2017/2018 Trapline Trips
Contributors to this thread:Small Game
From: Goat Guide
15-Dec-17
Goat Guide's Link
We have been prebaiting our wolf bait stations for a couple weeks and have caught wolf, lynx, coyote, wolverine on our trail camera. This morning Lloyd is picking up the first client at the airport and will spend the rest of the day checking traps, hopefully there will be something to report tonight.
From: T Mac
15-Dec-17
Awesome! I look forward to following along each year. Best of luck this season!
From: Kodiak
15-Dec-17
Love me some good ol trapline adventure. I miss running a line, it really is fun.
From: Z Barebow
15-Dec-17
It is that time of year! Love it!
From: t-roy
15-Dec-17
Here we go!
From: bigswivle
15-Dec-17
Was just wondering about this annual thread. I love it
From: Missouribreaks
15-Dec-17
Good luck, all hunters and hunting landowners should support the efforts of trappers.
From: rattling_junkie
15-Dec-17
Can't wait to follow!
From: kakiat kid
15-Dec-17
Best thread of the year
From: Rick M
15-Dec-17
One of my favorites!!!
From: Wv hillbilly
15-Dec-17
Really like following this thread every year. Good luck!!
From: Babine Guide
15-Dec-17
This morning we picked James up at the airport and got straight to checking traps. We struck out with the wolf snares today but we made up for it with the lynx sets. We got 3 lynx for 5 sets. James almost shot a lynx today too while we were driving around checking sets. We were 25 yards from it and the gun had a miss fire.
From: Babine Guide
15-Dec-17
the game camera only got crows and a bunch of lynx pictures today.
From: spike buck
16-Dec-17
Awesome thread!!! Glad to see you posting for another season.
From: Paul@thefort
16-Dec-17
Good stuff.
From: Babine Guide
18-Dec-17
Yesterday morning we walked down to the bait and got a shot at a black wolf, it was a clean miss. Later that day we did get a wolf in one of the snare stations though. We also got another lynx. Today we got 4 marten, 2 weasels and an otter.
From: Babine Guide
18-Dec-17
From: Altizer
18-Dec-17
My favorite thread of all time. Looking forward to your season. Awesome!!
From: BIG BEAR
19-Dec-17
Can you talk a little about how guys take their trophys home, and how many of each they regularly decide to take ?? Thanks in advance...
From: Scar Finga
19-Dec-17
After reading your posts for the past few years, this has been added to my bucket list, and is very near the top!
From: Babine Guide
19-Dec-17
otter from the other day
otter from the other day
Included in the trip is one of each different species and 2 wolves. The client can take extras home on a trophy fee bases. The trapped animals go on our trapping license and we have to order cities and export permits for them to get them home. The furs have to be shipped.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
19-Dec-17
Look forward to this thread every winter. Thanks for sharing it with us all again!
From: BIG BEAR
19-Dec-17
Are the furs tanned before shipping or do the clients send them to a tannery after they get them ??
From: Florida Mike
19-Dec-17
Love these trapping threads! Fm
From: rock50
19-Dec-17
rock50's Link
Big Bear,
This thread will explain a lot of your questions.
The trapline trip was probably my all time favorite .
From: Babine Guide
19-Dec-17
Here's a nice cross fox that we got in a leg hold this morning
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
From: Rick M
20-Dec-17
So much to do, so little time and money!! Keep it coming so I can live vicariously.
Looks like a lot of fun.
From: Nctrapper
20-Dec-17
Is that a LDL 330 hanging
From: T Mac
20-Dec-17
The lynx population seems to be abundant the last few years.
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
The lynx are at a high right now. There seems to be lots of rabbits and grouse so I think it'll be good for a few more years. We did get the otter in a 330 with fish for bait.
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
James redeemed himself this morning and shot the wolf that he missed on the first day. Not very often do you get a second chance at a wolf.
