# not looking good



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

on my way to work this afternoon i noticed the ditches where froze over along with the small lakes. not looking good for me unless we get some warmer weather or some rain. soonest i can get traps in the ditches is tuesday.


----------



## Buter (Mar 19, 2008)

Yeah..I put couple sets out today on a smaller lake that I can trap...Had to break ice with the oars until I got to what water wasnt frozen yet.


----------



## FMann (May 12, 2007)

I have to pull a ditch that is froze over, mostly blind sets and a couple pockets. I'm going to place a couple coloney traps in it and hope. This ditch has out produced all the other's so far this year and I hate to leave it.


----------



## GERRYE (Dec 18, 2006)

yeah we are geting ice in the slower moving ditches. not doing so well on the rats, the ***** keep filling the traps. :lol:


----------



## Fur-minator (Nov 28, 2007)

Same here. I broke ice this morning to mak 14 rat sets. I will be pulling them tomorrow so I hope my traps are full before the ice forms again.:lol:


----------



## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

I was going to reset a pond I was trapping last weekend ... but decided against it. Figured I did not want to battle the ice/snow.


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

are wimps, whats a little ice, we are trapers, we are tuff. well you guys are.get out there and getem.I pulled all but 3 of mine yesterday.gona try and find some open water monday.


----------



## Wizard3686 (Aug 30, 2005)

Lmao come on guys really your throwing in the towel already? I did pull my traps but i did it so i could wait for the ice to form so i can get to some of the rat houses i wanna trap. 

I think some baited 110's and maybe some rat sticks will work well under the ice.


----------



## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

Rob,

Word or advice. Make sure your stakes are dead if there are any beaver around. Don't ask me how I know!! They like to cut them off below the ice and make off with them.

Joe


----------



## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

gilgetter said:


> are wimps, whats a little ice, we are trapers, we are tuff. well you guys are.get out there and getem.I pulled all but 3 of mine yesterday.gona try and find some open water monday.


 Since I would have had to set them today and pull them tomorrow ... it was not worth the hassle with the canoe, snow, ice. 


Wizard3686 said:


> Lmao come on guys really your throwing in the towel already? I did pull my traps but i did it so i could wait for the ice to form so i can get to some of the rat houses i wanna trap.


I did not say I was done Rob. I have will be sticking more be sets out in a few days ... maybe next weekend. And probably be setting out & changing up canine sets tomorrow.


----------



## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Well I'm not done, but I did have to pull 3 ditches today due to the ice. 2 of them now have colony traps in them the other was just a pocket set that has produced 2 mink, 2 rants and a **** so I'm good with pulling that ditch. I have a pond that I'm hoping to get on next weekend for some under ice rats.


----------



## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

Ice has gotten thicker than I thought it would.I was able to walk on it on 2 differnt ponds today (stayed close to shore)2-3 more cold nights and I think i'll be able to reach some rat houses I could'nt wade to in the open water,hope it the ice stays clear,sure makes finding the runs a snap


----------



## Capac Trapper (Jan 17, 2008)

My edge sets are still producing nicely under the ice, as long as it's not frozen to the bottom I will be using edge sets all winter. I believe the rats swim along the edge more so after ice up looking for holes to drop into for a quick breath of air.


----------



## chucky22250 (Feb 2, 2008)

ed you cant always expect it to be that easy do ya?


----------



## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

No,I don't expect it to always be easy,but I feel i'm due.The few marshs I had for rats this year had some of the worst muck i've ever seen (and i've spent more than my share of time in the marsh hunting/trapping over the years) Also spent last sat. wadeing rivers/beaver ponds setting a zone 2 otter-line from day-light till dark.So yes,i'm looking for a little easy now :lol::lol: But i'll be at it no matter what.No better way to spend some time in the outdoors


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

well ed you better not look at the weather forecast if you where hoping for easy.:lol: i was going to get some sets out this afternoon but im gonna wait to see what happens tonight and wednesday. probably just climb in my treestand and take advantage of the deer movement before the storm.


----------



## Fur-minator (Nov 28, 2007)

I was hoping to get a little snow over my sets to see what was happening. I found a challenge as a fox dug my trap jaw then took my bait. I figured it was game on but then the forcast changed to rain, rain/snow mix, or freezing rain. What a way to ruin a great set. This morning I gathered a pile of chopped grass and covered up a couple of my sets completely. I am hoping the grass pile keeps most of the rain away from my traps. It is supposed to get cold for a few days starting Thursday so I plan to pull the frozen mass of grass back off and be back in business. 

Hope it works.


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

unless the rain freezes and creates a crust i have faith in my waxed dirt in this kind of weather.


----------



## Fur-minator (Nov 28, 2007)

wild bill said:


> unless the rain freezes and creates a crust i have faith in my waxed dirt in this kind of weather.


I would like to see some pictures some time of the system you guys use to make the waxed dirt.


