Who
Made This Mess?
Article from May
- June 1999 Buckeye Trapper
by Jeff
Squires
Well, the season is over and the only thing left to do is straighten
up the shed and wait until next November. Right? Wrong! Now is
the time to roll up the sleeves and get to work!
First, I take my packbasket buckets or bags and clean them out.
I take all my tools, trowels, hammer, and etc. out and go over
everything. I look for stress or flaws. If everything is all right,
I clean the tools and put them on a shelf.
I personally paint all of my water trapping tools with a fluorescent
orange paint, The reason I do this is due to the fact that a couple
of years ago I lost a set of 330-bodygrip setting tongs in a river
in Southern Ohio. Now, granted this was no big monetary loss,
but boy do I hate setting 330's by hand! That also is why I now
go beaver trapping with big guys just kidding Tom). By the way,
if any of you Southern beaver trappers find a pair of setting
tongs, let me know.
Anyway, check your tool inventory and make a list of any new
tools you may need. This is also a good time for packbasket upkeep
and repair. Years ago when I carried a packbasket, I painted it
with a camo pattern and then coated it with shellac and hung it
upside down in the basement. This seemed to help preserve it a
little better. Buckets and bags are simple. Empty them out, brush
them out and bang them up.
Now I move on to the messy, stinky stuff (that is what my wife
calls lure). First, if you have a lot of different types of lure,
you need to separate them., fox, beaver, raccoon etc. I store
all my lures in airtight plastic containers. Clean out your lure
bucket and hang it up.
Next, I tackle the stakes and stabilizers. I have two large containers
for stakes, One for wooden stakes and metal stakes, and a bucket
for earth anchors. Check the cable and the ends of the earth anchors
for stress or cable damage. Check all the wooden stakes for cracking
or breaking wood and cut off any wire and store the stakes upright
in your container.
Look over your metal stakes for any that are bent and check the
swivels and lap links, then store them in your container When
it comes to cleanup time, I put all the same size stabilizers
together and hang them on nails on the wail in my shed. Then when
it is cold dip time for my water traps my stabilizers are all
neatly hanging on the wall ready for dipping. Just a side note
here folks. I cold dip my water traps at the end of April or the
beginning of May and then hang them under a tree until about the
end of August. At that time they am boxed up until November.
Now, let's see, we have our backpacks and buckets cleaned, our
tools cleaned and put on shelves, our stinky bottles are cleaned
and stored in airtight contained and out stakes and stabilizers
am checked and stored. Then what is this big pile of metal pieces
and parts in the middle of our shed??? Oh yes, it is the heart
and soul of our sport the traps.
First I separate our traps and put them in a pile according to
size. I personally do the bodygrips first This seems easier for
me. All the spring slapping and whacking your fingers and hands,
OUCH! Divide them up according to size; 110, 220 and 330's. I
keep all my traps in large, plastic sealed containers. The containers
come in various shapes and sizes and usually at a quite reasonable
price. They easily can be stacked on top of each other to save
space. All of my trap boxes have been marked with permanent marker
as to its content.
I personally have several hundred 110 bodygrips (I spring) so
I keep them separate from my 120 bodygrips (110 with 2 springs)
plus I use my 120's during the summer for some nuisance jobs.
That is another story!
I also have a few 280 bodygrips that I store in one of my 330
trap boxes, because I don't have many and I take them with me
beaver trapping.
Next I pack up my large footholds #4's, #5's and #7.5's. I have
a couple dozen of these, I have a large trap container that they
all fit in very nicely.
Now I move on to fox and coyote footholds. I separate them from
all my other traps. I do this became I am from the "old school".
I still boil and wax canine traps. Around September or October
I boil and wax all my canine traps that I boxed up. Some trappers
like to box and wax traps at the end of the season and then store
them until the start of next seat, That is fine, but I like to
get out at the end of September. I enjoy the weather and start
boiling traps. That is how my Grandfather and my Uncles did it,
so it is like a tradition with me.
Next I go to my raccoon, mink and muskrat traps and I cold dip
these, like I mentioned before. Now is a great time to check all
the chains and make sure the trap tags are in place and that all
modifications are up to your standards.
I then check all skinning knives, including scrappers, cleaning
away any blood or extra fat hanging on. A final wipe and I put
it on the shelf for next year.
I then check my fleshing beam; wiping it down.
Wipe all your wire stretchers down with that greasy rag you just
cleaned your fleshing beam with and also wipe down your wooden
stretchers and check them for any split boards. You can then hang
everything on either on the wall or from your shed rafters.
I then sweep the floor and got ready for the long wait I always
make sure I have plenty of swivels, lap links, connecting rings
and etc.. If I have any broken traps or any pieces missing, I
write them down in a notebook so I can pick up those parts at
the next couple of conventions I attend,
So next time you open your shed and say "Who Made This Big
Mess?", start now, organize and be prepared for next season.
You will be farther ahead, just don't tell your wife you swept
out your shed! She may have future plans for you and that broom!
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