. This concept puts trapping in the wrong spotlight and even vulnerable to the anti fur movement. Also leaves the fur trade vulnerable to a government closing aspects of fur management operations and put trapping regulations under APOS outfitting rules.

Not so sure of the different legalities involved. Unlicensed people on an active trapline and giving away raw fur as part of a transaction would make me wonder. Animal registrations and export permits come into play too. Trappers cannot trade in raw pelts except to licensed fur buyers. Once tanned the pelts are ok to sell or trade to anyone though some permits may still be required.

Trapping registered lines and outfitting for adventure tourism at the same time would need some discussion. Aside from liability concerns potential customers would need some level of screening. Example: A sedentary office worker with health problems and three of his middle aged out of shape office buddies pay for the trapline experience for 8 nights and they are not at all familiar with weather/land or conditioned to go for a daily ten mile sled ride checking traps. None of them have a clue on skinning or fleshing. Weather is a huge factor. Someone pays/books for a week and temperatures go hit -30 to -40 below. Then the guests are cabin bound and will require entertaining. Just the same late season hunting outfitters. Hunters pay big money for a certain week and while here that week ends up so cold or blizzardly that the hunters become housebound for a day or more. 4 people that paid for 8 nights and are housebound for a few days they are going to get cabin fever. people paying good money expect a good experience.

The SoloTrapper price lists include up to 4 people for 8 days. How do those logistics work in winter. They mention passenger sleds. Many people are not conditioned to ride or take the weather for hours every day. 5 people tromping around the line for a week,(possibly 4 people/guests every week for the season) could influence some animals patterns. Trapping is sort of a 'solo' trade because a trapper doesn't want to leave a trace around the sets. Would need a large skinning parlor to fit that many viewing folks too. Any animals caught would require pelting too which takes up evening time. Skinning and pelting maybe a wolf, and a coyote or two or a couple beaver is an awful long night.

And if each guest is allowed to take one pelt home SoloTrapper had better catch lots of fur. Traplines are about managing fur bearer numbers in sustainable populations. If SoloTrapper was to have 4 guests a month that is about 24 or so pelts given away. If SoloTrapper has 16 guests a month that is potentially 96 pelts given away over the season. If SoloTrapper ends up giving so much of their fur away to guests they are replacing fur income/value with outfitting/tourism income. That raises some concerns.

A interesting topic to discuss.

Note* Don't rag on me for my non progressive outlook. Just IMO ... The trapping industry and the adventure tourism/outfitting industry do not belong together.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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  #7  
Old 11-13-2020, 08:58 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
I'd say my two cents worth but due to inflation it's only worth a cent or less.

IMO only, registered traplines and adventure tour outfitting should be kept separate. Traplines are a working man's licensed trade. A commercial fisherman or professional logger would not take tourists on the job. This concept puts trapping in the wrong spotlight and even vulnerable to the anti fur movement. Also leaves the fur trade vulnerable to a government closing aspects of fur management operations and put trapping regulations under APOS outfitting rules.

Not so sure of the different legalities involved. Unlicensed people on an active trapline and giving away raw fur as part of a transaction would make me wonder. Animal registrations and export permits come into play too. Trappers cannot trade in raw pelts except to licensed fur buyers. Once tanned the pelts are ok to sell or trade to anyone though some permits may still be required.

Trapping registered lines and outfitting for adventure tourism at the same time would need some discussion. Aside from liability concerns potential customers would need some level of screening. Example: A sedentary office worker with health problems and three of his middle aged out of shape office buddies pay for the trapline experience for 8 nights and they are not at all familiar with weather/land or conditioned to go for a daily ten mile sled ride checking traps. None of them have a clue on skinning or fleshing. Weather is a huge factor. Someone pays/books for a week and temperatures go hit -30 to -40 below. Then the guests are cabin bound and will require entertaining. Just the same late season hunting outfitters. Hunters pay big money for a certain week and while here that week ends up so cold or blizzardly that the hunters become housebound for a day or more. 4 people that paid for 8 nights and are housebound for a few days they are going to get cabin fever. people paying good money expect a good experience.

The SoloTrapper price lists include up to 4 people for 8 days. How do those logistics work in winter. They mention passenger sleds. Many people are not conditioned to ride or take the weather for hours every day. 5 people tromping around the line for a week,(possibly 4 people/guests every week for the season) could influence some animals patterns. Trapping is sort of a 'solo' trade because a trapper doesn't want to leave a trace around the sets. Would need a large skinning parlor to fit that many viewing folks too. Any animals caught would require pelting too which takes up evening time. Skinning and pelting maybe a wolf, and a coyote or two or a couple beaver is an awful long night.

And if each guest is allowed to take one pelt home SoloTrapper had better catch lots of fur. Traplines are about managing fur bearer numbers in sustainable populations. If SoloTrapper was to have 4 guests a month that is about 24 or so pelts given away. If SoloTrapper has 16 guests a month that is potentially 96 pelts given away over the season. If SoloTrapper ends up giving so much of their fur away to guests they are replacing fur income/value with outfitting/tourism income. That raises some concerns.

A interesting topic to discuss.

Note* Don't rag on me for my non progressive outlook. Just IMO ... The trapping industry and the adventure tourism/outfitting industry do not belong together.
Thanks for your thoughts ,i thought the same ,i still have problems with trappers use there shacks for hunting ,i know 3 by my land that i dont think they harvest much fur off there lines at all. but they sure have nice cabins that the family and friends use them ,
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  #8  
Old 11-14-2020, 03:13 PM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Boy you trappers are sure quiet, Except when it comes to raising fees
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  #9  
Old 11-15-2020, 11:03 PM
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jim summit jim summit is offline
 
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With the price of fur it leads to guys looking for ways to keep cash flow going on the trapline. If he’s managing the Rfma properly then have at it.
As for giving away fur it would need to be tanned before doing so and then its legal. There’s many people who would like to see an active trapline and this might be their chance to get a foot in the door.
“Trapping Inc” is a similar venture, use the Rfma to build up a viewing audience
and Rich is doing well with promoting trapping.

As for wolf hunts, Kyler Knelson and Byron Wolf are your guys, they have the experience and areas to make it happen.

Last edited by jim summit; 11-15-2020 at 11:11 PM.
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  #10  
Old 11-17-2020, 10:50 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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In general with our very High operating costs,fuel,sleds ATV,s/truck repairs the typical RFMA economics does not work. Then this years fur prices due to Covid just threw the trapline economics totally out the window.
If we can have both a Solo hunt for moose,elk,sheep and deer along with a Guided hunt for a fee, why not the same for the Trapping experience.
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  #11  
Old 04-06-2021, 07:03 PM
Jake driedger Jake driedger is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: wetaskiwin
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Default 35 Whelen

I dont spend to much time on this forum but did just now and came across your question. I am Solotrapper. Jake Driedger. I trap 12 months a year. I carry a resident alberta trapping lisence as well as a registered trappers lisence for the registered line i trap and hunt. Please PM me or contact me through my website and or we can chat on the phone. jake@solotrapper.com. I adc trap for wetaskiwin county and work with fish and wildlife and alberta enviroment and parks when i can. Everything i do is 100% above board. That includes offering wolf hunts inside the rfma i trap, crown land as well as private land. Under an outfitters lisence. The experience of hunting and trapping wolves at the base of the rocky mountains is an experience like no other. Kyler Knelsen is a friend of mine and does boast a very high success rate no question. Just depends where you want to hunt. Run Solotrapper in your google bar and you will find my youtube channel, solotrapper on facebook as well as instagram. Have a great day! JD
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  #12  
Old 04-08-2021, 08:36 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Thanks
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