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
From: Mark Watkins
20-Dec-17
Sweeeet!
keep it rolling!!
Mark
From: Nctrapper
20-Dec-17
Babine - You run LDL conibears ? The 330 in the otter pic doesn't seem to have the twist like on the belisle and sauvageau frame.
From: Brit
20-Dec-17
Always loved this thread,incredible way of life,did you gents ever start your Lynx with hound hunts?
From: BIG BEAR
20-Dec-17
Not to beat this to death,, but you ship the hides to a taxidermist ? If a guy just wanted the tanned hides to hang on the wall instead of a taxidermy mount,,, Do you ever ship them to a stateside tannery like USA Foxx ?? Thanks in advance.....
From: No Mercy
20-Dec-17
Awesome!
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
Nctrapper: I think that is a LDL 330 conibear. It's been a long time since I bought it. That doesn't have the striker bars but we use the Magnum's when we're setting for wolverine. Brit: We do offer a few lynx hunts early in the season. Starting on Nov. 16-30. We then start getting ready for trapping. Big Bear: We ship the hides to where the client wants them shipped. Whether it's to a tanner, taxidermist or to their house.
From: Babine Guide
20-Dec-17
We ended James's trip with another cross fox and a lynx. In the morning we head to the airport. the next trip starts Jan. 3rd.
From: rock50
21-Dec-17
BIG BEAR,
The salted, raw hides were shipped to my home.
I removed the weasel, fox,marten, and coyote sent them to a local taxidermist.
I used the plastic tote Lloyd shipped them all in to send the wolves and lynx to Dennis Razza in PA.
There were three of us on the trip I took. Kent lives in MO, Gary in IA, and I am in IL. Each of us received our own package at our homes. Everything arrived in great condition, ready for us to do what we pleased with them.
From: brettpsu
21-Dec-17
Can't comment on the trapping hides but Babine took great care of my mountain goat hides and meat. Very flexible guys to deal with.
From: BIG BEAR
21-Dec-17
Very cool !!!
From: Michael
21-Dec-17
I look forward to this thread every year. Thanks for sharing.
From: Iowa_Archer
21-Dec-17
Awesome thread. That looks like a great time!
From: Sage Buffalo
21-Dec-17
Why are you taking off until Jan 3rd? We can't wait that long. I thought Canada celebrated Christmas in April? lol
Thanks for always sharing - this is my favorite thread of the year.
From: Babine Guide
03-Jan-18
Last night I picked up Jim at the airport. His bags didn't show up but that didn't stop us from getting out checking snares today. Jim only wanted to trap wolves this trip so we don't have any other sets out. We checked two snare stations and in the first one we got a wolverine. You never know what you're going to get. In the second station we got a wolf, we also set out a few more snares in each stations.
From: Babine Guide
03-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
03-Jan-18
From: Huntcell
03-Jan-18
Ever come across a trapped or snared wolverine that is still alive ? That has to be challenging? Or dispatch at a distance?
From: The last savage
04-Jan-18
Fantastic thread,,I'd love to do it!! You guys are great trappers!
From: steve
04-Jan-18
I love this thread wail every year for it ,
From: Babine Guide
04-Jan-18
Today we checked 3 wolf stations. In the first one we got 3 wolves and 3 coyotes. We also got one coyote in each of the other 2 stations. Luckily they were all frozen so I can wait till Jack comes home from Dallas to skin them.
From: trackman
04-Jan-18
Great day i am happy foryoy
From: TXRandy
04-Jan-18
I'll see Jack in Dallas tomorrow and I'll see you on the 10th!! Can't wait to start my trip! RANDY
From: BagginBigguns
05-Jan-18
My bush pilot from Alaska in 2016, who is also a trapper, told me that wolverines are his arch nemesis. He said they're very difficult to fool because of their keen senses and vicious, iron will to survive. Congrats on your catch!
