living on a trap line

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by jim summit

How many townships is your line if you take about 50 marten per year?

My trapline is just under three townships. It is also one of the poorest habitat wise, in the area. It has three major river valleys, so about 30% is too steep for trapping trails, and although those hills are utilized by many animals, few live on such steep land.

About 30% is open jackpine country, good for squirrels and blueberries and not much else. About 10% is open muskeg also not good fur country but again, it produces some. The remainder is mixed forest and beaver ponds.
It's productive but not high value productive.

Also, my line has had no industrial activity since the 1960s, the few cutlines are so overgrown that in places they can not be traveled.

All and all, it is not and never has been a good line. But it is what I have.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

don't mean to completely high jack this thread, but i'm sorry to hear that keg feels there is no money in trapping. it's true that some lines aren't as produtive as others. but there are people that do well trapping. just depends where your trapping, and then throw in ADC work and guys are doing very well.

i have the records from my line for the last 30 years and it has consistanly produced over 100 marten a season. averaged high 60's$ last season.

i'm aware of a couple of other guys that are able to do 200+ in 6 weeks(the nafa guy in prince goerge, you may know of him?) recieves and traps, does very well.

as for the amount of work and time spent yes it's alot but i don't put a doller value on that, it's fun for me and my little family, i love that part of it and couldn't put a doller figure on it. great way to spend summer break.

the line is not square or flat, but useing google earth it works out to about just under 10 townships near as i can figure.

as for the abuse of the system, i've got to say that to C.O's are out often. maybe it's just me.

can't wait to get back out there!

finally got the pic posting down!

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Great photos. I love it !! Good looking cabin and it looks very typical of the ones I'm familure with.

WOW you have some tree over there. I don't think there is anything over 24 inches at the butt on my line and those would only be down along the river, a long way from my cabin.

The biggest logs we could find at the cabin site were about 16 inches at the butt.

I could see that sort of country producing 200 marten. There are a few lines around here that can produce those numbers as well. Those up in the high country, like around Twin Lakes, for instance.
But my line is in muskeg country and it's devided up by deep river valleys.
The flat ground is muskeg or jackpine and the steep country is too dry and too steep for good habitat.
Heck, there's catci growing on those hills.

Oh and I was meaning to ask. Do you trap all your beaver with Conibears, even under the ice ?

Just curious. I use Coni's when I can't use snares, but where snares will work, I wouldn't think of using a Coni, way to hard to set up, compared to a snare set.

Do you use snares ?

[braggadoe]

hey keg, its kind of sad, but the tree pic maybe my proudest moment. it was a beauty! totally clear for the first third and barely any naughts the rest of the way. the river bank eroded and it fell back into the bush, i had my eye on it just lying there for a year and a bit, it was very dry. i'm just learning the ways of the mill and its not as easy as it looks. every thing has to to be just right. un believable amount of work. just moving the cants around to be able to work on them was tuff. i'll never do a tree that big again. shame to just use it for marten boxes. by the way i have salvage permit as req' to do that sort of thing.


don't really target beaver but i get a few, both traps and snares

[jim summit]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

My trapline is just under three townships. It is also one of the poorest habitat wise, in the area. It has three major river valleys, so about 30% is too steep for trapping trails, and although those hills are utilized by many animals, few live on such steep land.

About 30% is open jackpine country, good for squirrels and blueberries and not much else. About 10% is open muskeg also not good fur country but again, it produces some. The remainder is mixed forest and beaver ponds.
It's productive but not high value productive.

Also, my line has had no industrial activity since the 1960s, the few cutlines are so overgrown that in places they can not be traveled.

All and all, it is not and never has been a good line. But it is what I have.

Thanks Keg.
I'm still learning.

[McLeod Valley]

I live on my trap line and have for 11 years. I trap every year and show a profit,,,, Does that make me a real trapper???? Even if I didn't show a profit I'd still consider myself as one!!!! Too many people on this trapping site should do there homework before posting here!!!

[kronk]

Rocky mountain is right... The only money in trapping is the tax rightoffs... correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't trapping the only industry you can consistantly loose money on, and still get the right offs?

[huntslots]

Originally Posted by kronk

Rocky mountain is right... The only money in trapping is the tax rightoffs... correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't trapping the only industry you can consistantly loose money on, and still get the right offs?

I think prospecting is another one and of course FARMING.

