The TrapperDecember 2019的目錄

Visual attractors and set presentation can be just as important in canine trapping as it is in bobcat trapping. Coyotes and foxes both can be drawn to a set with visual stimulation. This can be as simple as something unusual just off of a trail, or it can be at the set itself. The difference between bobcats and canines is how they respond to visual stimulation. This difference is how they use their senses. A bobcat is more visual and uses its eyes, whereas a canine will also use its sense of smell much more. Canines and cats, though, are both stimulated by urine and gland smells. Over the years, I have gained a lot of knowledge just watching my trapline dogs’ behavior. While going down a road or trail…

As technology continues to improve and become more affordable, many predator hunters are turning to thermal and night-vision riflescopes and handheld optics for their hunting gear. This is especially true for the hardcore hunters that want to use the advantage of pursuing hogs, coyotes and other predators at night. What some hunters don’t realize yet is that these specialized optics can serve a dual purpose and be used to hunt during the daylight hours, too. First, what is the difference between thermal and night vision? Night vision works with reflected light. For traditional night vision, that is light in the visible spectrum, from the moon and even stars on very sensitive models. Digital night vision is closer to thermal since it uses infrared light, but it still needs an IR…

Some people have the notion that I’m so old that I trapped with Thomas Jefferson. Well, that’s not quite true. I didn’t really start trapping until the end of the 19th century. But, I did have some colorful partners back then. Like Rocky Rockefeller. Rocky and I had been skinnin’ at night by whale oil lamps. Whale oil was getting expensive, and whales were getting more scarce by the day. Then Rocky took up with some gal from “Save the Whales” and things went to hell in a handbasket. She used her feminine wiles, along with some other feminine stuff, to convince Rocky to help save the whales. Don’tcha know Rocky figured out how to make lamp oil out of that black greasy stuff that comes out of the ground.…

When it comes to nuisance wildlife, many people do not think of white-tailed deer as problem animals. Whitetails are often considered only as game animals that are hunted. The truth is that whitetails cause millions of dollars in crop damage to farmers, cause destruction in suburban areas to landscapes, gardens and trees, and cause hundreds of thousands of vehicle accidents every year. Most states are doing what they can to lower the deer numbers through general hunting seasons, special suburban hunting seasons, trapping and transplanting deer, and other methods. But, these methods are not enough in some situations. Many state conservation and natural resources offices will issue nuisance permits if you are experiencing damage to your property from whitetails. These permits often allow hunting year-round with any weapon and any…

The rumors of more difficult times ahead are growing again as trappers are busy harvesting fur all over Canada and the United States. November and December are prime months for prime fur, and in most jurisdictions, these two months are when the majority of the fur is harvested. By now, trappers have made the most important decisions of their seasons, choosing which species to pursue, how much effort and time to invest, where to go, when to start and how to sell. Coyotes still reign at the top of the most-wanted list for profit-driven trappers. Western bobcats also continue to be a safe bet for profit — if you have them. Fox trappers, on the other hand, have weak markets to look forward to, and red foxes especially continue to…

This new call features two positional Xtreme High Definition (XHD) speakers. Both XHD speakers are a horn speaker with an added tweeter for improved frequency response. The XHD speaker system allows for extreme volume capabilities and realistic sound clarity. The FOXPRO XWAVE also features Bluetooth® compatibility, so the user can connect wirelessly via their Bluetooth® device and play animal sounds from their own library, or even play music during a camp setting or recreational activity. There are two external speaker jacks if you desire even more volume, an auxiliary jack to connect an approved device, such as a Jack Predator Decoy, and a charge jack. The XWAVE comes with 100 high-quality FOXPRO sounds, with the ability to store and access up to 1,000 sounds. You can operate the XWAVE manually…

I’m standing knee deep in the water at the base of an 8-foot-tall undercut bank. There is a ledge about 6 inches wide at the base of the wall. Every animal traveling that shoreline will use that ledge. So I’ll bed a #1.5 coil on that ledge. I’ve added an 18-inch extension chain to the trap. I’ll stake the trap solid as far out in the water as the chain will reach. The bank falls away quickly, so any animal that I catch will very likely drown fast. There is only one thing wrong with this set — tt is very hard to check. Most of the sets that I have along here I can check while I’m walking the bank. But, because this bank is undercut, I cannot see…

Porcupines don’t really attract much attention from trappers, they aren’t at the top of many lists of species to pursue. But, there is a surprisingly strong market for the long hair found along their backs, for their quills, and to a lesser extent the claws and skulls. It takes a little work to turn a porky into something marketable, but when you do they are easy to sell. VALUE The value of the long hair, known as porky hair, can bring more than $20 from a single porcupine. Hair that is 8 inches long or longer is especially premium. Anything less than 8 inches is discounted severely because the primary use is for roach headdresses used in powwow and ceremonial events, where the natural beauty of long guard hairs is…