From: Babine Guide
07-Jan-18
The last couple days we've been collecting bait, checking wolf stations and setting out the rest of the line for the next trip starting Thursday. We haven't had any more wolves yet but did get 2 more wolverines and another coyote in the wolf stations. James hopes to get a black wolf before the trips over.
From: Babine Guide
07-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
07-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
07-Jan-18
From: WV Mountaineer
08-Jan-18
Awesome stuff
From: Babine Guide
08-Jan-18
today we got a lynx in a wolf snare. I've only probably got maybe 5 in wolf snares ever.
From: Babine Guide
08-Jan-18
From: TXRandy
09-Jan-18
See you tomorrow night Lloyd!
From: Missouribreaks
09-Jan-18
Great thread.
From: DMC65
12-Jan-18
Glad to see so many interested in trappin! Fur harvest is every bit as much of our, mankind's , heritage as hunting . Teach a kid !!!
From: Schmitty78
12-Jan-18
One of my all time favorite threads!! Hope to be able to do this some day!
From: Bou'bound
13-Jan-18
always a great thread
From: t-roy
13-Jan-18
You guys are really piling em up!
I’m curious about the clients you guys get. Did the majority of your clients trap at some time in their past, or is it mostly just guys looking for a different type of adventure?
From: Babine Guide
14-Jan-18
Sorry for the slow update for this trip. A nasty flu bug was brought into camp and the energy level is down a little. I think it's getting better now though. It seems like about half our clients had done some trapping in the past. Mostly as a kid. They all want a different kind of adventure. The first day of this trip we went over to the other camp to try to get a shot at a wolf, we seen one 30 minutes before shooting light but it didn't stick around. We're going to try that spot again Monday night. On the way over we had 4 lynx set in a row that all produced a lynx. We also got 6 marten and a weasel. Today we're going to go check a few more wolf sets.
From: Babine Guide
14-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
16-Jan-18
After a slow last couple days, we had a great ending to our day today getting a wolf in a snare that we had just set a couple days ago. We also got a couple marten and a lynx. There is still a ton of lynx wondering around.
From: Babine Guide
17-Jan-18
Todays our last day of Randy's trip. We had a new pack of wolves move into one of our snare stations and we hooked up 3 of them. There looks like at least 10 more in the pack. We're going to check out 2 more stations on the way to town before their flight tonight at 8 pm.
From: Babine Guide
21-Jan-18
Johns plane didn't make it into Smithers Friday night. He ended up flying in yesterday morning. We still got a little time on the trapline, we set out a couple leg holds and fixed up some of the snares. We also set out a few lynx sets. We got checked a few sets that were still out from the last trip. We got a lynx and a weasel in those ones. today we're going to send the night in the other camp and out a few more sets.
From: Babine Guide
23-Jan-18
The last couple days most of our time has been spent resetting snares. We have a big dump of snow that covered our trails and snares. We will be resetting a couple more stations today too. The good news is that there is wolves hitting 2 of our baits. We were lucking enough to snag this wolverine this morning
From: Babine Guide
23-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
28-Jan-18
This last trip was quite challenging. We had snow every day but the last one. The snares had to be reset every day. We got 2 lynx, a wolverine, a coyote, a bunch of weasels and a hand full of marten. There was lots of wolf sign around but just didn't things set up right with all the snow. I think this next will be better but there is still some snow in the forecast.
From: Babine Guide
28-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
28-Jan-18
setting out a couple leg holds for wolf
From: skinner creek
29-Jan-18
You boys need to switch to Brawn #9 traps you won't go back to the MB750. After all these years I still love this thread the best. thanks for keeping it coming.
