Post by rlittleton on Jun 29, 2011 21:29:57 GMT -5
This is the story that I told Bill I would write. This is taken from one of my fathers log books back in 1977.
A Year in the Life of a Trapper
By Rick Littleton
Nov. 15, 1977
Opening day, I got 31 sets out today most for coon and fox, 10 sets are on Bob Ison’s farm, 9 sets are on Tom Elliot’s farm, and 12 set’s are down by the creek below the barn. Tomorrow should be a good day with fair weather all week.
Nov. 16, 1977.
Set number 1, Isons, a old stump rotted out with a number 2 double long in front of it, a ground hogs leg in the stump. Nice female red fox in side the stump a sleep when I walked up she came out ready to fight. Remade the set the same way as it was, hope for another one tomorrow.
Set number 2, dirt hole set on the edge of a logging road 1 ½, ground hog meat in the hole, nothing in it.
Set number 3, log crossing a small creek, a 1 ½ long set at one end of the log, no bait, a nice male red fox.
Set number 4, a number 1 ½ set on a path going to the barn where Bob keeps his feed, no bait, a small coon.
Set number 5, a number 1 ½ set on the other side of the barn, got a possum.
Set number 6, made a hole in the side of the creek bank and put a small chuck of carp in the hole, put a 1 ½ if front of the hole. A big male coon in the uppers 20s lb was in the trap. Remade the set but had no carp with me.
Set number 7, 8,9, and 10 Bob has been putting his trash on the back side of a old grown up field with a lot of paths going to the trash pile. All these traps are 1 ½ no bait blind sets around the trash, one coon and one trap set off.
Elliots Farm
Set number 1, Path going under gate in to a cow lot made a dirt hole with horse meat in the hole with a 1 ½ trap, a female gray fox .
Set number 2, Another dirt hole set the same way across the field from set number 1. Nothing in it.
Set number 3, Dirt hole set with ground hog meat and some lure on a rock behind the hole and a 1 ½ trap, a female red fox
Set number 4, put a number 1 ½ trap at the base of a small pine tree in the center of the field with a ground hog leg up in the tree, got a possum.
Set number 5, set a number 2 behind a big rock below a den with horse meat, got a skunk.
Set number 6, a dirt hole where 2 logging roads meet a 1 ½ trap with horse meat in the hole, nothing in the trap.
Set number 7, a dirt hole about a 100 feet down the right hand road next to a landing. A 1 ½ trap with horse meat and lure, a skunk
Set number 8, A dirt hole about 70 feet on the left hand road from set number 6, a 1 ½ trap with ground hog meat. A female red fox.
Set number 9, a pee post with a number 2 trap about 20 feet from set number 8, nothing in the trap.
Creek Line
Set number 1, a hole set in the inside bend of the creek with a number 1 ½ trap and fish for bait, got a nice big male coon.
Set number2, A 1 ½ trap set at a over hanging root ball with fist up in the roots, a male mink
Set number 3, placed a big rock about 2 foot from the bank in water, placed a number 1 ½ trap between bank and rock, put a little fish on the rock with wet leafs on top of it. A female coon.
Set number 4, a bank hole set with fish and a number 1 ½ trap under a big oak tree, nothing
Set number 5, got a log crossing the creek, chopped out a place to put a 1 ½ trap in the top of the log, wired the trap to the log, placed wet moss over trap, a big male coon
Set number 6, got a bunch of den trees around so I put a number 1 ½ trap on a path down from the trees to the water, a big male coon
Set number 7, a bank hole with fish around some big rocks, got a female mink in a 1 ½ trap
Set number 8, had a number 2 trap with a white pan on it, placed it in the edge of the water, nothing in it.
Set number 9, a bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap and fish up from a sand bar. Nothing it the trap.
Set number 10, a bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap and the bone from a chicken leg that I had for supper last night down the hole, a real small coon
Set number 11, got a short link of pipe out in the fast running water, blocked it off on both sides and placed a number 1 ½ trap on the lower side of the pipe, never thought I would catch anything here but had a nice male mink waiting on me today.