[huntslots]

Originally Posted by McLeod Valley

I live on my trap line and have for 11 years. I trap every year and show a profit,,,, Does that make me a real trapper???? Even if I didn't show a profit I'd still consider myself as one!!!! Too many people on this trapping site should do there homework before posting here!!!

You should also do your homework. I checked with SRD and you are NOT allowed to live on your line. According to them trappers may spend a maximum of 180 days occupying their line. Maybe this sort of thing (living on a line) is part of the problem as stated in other threads. Just my 2 cents.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by McLeod Valley

I live on my trap line and have for 11 years. I trap every year and show a profit,,,, Does that make me a real trapper???? Even if I didn't show a profit I'd still consider myself as one!!!! Too many people on this trapping site should do there homework before posting here!!!

I imagine one could show a profit living on their line year round.
But how much profit. $1.00 more then expenses is a profit.

I assume you own the land you live on, some lines have purchasable land on them. Thus those who are fortunate enough to live on or very close to their lines can indeed make a small profit.
Most of the lines in my neighberhood have no purchasable land on them so I and most of the trappers I know, can not live on our lines. In fact several of us can not even get close to our lines by road.
In my case, I have to cross the Peace River to reach my line and the nearest bridge is over 100 miles away.

Oh and by the way, I never said one could not make a profit from trapping.
I said it is not profitable, as in one can not make a decent living from trapping.

But I suppose if one lived on their line, and if one lowered their living standard to the bare minimum to survive, I suppose one could call it making a living. Most wouldn't.

$6,000.00 a year income is pretty skinny living. It's not even a decent wage for three or four months hard work.

But maybe you are one of the fortunate few who can take $10 or $15,000.00 of their line. Still not a great income for a year.

[McLeod Valley]

Originally Posted by huntslots

You should also do your homework. I checked with SRD and you are NOT allowed to live on your line. According to them trappers may spend a maximum of 180 days occupying their line. Maybe this sort of thing (living on a line) is part of the problem as stated in other threads. Just my 2 cents.

Well , I have a registered line which is 3 townships in size , and also hold the title to the land I live on , so I own the property I live on and also hold the trapping rights on the line too , you can do anything if you spend enough money!!!! Gotta pay to play, and it's all legal.

[Trapperdan]

Originally Posted by DairyMan7

Ok before I comment I don't want to upset anyone on this thread, I believe trapping to be "THE BEST" outdoor activity.

Its a combination of mathematics, stats, science, biology and an Art form

and for everyone that still trap, it's because its who we are and i'm sorry but its in our blood.

Trapping in general is hard work, nowadays nobody likes that

There is money in trapping.......but in reference to registered traplines if I'm asked is there money...I would say "DEPENDS"

Depends why you do it, depends what you get out of it, if you do the math and break down time spent versus your return i would say there is no money in trapping.
But if you look at quality of time spent while trapping I would say Trapping is the richest job out there.

Now to the nitty gritty, If one just trapped here in Alberta 365 days a year. Between 6 months on a registered line and 6 months with nuisance wildlife, I think one could make a great living.

I guess its in the eye of the beholder. But to answer the question about Alberta registered trap lines....I think they are a joke.
I'm originally from Ontario and if you have a registered line in Ontario and you don't trap your quota or 75%(i think its 75% i could be wrong) of your quota for 3-5 years consistantly..you automatically lose your line....I think this should be done here in Alberta. I hope everyone here agrees with me.

I was just talking to a fish/wildlife cop tonight and he agreed with me, its a joke, too many CAlgarians/edmontonians have trap lines that don't actually trap and the line is exactly what you guys say, a cheap and legal way to own a cabin in the woods with no one around for miles.
I hope the province of AB changes this but it comes down to some one up north that has a trapline is probably a politician or friends with a polititian and thats how he gets his cheap cabin and property.

Sorry to vent at the end but I agree with most people on this thread, something has to change in that respect...but as for trapping, yes you can make a living at it and make good money. My mentor and teacher just grossed over a million dollars last year and thats is just nuisance wildlife control.

Some MNR offices in Ontario are now issuing tickets ($300.00 plus) for non-compliance the first year you do not get your quota unless you have medical issues and a letter from your doctor to verify it. They will discard the ticket if you forfit your trapline for re-allocation. If I had a trapline in Alberta that I was not trapping I would sell it soon as there will be changes . Has to happen, just amatter of when!! Also, I presently would not pay a lot for one as the values will plummet when the inevitable changes occur.