From: Babine Guide
30-Jan-18
First animal of Cable's trip
First animal of Cable's trip
The first morning we walked over to the bait and could hear the wolves howling down towards one of the snare stations a few miles away. We didn't sit on the bait very long and decided to go back to the lodge for breakfast and go check the station that we could hear the wolves howling at. On the way back we see a wolf about 700 yards away, we tried to howl it in but it didn't come any closer than about 450-500 yards. When we finished breakfast we breakfast we checked the station where the wolves were howling but nothing went up into the snares. They did eat half a moose that we had out for bait. The rest of the day we got a weasel and 3 marten. This morning we're going to walk down to the bait again and see if that wolf is there.
From: Babine Guide
30-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
31-Jan-18
Cable got one of animals he really wanted today. This big tom will be a nice addition to his trophy room. We also got 2 coyotes and another weasel today too.
From: Babine Guide
31-Jan-18
From: Babine Guide
01-Feb-18
Our morning got started with a shot at a wolf. I think the shot got rushed a little and Cable never touched it. Hopefully we get another chance at it. After that we got a coyote in a leg hold down the lake. We also got a nice marten and a huge lynx.
From: Babine Guide
01-Feb-18
a marten in a set under a bridge
a marten in a set under a bridge
From: Babine Guide
01-Feb-18
a perfect catch on this huge lynx
a perfect catch on this huge lynx
From: Babine Guide
01-Feb-18
From: Carcajou
01-Feb-18
What bait and lure are you using in your Marten boxes? I never would have thought that you could catch a Marten under a bridge! Great job on the catches, keep em coming!
From: Babine Guide
02-Feb-18
we just use meat, liver, guts (the same stuff as we use for the wolf bait) for the marten traps. Under the bridges is a good travel route for lots of animals. We have a marten box and a wolverine box under that bridge. There is a possibility to catch a otter under there too.
From: buc i 313
02-Feb-18
Thanks for the thread and the picture's. Both the post read and pic's are enjoyable.
Thanks again. :^}
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
Sorry for the delay on the update, we have been crazy busy due to all the snow we have been getting. All the wolf snares had to be reset due to being buried. We also struggled with being stuck on the ice due to flooding. You can see in the picture how much our snowmobile tracks are covered after just some of the snowfall we received. Mix this with water and it's a nightmare to travel on.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
The animals did not seem to be moving much on Cable's last 2 days and we did not catch many animals but we had amazing luck with the species caught. First we found this fisher in a marten set. This was our first fisher in about 2 years on the trapline.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
Goat Guide's Link
I was happy we had a great start that day because things went a little sideways after that, first when I hit the ditch trying to make room for a logging truck. Then after checking a lynx station returning to the truck we found out the door had been locked and the keys were in the ignition. It was also then after 1 1/2 hours of trying to jimmy the lock with the antenna that we found out about the anti theft device that disables the lock. But I managed to open the back window with a pick ax. Cable runs Lone Star Outdoor Show and filmed some of our day and posted it. Here's the link.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
This nice lynx helped take some of the sting away from the window.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
The next day was when we struggled with the lake flooding. But we had some luck with a leg hold trap that Lloyd and Cable had set for wolf. This was an old lone female.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
Cable finished up his last day with us with this great wolverine!! The next clients arrive in a couple days and we will be sure to keep you posted.
From: Goat Guide
05-Feb-18
Here is that wolverine.
From: T Mac
05-Feb-18
Beautiful wolverine
From: dm/wolfskin
05-Feb-18
Dang, got to lock your truck even in the deep snowy wilderness. Can't trust critters these days. lol
From: LoneStarOutdoorShow
08-Feb-18
I just joined the site. I have to say, spending a week with Lloyd and Jack was one of the best trips of my life. They are very different, and I was glad I got to spend a couple days with each of them. But they didn't differ in their knowledge of trapping and they busted their asses all day everyday. Hell of a trip. Highly recommended.
