Getting the hang of it

[randyt]

I started trapping back when I was a wee lad. There was footholds hanging in the barn and that's what I learned on. Then along came these darn conibears. Conibears weren't really a new devise because they were invented by Frank Conibear sometime in the 1950ties. But I didn't use them and wasn't familiar with them and never really learned to use them. Well I decided to master this style of trap. I've been having decent success with them this year. I guess it just all came together.

here is a beaver. I have beaver in my pond and they are getting a bit destructive so I figured on thinning them out a bit. On the plus side if I keep them thinned out they will be there for years. Otherwise they will use up all the resources and move to another location.

I used a conibear 330 in this set. The conibear 330 is a powerful trap and here in michigan it must be set in water so dogs and such do not get into it. It kills.

thanks for looking
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh227/randytlee/002-7.jpg

[pete lynch]

Do you sell the pelts?
I follow a trapping channel at youtube called TheWildNorth. Heres a video of this guy trapping beaver with the same traps:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWildNorth#p/a/u/1/VfUiyRy0cks (http://http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWildNorth#p/a/u/1/VfUiyRy0cks)
Rated R for salty language.

[randyt]

thanks for the comments. I use to sell the pelts but these I don't so much. I don't have the time to run a serious trapline, one of these days.

[Rick]

Did you make the yacht?

[randyt]

I'm guilty LOL. It's a pirouge, cajun canoe. Usually I make them from five 12 inch boards. One for each side, two for the bottom and the last to be cut up in strips for the chimes. That one I made from some 6 inch cedar boards I had laying around. This pirouge works really well in shallow water and pushing through the weeds. I kinda goofed it a bit though. When I spliced the boards, I used some plywood that was laying around for gussets.. On the one side I got the plywood turned and lost some of the strength. but it didn't affect performance, so all is well.

[LowKey]

I was gonna ask the same.
And say that there's quite a few of those critters out here you could practice on.

[Rick]

Well, I think you did a fine job on it. It qualifies as a yacht in my book. Nice job!

[hunter63]

I have a Uncle John's "pirouge kit" I'm gonna build some day,.......cool little boat, one can never have too many boats....
Basically just the bow and stern ...and cut out struts.
Need two sheets of 1/4 plywood.

Congrats on the beaver, have a few of them around here (The Place).....so far they have just been hitting the willows, next will be the bass wood......

[randyt]

Thanks for the comments fellas. I'm usually always playing around with things like this. I've made boats from boards and hauled them into remote locations. Mostly for trapping season. I would keep them submerged and that would keep the wood swelled up and keep it from leaking. Rough little boats but they work for me.

[crashdive123]

Randy - I love the pirouge.

[randyt]

Thanks Crash, the pirouge is a nice boat for swamps and such.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I like it too! I made a Cypress strip years ago. It is a shelf in the livingroom now.....

[randyt]

Thanks Cowboy, I imagine cypress would be a great wood for a boat.