Set number 12. A bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap with fish under a log hanging over the water. Nothing it the trap.
A Year in the Life of a Trapper
By Rick Littleton
Nov. 15, 1977
Opening day, I got 31 sets out today most for coon and fox, 10 sets are on Bob Ison’s farm, 9 sets are on Tom Elliot’s farm, and 12 set’s are down by the creek below the barn. Tomorrow should be a good day with fair weather all week.
Nov. 16, 1977.
Set number 1, Isons, a old stump rotted out with a number 2 double long in front of it, a ground hogs leg in the stump. Nice female red fox in side the stump a sleep when I walked up she came out ready to fight. Remade the set the same way as it was, hope for another one tomorrow.
Set number 2, dirt hole set on the edge of a logging road 1 ½, ground hog meat in the hole, nothing in it.
Set number 3, log crossing a small creek, a 1 ½ long set at one end of the log, no bait, a nice male red fox.
Set number 4, a number 1 ½ set on a path going to the barn where Bob keeps his feed, no bait, a small coon.
Set number 5, a number 1 ½ set on the other side of the barn, got a possum.
Set number 6, made a hole in the side of the creek bank and put a small chuck of carp in the hole, put a 1 ½ if front of the hole. A big male coon in the uppers 20s lb was in the trap. Remade the set but had no carp with me.
Set number 7, 8,9, and 10 Bob has been putting his trash on the back side of a old grown up field with a lot of paths going to the trash pile. All these traps are 1 ½ no bait blind sets around the trash, one coon and one trap set off.
Elliots Farm
Set number 1, Path going under gate in to a cow lot made a dirt hole with horse meat in the hole with a 1 ½ trap, a female gray fox .
Set number 2, Another dirt hole set the same way across the field from set number 1. Nothing in it.
Set number 3, Dirt hole set with ground hog meat and some lure on a rock behind the hole and a 1 ½ trap, a female red fox
Set number 4, put a number 1 ½ trap at the base of a small pine tree in the center of the field with a ground hog leg up in the tree, got a possum.
Set number 5, set a number 2 behind a big rock below a den with horse meat, got a skunk.
Set number 6, a dirt hole where 2 logging roads meet a 1 ½ trap with horse meat in the hole, nothing in the trap.
Set number 7, a dirt hole about a 100 feet down the right hand road next to a landing. A 1 ½ trap with horse meat and lure, a skunk
Set number 8, A dirt hole about 70 feet on the left hand road from set number 6, a 1 ½ trap with ground hog meat. A female red fox.
Set number 9, a pee post with a number 2 trap about 20 feet from set number 8, nothing in the trap.
Creek Line
Set number 1, a hole set in the inside bend of the creek with a number 1 ½ trap and fish for bait, got a nice big male coon.
Set number2, A 1 ½ trap set at a over hanging root ball with fist up in the roots, a male mink
Set number 3, placed a big rock about 2 foot from the bank in water, placed a number 1 ½ trap between bank and rock, put a little fish on the rock with wet leafs on top of it. A female coon.
Set number 4, a bank hole set with fish and a number 1 ½ trap under a big oak tree, nothing
Set number 5, got a log crossing the creek, chopped out a place to put a 1 ½ trap in the top of the log, wired the trap to the log, placed wet moss over trap, a big male coon
Set number 6, got a bunch of den trees around so I put a number 1 ½ trap on a path down from the trees to the water, a big male coon
Set number 7, a bank hole with fish around some big rocks, got a female mink in a 1 ½ trap
Set number 8, had a number 2 trap with a white pan on it, placed it in the edge of the water, nothing in it.
Set number 9, a bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap and fish up from a sand bar. Nothing it the trap.
Set number 10, a bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap and the bone from a chicken leg that I had for supper last night down the hole, a real small coon
Set number 11, got a short link of pipe out in the fast running water, blocked it off on both sides and placed a number 1 ½ trap on the lower side of the pipe, never thought I would catch anything here but had a nice male mink waiting on me today.
Set number 12. A bank hole set with a number 1 ½ trap with fish under a log hanging over the water. Nothing it the trap.