My computer says it’s 7:06 p.m….I know that it is Tuesday March 12…I know my butt is kicked…I know that Wapiti is probably in bed right now….What a day!

We pulled Bull Run after attempting to help get a calf back to its mama…Chad had to finish the job…Caught 7 rats in the pull and lost one more to a raccoon.  It’s a really good thing we are out of Bull Run.

Then out to Peterson’s to check the traps we set yesterday..payday you know…We figured we should do that as if we hit Club 41 to set traps we might extend ourselves beyond being able to check the traps at Petersons…a wise choice.

We arrived at Petersons around 11 a.m. and headed off.  We usually “whooppeeee” each other as we proceed to check traps and find a rat in one.  We got tired of that.  It seemed like there was a rat in every trap..not really, but it was very much a thing that got to be quite tiring…Pull up to a set of 4 traps…bring back 3 rats…pull up to a set of 5 traps bring back 2 rats…Actually I lied….I really like when that happens!!!!  (put a smiley face here with a grin as wide as my whole face).

Every time I looked up and toward Wapiti checking his line I would see him with a rat in hand and putting it in his bag…What a scene and I wish I would have taken time to take a picture.  But instead I was looking for my favorite smacking stick…I lost it.  Maybe I’ll find it tomorrow.

By the time we got through checking the 90 traps here is what we had:

Look closely:

That my friends is a pile of rats that counts out to be 43!  FORTY THREE!  Talk about a good day on the trap line…multiply that by 10!

So, we decided we owed ourselves a short break for lunch…after munching bologna and cheese or in Wapitis case Roast beef…we headed for Club 41.  Toasting and drinking our waters from our bottles and/or camelback bags in celebration!  43 rats!  What a day!

On Club 41 we didn’t have a whole lot of day left, but we made the best of it.  Set 10 traps and the place has change a whole lot from years past.  The main channel coming  into the club has routed itself into a different position.  Instead of following the high ground around it has chosen to channel straight across the flat…hmmmmmm.  Wapiti and I try our best to figure this one out.  There is still quite a bit of ice and to set traps “way out there” would be very foolish because once it thaws, would we be able to get to the traps or not?  It isn’t worth the gamble.

We only set 10 traps, but one for sure will connect with a rat..I have a beer bet on it!

Back at the trapping shed Brek is there with his money hungry eye on the bags of “whatever” Wapiti and I are carrying…We dump the bags…Dump…Dump…How many Bob asks…50!

Brek comes alive…I’m getting ready to skin…$25 bucks laying there!

Man o Man…I can not tell you how relieved I was to see Brek at Bobs tonight!  Thank you Brek…you saved the day!

And so it goes in the life of a trapper..feast or famine…today we feasted…tomorrow?

We had to celebrate a 50 rat day, I have never had one of those…How about Bob?  Well  he did not check his traps today but instead chose to set more traps..heck I told you that this morning!  But he joined us in the celebration non the less.

Tomorrow?  My butt is kicked right now..how about checking back and I’ll tell you about tomorrow….

Bears Butt

March 12, 2013