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

here you go.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235123


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

A dusting of snow would be nice but don't want the rain. Only have 6 canine sets out, so no big deal anyway. Been doing some ADC at the sawmill, two skunks with a 160, one sprayed a little and five *****. This is in the board barns so they'll be nice and clean.

I'm trying peat moss this year, sets have only been in a couple of days so far.


----------



## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

FREEPOP said:


> Been doing some ADC at the sawmill, two skunks with a 160, one sprayed a little and five *****.


Did you call Wiggy for some help???? 

His ADC phone # is 1-800-BIG-STINK :lol::lol::lol:


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Should've called him. Actually I have access to some ag lime and that really cuts the smell down good. Not even as bad as opening a bottle of Gusto.


----------



## Wiggler (Dec 23, 2000)

Mister ED said:


> Did you call Wiggy for some help????
> 
> His ADC phone # is 1-800-BIG-STINK :lol::lol::lol:


*you are an evil evil little man ed!!!!!:evilsmile :evilsmile i do know how to make a skunk spray good if ya need help..:SHOCKED:*


----------



## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Wiggler said:


> *you are an evil evil little man ed!!!!!:evilsmile :evilsmile i do know how to make a skunk spray good if ya need help..:SHOCKED:*


Sorry I had to ... I thought it was funny as heck!!!:evilsmile Show it to your wife ... I bet she laughs.:lol::lol:


----------



## S.NIEMI (Oct 26, 2007)

Yeah sucks right now. I have 3 sets out.(rafts on flowing creeks)Caught 2 yesterday. 83 rats total. 3 mink. All our mink sets are above water (crap) cause I messed with the beaver dam.:evilsmile Oh well need something to do before the ice gets good enough to walk on. Can't catch a beaver to save my life. Heck.... I made a raft the other day (beaver) checked it for 3 days.....finially decided to take the safetys off tues morn. (what a dummy):help::gaga: Good luck guys with crap weather!!!
Tmann......Closest I trapped to your area was Shay lake and Hurd corner rd. Hopefully not overlapping.


----------



## Wiggler (Dec 23, 2000)

Mister ED said:


> Sorry I had to ... I thought it was funny as heck!!!:evilsmile Show it to your wife ... I bet she laughs.:lol::lol:


*Ed she is still pretty sensitive to the skunk thing.. im still having a hard time getting her to go anywhere in my truck yet, because it still "stinks" :gaga::lol: she has no sense of humor like we all have.. :evilsmile *


----------



## S.NIEMI (Oct 26, 2007)

I know you guys are talking about a stinky Wiggler, but MAN this weather sucks for water trapping. Might have to work on ice fishing stuff.:sad:


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

S.NIEMI said:


> I know you guys are talking about a stinky Wiggler, but MAN this weather sucks for water trapping. Might have to work on ice fishing stuff.:sad:



thinking the same thing. never did get a rat set out this year yet. hoping for a good rain to blow out the ditches. dec 23rd would be a good day for it just before vacation. if not it will be just canine trapping for me unless i make up some colony traps.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I have one rat set out, in a culvert drain that usually gets me a handfull of rats and a mink or two. No takers yet. Still have that mink den set, fell through checking it today, pants ended up freezing. 

I have a pond to trap, that has a bunch of rat huts. You can see the open water by them that the rats are working. I don't know how deep it is, was hoping to set and check by boat. I think I'm probably going to get wet again :bloos:


----------



## Wiggler (Dec 23, 2000)

*the forecast for the weekend calls for a big thaw and slush. the ditch i was trapping was already almost not wade able when i pulled mine a couple days ago. this big melt is gonna really make it high. it aint over till some fat lady sings!!!  did i mention i caught a 10 inch sucker in my colony trap the other morning? that was a first. would have made good mink bait on the line if i wasnt pullin those traps.*


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Wiggler said:


> * did i mention i caught a 10 inch sucker in my colony trap the other morning? *


At least you didn't get "skunked" :lol:


----------



## S.NIEMI (Oct 26, 2007)

Just need walkable ice.....and I'll be good......


I caught a beaver toenail before the freeze up..........I think I'm loosing whats left of my mind.........


----------



## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

Not a big deal, guys- just a little miscommunication.

Roger, As I think you'll agree, under ice trapping isn't as easy as open water. It's not for everyone. Personally I think the 10th is _a bit_ early for Zone 3. I voted for the 18th when the SMTA did their survey years ago. I usually get a pretty good grade on the 'rats I take in the third week of November.

For most trappers, it's about the sport- not the money. As for me, as long as I can be certain that my fur will be usable, I'll trap. IMHO October 1 for LP **** hunting (and the 15th for trapping) is _way_ too early. Anything but a good-sized boar is most likely barely saleable until closer to the end of the month. I know the world can spare a few *****, but I hate to think of animals being caught (or shot) and essentially thrown away. I usually start **** trapping (along with 'rat trapping) around the water opener and (Sorry, Duck Hunters!) release the kit ****. The adults usually grade OK.

All that being said, I'm not going to stand in the way of other trappers who trap within the seasons no matter what the dates are. Get out there and have fun!

John


----------