From: Babine Guide
10-Feb-18
The snow has been a challenge again this trip. We have gotten more snow in the last 2 weeks then the 2 month before. Even with the snow as a challenge we are still getting a few animals. Here's a picture of a wolf snare that shows how much it snowed since we last checked it. Every trip out we've had to lift all our snares
From: Babine Guide
10-Feb-18
nice yellow patch on this martens chest
nice yellow patch on this martens chest
From: Babine Guide
10-Feb-18
We were able to snag this wolf this morning in a station by the cabin
From: Matt
10-Feb-18
I look forward to this thread every year.
Bummer about locking the keys in the truck and having to sacrifice a window in the process. I did that once - terrible feeling when you realize your alternatives. Having a key wired to the undercarriage will insure it doesn't happen twice.
From: Babine Guide
10-Feb-18
From: Babine Guide
10-Feb-18
Ended up getting 3 lynx yesterday
From: Medicinemann
11-Feb-18
If you had to guess, how many miles does your trapline cover?
From: Babine Guide
12-Feb-18
We have 5 different traplines leased from the natives. All the traplines in our area are owned by the natives. Each trapline is between 150-350 square miles in size if I were to guess. Here's a coyote that we snared today. We went to a station this morning that had a couple beaten down coyote trails on it. We set 3 new snares on those trails. We then continued on to check other spots farther down the line, on the way back we decided to swing back in to check the spot where we set the few new snares and one of them already had a coyote in it.
From: Babine Guide
12-Feb-18
Here's a picture of a calf moose that jumped of the road today. It shows how much snow we have gotten in the last little while. We seen 3 cows today that all had calves, good sign for the future.
From: Goat Guide
15-Feb-18
Today was the first day of Jim's trip, it was a little slow but we did catch this nice lynx. We are happy to have it because after tomorrow lynx will be closed.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
15-Feb-18
You guys have done great on lynx this year! Thanks again for all the updates.
From: Mark Watkins
15-Feb-18
Even with all the snow, what a year!
Congrats!
Mark
From: Babine Guide
16-Feb-18
Right now I'm sitting here watching the sun come up having a coffee. 250 yards out in front of the lodge in a coyote feeding on a block of bait we have out and moose feeding on some willows 200 yards to the right of the lodge. I love where I live. Jim and Jack went over to one of the other cabins last night to pull the rest of the lynx sets and see if there was any wolves around. He called me when he was half way over to meet him to pick up a few of the animals that they catch to get a head start on the skinning. He'll update you on that when he gets back I'm sure.
From: DB999
16-Feb-18
What a cool thread and some awesome animals.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
Yesterday we went to one of our outpost camps and checked traps along the way. It started out great with this lynx on the last day of the lynx trapping season.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
It was also a great day catching marten.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
It was also a great day catching marten.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
In all we caught 4 marten yesterday.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
Then the day finished with a large wolverine with light markings on his back.
From: Goat Guide
16-Feb-18
Today we did not check many traps but while waiting to hopefully see a wolf on the bait pile this morning at our outpost camp this coyote after feeding during the night made the mistake of coming back during legal shooting hours and Jim made a 220 yard shot on him. Many of the traps are being pulled now and our main goal for the last 3 days is to get a wolf.
From: Goat Guide
18-Feb-18
We trapped a coyote yesterday but I do not have the picture on me. It seems that the coyotes and wolves are cautious about entering the snare stations so we set out a few leg hold traps along the lake where we are seeing sign to mix it up.
From: Goat Guide
19-Feb-18
Here is that coyote from the other day. We have still been concentrating on wolves and they still do not seem to be coming to the sets. I found where some wolves traveled down a logging road and took the time to collect some urine. I am hoping this lures them into the new leg hold traps we set.
From: Mark Watkins
19-Feb-18
Always great to see the critters you guys catch, but also very interesting to hear how you make sets, "mixing it up" with leg holds and collecting urine for use in trapping.
Keep the education coming!
Mark
From: Goat Guide
21-Feb-18
So we did not have any luck on those darn wolves on this trip but Jim but will still be bringing home wolverine, lynx, marten, and coyote. We still have some wolf traps out and we will keep you updated but Jim was the last client so things will slow down.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
21-Feb-18
Please keep posting pics. This continues to be an awesome thread to follow as always!
