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Old 02-22-2017, 08:30 PM
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Default Trapping after the Horse River fire.

Trapping in our region is/has been challenging even before last May's fire. Industry has new 3D and 4D seismic criss crossing this part of Alberta like I've never seen before.

The burn was unfathomable to most, for me I've lived in the boreal region 1/2 of my 45 years. You all know that feeling when out in the bush by yourself, most times good, sometimes odd!?!?!

I took these photo's the other day from the pond we've got 3 beavers from under the ice. It was an eerie, hair raising, odd day. No sounds, no birds, no tree's creaking, no wind, no sunshine.







Checking an otter set.


We knew the beavers survived the fire and burn.


Eerie.




Woodpeckers have been busy getting at the bugs attracted to the brunt trees.


One of our cd lures - 80's, 90's and NOW! Survived, but got a little warm!


Encouraging sign, lone wolf with a coyote in tow.

Hoping for the best and a Spring that's bring new life and hopefully enough precipitation to keep the forest alive and well. No fires please.


Trying to keep the smiles coming!
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Old 02-22-2017, 09:33 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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Definitely feel for everyone including the trappers up there. Dang rights those woods are quiet I bet. Take a while to come back but it will. There is a good market for mushrooms that will most likely show up after the good rains in those old growth burn areas. Might wanna look into that racket.
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Old 02-22-2017, 11:46 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is online now
 
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Things will come back and be better than before. Our forests need fires
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Old 02-23-2017, 02:01 AM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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What was that last picture, a Sasquatch?

Your story and pictures go together perfectly. To me it does look eerie like you described. I see needles still on the trees and grass popping out of the snow so hopefully things green up in the Spring.
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Old 02-23-2017, 04:04 AM
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That must have been a sick feeling seeing that for the first time.

No doubt the line will recover but it could take a lot of years.
I don't see any shelter trees.

Marten, Fisher and Lynx needs good dense Spruce thickets for shelter in the worst weather, and a place to sleep during the day.

They are too vulnerable to Eagles and large predators without those big trees with their needles.
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Old 02-23-2017, 08:26 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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Keg is correct on tree shelter. I read a study on marten and the biologist concluded that they need at least 45% forest cover to maintain good marten population.
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
What was that last picture, a Sasquatch?

Your story and pictures go together perfectly. To me it does look eerie like you described. I see needles still on the trees and grass popping out of the snow so hopefully things green up in the Spring.
Haha. Good one.
Thanks a lot for the description and pictures. Very interesting.
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Old 02-23-2017, 10:13 AM
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Fires are a very natural part of the forest. Its just the last hundred years mankind has been so active in preventing them.

The forest will return, even better with time.

Keep the smile up.
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Old 02-23-2017, 04:01 PM
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The cd, are you using the shine to attract curious animals? What is your target?
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Old 02-23-2017, 05:05 PM
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The cd, are you using the shine to attract curious animals? What is your target?


Not to answer out of turn but the target would be link.


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Old 02-23-2017, 05:39 PM
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Not to answer out of turn but the target would be link.


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Whats the link to?
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Old 02-23-2017, 05:40 PM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is offline
 
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Not to answer out of turn but the target would be link.


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Or lynx.

BW
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Old 02-23-2017, 05:54 PM
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Whats the link to?


Sorry. Can't help myself. A few of the old timers around here say it like that and I get a kick out of it. Got my kids saying it too


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Old 02-23-2017, 07:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pikeman06 View Post
Definitely feel for everyone including the trappers up there. Dang rights those woods are quiet I bet. Take a while to come back but it will. There is a good market for mushrooms that will most likely show up after the good rains in those old growth burn areas. Might wanna look into that racket.


You sparked some interest, and I did some fact gathering. I'll let you know things go!
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Old 02-23-2017, 07:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
What was that last picture, a Sasquatch?



Your story and pictures go together perfectly. To me it does look eerie like you described. I see needles still on the trees and grass popping out of the snow so hopefully things green up in the Spring.


You know Dave, that day there was a strange smell in the air, mighta been Bigfoot! Lol!
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Old 02-23-2017, 07:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KegRiver View Post
That must have been a sick feeling seeing that for the first time.

No doubt the line will recover but it could take a lot of years.
I don't see any shelter trees.

Marten, Fisher and Lynx needs good dense Spruce thickets for shelter in the worst weather, and a place to sleep during the day.

They are too vulnerable to Eagles and large predators without those big trees with their needles.


Indeed, this is the North part of the line and it sustained the majority of the burn as the fire passed McMurray and Anzac heading South East.

The Southern part was missed and has much more dense spruce, pine, poplar and tamarack. Although that's where the seismic action is. Grrrrrr
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:25 PM
coachman coachman is offline
 
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I spent some time trapping with a biologist that worked for srd and the Trapper Ass. and he always put is traps out in the open for marten. Large cut blocks etc. It was his idea that marten main food was mice so they would hunt where there was more mice. Large grassy area. On my own line I would put a small pile of oats under a brush pile in the cut blocks and after a year or two they would show up. Just wait until the grass starts grow and the small animals will start to come back, bigger ones to follow. Good luck
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:40 PM
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We are south of Darren's line and we were missed by the fire. But we too are sliced and diced by the seismic lines. I don't mind single lines and right of ways but seismic lines in a grid or circular pattern every 50 meters is a bit much....

Hope you do well Anzacron. Come to your south boundary. Just north of me is some great beaver trapping. I'm a tad jealous of some of those spots actually.
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Old 02-23-2017, 11:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coachman View Post
I spent some time trapping with a biologist that worked for srd and the Trapper Ass. and he always put is traps out in the open for marten. Large cut blocks etc. It was his idea that marten main food was mice so they would hunt where there was more mice. Large grassy area. On my own line I would put a small pile of oats under a brush pile in the cut blocks and after a year or two they would show up. Just wait until the grass starts grow and the small animals will start to come back, bigger ones to follow. Good luck
The Marten in my area feed mostly on Rabbit's (Snowshoe Hare. )

I had a couple of grassy areas on my line, river flat meadows. I've tracked Marten along the bush line of these openings but never far from the trees.

I don't think that biologist knew what he was talking about.

BYW, there are as many if not more mice in established forests then there is in grass land. Two different species.
And there are Squirrel and Rabbit in the forests but not out in the open.
In other words, there's a lot more appropriate food for a Marten in the forest then in any grass land.
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Old 02-24-2017, 10:23 PM
sourdough doug sourdough doug is offline
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[QUOTE=KegRiver;3479568]The Marten in my area feed mostly on Rabbit's (Snowshoe Hare. )

I had a couple of grassy areas on my line, river flat meadows. I've tracked Marten along the bush line of these openings but never far from the trees.

I don't think that biologist knew what he was talking about.


Yes, martin are never far from trees but thats becuz there is more cover there than in the open. But like weasels, get some snow cover and they will be under it getting mice. I don't set in the "grass" but along the tree line where I see them going to the "grass".. The biologist was not all wrong....alot of times they are not exactly right either..haha
Those of us who have trapped for a while have not escaped a fire or two but we are still there.
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