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Old 04-20-2017, 02:53 PM
Brian Bildson Brian Bildson is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,107
Default Different habitats

I've been lucky enough to trap in a lot of different habitat, the sub-arctic - then foothills - and now mountains. The only place I haven't done much trapping is an area lots of you are experts in, farmland. But Gary Godberson sure gave me an education on that aspect once when I took a course off of him. Very productive !

But each trapline has its own quirks and needs to be understood in order to make best use of your time. A couple of examples I found over the years.

In the NWT we had to wait for muskegs to freeze solid before marten would migrate in from the highlands. Once the swamp meadows were froze the marten would come in numbers to hunt voles. But by March they started pulling out.

In the foothills I found that because I had an abundance of small creeks and drainage's flowing into the main water stem it was easy to define wolf pack boundaries if you paid attention. The wolves like well defined borders as well and would really scent post along specific creeks that separated them from the neighboring packs. Great place for urine sets.

The mountains are still revealing their secrets, which is a big part of the appeal of trapping, but beaver baits hung consistently along river benches seem to be able to pull marten down from the mostly inaccessible slopes. I'm thinking during warmer days the scent trails can be picked up from a long ways off.

keeps it interesting
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  #2  
Old 04-21-2017, 07:59 AM
bill9044 bill9044 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 968
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Great thread Brian. All I would like to add is I don't think there are 2 many elite trappers like Gary around. That guy has an amazing work ethic. But... then there''s Marty..... hahaha kidding Marty
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:42 AM
wolfcrazy wolfcrazy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 385
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I had the pleasure to trap with Gary last fall and had a blast. He is a machine and full of drive. Learnt a lot from him and hope to put it to use this fall. I wish we had the rats and water his.
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:47 AM
wolfcrazy wolfcrazy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 385
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Brain I loved being at your lodge with my family and checking out the mountains a few years ago. It was cool to think that a spot would be good for a set and lowand behold you'd have a set there or marking.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:12 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,204
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Brian good article in AO by Gordy on low marten numbers this year. What are your thoughts on why we had large drop off. Our lynx went way up on our line and after seeing an aggressive lynx by Drayton jumping from one small poplar tree chasing a squirrel, it has to have a effect on marten population.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:16 AM
dugh dugh is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: WMU 250
Posts: 745
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Brian, I remember that Rendezvous you bought the Long Line rat and coyote trip. That was a terrific fundraiser Gary put in the auction, Good on him for putting it forward and good on you for supporting it, you out bid me, (by quite a bit as I recall). I'd like my wife and I to go on that one day, it's a little different than we have here.
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