From: Babine Guide
27-Feb-18
Some of the skulls that are ready to be shipped out with hides
Some of the skulls that are ready to be shipped out with hides
After the last client left we have gotten a couple more coyotes. I just got back from one of the snare stations and seen that new pack of wolves moved in. I spent some time and fixed the snares that had got knocked down from snow falling out of the trees. I also put out a few leg holds. I will hopefully get a few out of this pack before we pull the snares at this station. This week and next we will probably pull some of the stations that nothing is hitting. I got all the permits in for the clients and getting everything shipping out.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
27-Feb-18
Your skulls look terrific!
From: Medicinemann
27-Feb-18
I am guessing that the wolf skulls are in the back, and the coyote skulls are on the left edge. Could you point out a wolverine, lynx, fisher, marten, and ermine skull....or if and when your time permits, take a photo that has one of each species in it?....just so we could compare them to each other.....? This really is a very enjoyable annual thread....
From: Z Barebow
27-Feb-18
Quick question. When you have a critter caught in leghold, how do you "dispatch" them?
Here in the states, I have often thought about taking up trapping. I would sell the clean skulls on the 'net. (There is a market for more than just the fur) But I wouldn't want to wreck the skull. We have some pretty cool critters in my state (coyote, badger, fisher, mink). But I don't know how I would dispatch a badger w/o a round to the melon.
From: Babine Guide
28-Feb-18
Here's a better picture to compare the skulls. Top Wolf, coyote, fox Middle Wolverine, lynx, beaver Bottom Fisher, otter, marten and ermine. When we dispatch the animals we shoot them with a .22 or .17 in the lungs.
From: Goat Guide
04-Mar-18
Had the neighbor call me and he watched a single black wolf kill a moose across the lake. I ran up there right away and could not get a shot due to the location of the kill and wind. The kill was FRESH and had not even started to be fed on yet except the nose and a small hole in the neck. The moose was still laying on all 4 legs and after rolling it over I saw how he brought it down, the lower groin had a big hole chewed out. It was a yearling bull and the entire battle took place inside of a 50 yard area, but the snow was VERY deep with a crust for the wolf to walk on. To bad the kill is just of the trapline or I would surround it with snares.
From: Medicinemann
04-Mar-18
Awesome skull photo!! I am surprised that the wolverine skull is that much larger than the Lynx skull. I expected it to be stouter, or heavier, just not that much larger.
From: Babine Guide
31-Mar-18
Today is the last day for wolf trapping. We have one station out still that I have to go pull before the end of the day. In the last few weeks since we last posted we have got 5 more wolves and 10 or 11 coyotes. All the hair on the wolves is still good even the one I got yesterday.
From: Babine Guide
31-Mar-18
From: Babine Guide
31-Mar-18
From: Babine Guide
31-Mar-18
Just got back from pulling the last snare station that we have out and was able to get one last wolf for the trapping season. We still have bait out to see if we can shoot another wolf but the trapping season is now closed at the end of the day.
From: rock50
31-Mar-18
Good work Lloyd!
What is the wolf total for the year?
From: Goat Guide
01-Apr-18
We had a regular client come to hang out at our lodge for some R&R and shoot his new long range rifle out on the lake. When I removed his 300 yard target last night I placed a block of bait there and as luck would have it there was one of the most beautiful large male wolves I have seen this year feeding on it this morning. John made a great shot and after I finish skinning I will try and get the picture off his Iphone and post it.
From: Goat Guide
01-Apr-18
It looks like we finished up the season with 24 wolves with this wolf being the first one for the new hunting and trapping season. John actually had to buy 2 sets of tags and hunting lic for this trip because they expire March 31. This was a very old wolf with lots of wear on his teeth. I love the face on this one.
