"Welcome Back To The Fort"

On the SBX Radio Bryan told Vikki he was leaving the line cabin and not to worry.  There was 16" of new snow but he'd be alright.  2 and 1/2 hours later he showed up with two beautiful dark Martens.  After having lunch off he went again to check the Inklin Trail ....   after 3 hours he came back with a few more. 

He's Not Coming Hannah!!!!

She waits and waits.  The puppy plays and sleeps but not Hannah, our 14 year old McNab Sheppard, Blue Healer, Australian Sheppard Cross.  She knows Bryan should come back soon.  Vikki finally had to drag her in... she is shaking so much for the cold. 
Bryan called on the SBX Radio and was full of excitement.  "There are Marten, Wolf and Moose tracks everywhere and a Fox is staying under the cabin".  He said he got stuck 6 times and finally abandoned the shimmer toboggan 2 1/2 km from the line cabin and broke the remaining trail before it got dark.  At the line cabin, he found that the SBX Radio Antenna had fallen into the 4' snow.  It took him a bit to get it dug up and back up.  He said it is really winter up there.  Heavy snow hanging in the trees and for every inch of snow we get here on the lake probably 6 " up there. 

"Have Some Faith In Me", then off he went.

With those words..... Bryan tried to head off Vikki's frets and concerns.  
For the first three years here we went together, but we've learned that the beginning of the season with no broken trail and not much snow that it is better if he goes it alone.  It is 10.2 km to the Walker's Valley Line Cabin where Bryan will spend two nights. If all goes as planned he should be there in four hours.  He'll break the trail and put out Wolverine and Marten boxes out.   He'll talk to Vikki on the SBX Radio tonight.  

This trip "Pedro" the 550 Skandic Super Long Track is going.  In the Skimmer Toboggan is the black trapping supply box... behind it some Marten boxes and then a cardboard box of straw for hiding the Wolverine Boxes (these are all stored up near the line cabin).  That Margarine container you see on the side of Bryan's machine is screwed on.  In it he keeps his Lure.

Inklin River......Now a Stopping Block.

 The Inklin River is 7 km away from our base cabin and has turned into a big stopping block for getting out into our trapline from that direction.  Three years ago the main river was not right against this bank like it is now.  Then we could skidoo carefully on the ice shelf and get by the 300 meter long cliff which is about 1/4 km along this shore south.

 In this picture above you can see the small creek joining to the big one.  Well, that is were the big river used to be.  Now the side channel is the big river.

That white cliff you see at the right up in the picture is the stopping block...  All the water in the Inklin rushes right below that cliff.

Marten Handling Fur....Part 1

Marten ...Part 2 Splitting Tail, Boarding and Pinning

Marten..Part 3.Splitting tail, Boarding and Pinning

Split the tail and put fur on a stretcher.  Put in belly board.  It takes about 30 pins to stretch it onto the Marten Board.    All boards including Marten are designed to exact measurements.  Contact your fur Auction handler to get these .  Male and female marten take 2 different sizes of boards. 

Marten Lure

For Marten I use Beaver castor, fish oil, oil of anise and glycerin.  I use the already collected Marten feet tied with a small piece of wire as a Lure Bob for dipping lure onto.  The Lure stays on the fur well and can be used over and over again.  I hang it right by the box near the top where I cut a small round hole for the scent to move into. Lure is more important for Marten than bait type.  Fatty meat is the best as it still smells in cold weather.  Beaver meat is #1.  Bait should be replaced about once a week because it drys out and looses it's smell.  I cut up the fresh Beaver and let it mature in my trapping room for 2 or 3 days so that it just starts to get ripe but not too ripe.  Then it goes outside in the cold.  I wrap each piece in wrap so that it is easier to get apart.  Do this when you first cut it into 2 to 3" pieces.
I also use canned Salmon that Vikki does up in our canner.  Dried fish does not seem to work for me either. 
You can get Anise Extract from your grocery store in the baking section.  Mix a few drops in a tablespoon full of strawberry or raspberry jam for a good Marten lure.  Smear some of this on a strip of cotton cloth near your set.
If you can get glycerin or glycol add it to your lure to make it more effective in cold weather.
Skunk essence mixed with a base of lard or Vaseline is very effective.
Hope this help A.B Trapper...  

Our World Opened up today....Skidooed across the Narrows

It's been 6 days since the Lake froze over on November 18.  This morning Bryan marked a 4" line on his chainsaw and went and checked the ice across the narrows.  He did this so that he did not make overflow unnecessarily. 

Then Bryan went with Vikki's Tundra Rotax 300 to see if he could get to the start of the Walker's Valley trail.   When he came back he said "It looks like I can head up there tomorrow".  Last year we did not reach the line cabin up in that high valley until Feb. 4.  It looks like all our hard work this summer and fall  is going to pay off.

Wayne Sharpe's Good Lure Recipe

Bryan found this in an old BC Trapper magazine and we hope Wayne Sharpe, the North American Fur Auction agent in Prince George doesn't mind us passing it along.
He said he really likes it for Wolf, Wolverine or Marten.  We like to keep the lure different for our Martens so that we do not let the Wolverine become trap shy.  Bryan made some up in the shed last night. 

1 pound Lard, heated to liquid stage.  Add 1 oz Skunk .   Let solidify again.

Now this is real simple and sounds good. 

Super Wide Track Skidoo.... Maintenance.

The Super Wide Track is still in the shed and Bryan's been using the Tundra 300.  Not using the SWT yet this year because of the lack of base forming snow.  Only 8" of fluff so far. 
You're right Steve...  It's time for an oil change and to change the gear case oil.  When we were OUT this last summer we ordered a Manuel for "Miss Piggy" and also a new fuel filter.  Because the Super Wide Track Skidoo is fuel injected they have a sophisticated fuel filter.  If this ever plugs ....   obviously you are done skidooing .  Our machine has about 4,000 km on it now.

Storing Root Vegetables Over the Winter

 This Stellar's Jay comes to the bird feeder each day along with a Magpie and three Whiskey Jacks.  In - 25 Cel they are all puffed up trying to keep warm.  This bird has white over it's one eye.  Can't tell if it is frozen ice or what.  Been on it for a week.

Every month the root vegetables have to be checked for spoilage.  This includes the apples, oranges, lemons, onions, cabbages, carrots, beets and last the turnip and kohlrabi.  
Vikki had sealed this normal bag and look at the mess.  All of it headed to the compost. In the fall we had cut the tops ofs the carrots down 1/4" into carrot and should also have cut off the tips because they have started to rot.

 We tried storing them in these "Keep your vegetables fresher longer" bags.  We closed the bag and it started a lot of spoilage.  Now these carrots were rewashed and dried and the bags rewashed and dried and the bag is being left open this time.  We will see what has happens by next check up time.
These are all stored under the cabin in a crawl space which is about -4 Cel.   
The cabbages have been wrapped in newspaper and are doing okay so far.  Found 1 rotten Onion, 1bad lemon.

If you have advise..... let us know.  We don't have a root cellar here.