My First Wisconsin Otter!

I've had to wait 3 years to finally draw a Central Zone Otter harvest tag here in Wisconsin.  I started setting on Nov. 10th, a few days after the season opened.  I had quite a few beaver plug up my sets, and started to get discouraged, but last night I was finally able to connect on this 26 pounds, 46 inch big male! I'm getting him mounted because it's the hardest I've ever worked to catch one specific animal.

Trapping Season 2016-2017

It has been a pretty slow season for me here in Wisconsin, as I just had a baby two months ago, and started my trapping season just two weeks later.  So having a little one made trapping a bit more difficult but I did manage to get some sets out, 12 in total, and as usual, only targeting coyotes.

Here are some of the highlights of my season thus far and I'll keep adding more as the season progresses:

Caught my first beaver in an otter set!

I also had an unusual number of nuisance skunk calls this late in the season; I think the warm weather kept the skunks more active than on a usual year when they would already be hibernating.

I dispatch skunks using the recommended method by the American Veterinary Association: 12 cc of Acetone injected into the heart with a surgical syringe.  Due to the fine sharpness of the syringe, the skunk cannot feel the injection, and when the acetone is pushed into the heart, the skunk's heart immediately stops.  The skunk feels no pain, proven by it never spraying, and it allows me to also harvest the essence from the glands.

Male Red Fox caught in a Bridger 2 dogless on a drag.

"Smiley :)"

If you've been following my blog from last season, you might remember that I caught and released 5 bobcats.  So far this season, I've only caught and released this one, a huge male.  The population is still VERY high but I haven't been catching them because I am purposely avoiding trapping anywhere that I have found bobcat sign.  It dramatically reduces the areas where I can coyote trap, but catching and releasing bobcats is very time consuming and a waste of your time since you cannot harvest the fur.

Caught in a Bridger 2 Dogless on a drag, released unharmed.  I use very expensive traps that come with modifications such as offset jaws and laminations, shock springs, and extra swivels so that I can ensure that the welfare of the animal is never compromised, that blood circulation is never cut off, and that there is no paw damage whatsoever.

Here is the highlight of my season thus far: I caught a 150 pound black bear.  Usually, bears are hibernating this time of year, but due to the strange warm weather we have had (70 degrees in November), bears are still out and about.  I caught this little male in a coyote set, Bridger 2 dogless on a drag.  Of course he was released unharmed due to Wisconsin not having a bear trapping season but also because he is little.  There is no paw damage whatsoever due to my choice to use traps that I can put my own hand in.  Bridger 2 dogless traps come with laminations and offset jaws so circulation is never compromised, the shock springs ensure that he cannot "yank" and hurt himself, the laminations and offset jaws ensure that the trap never cuts into his fur or toes.  Upon opening the trap, the bear ran off unharmed.

Released this female badger unharmed because Wisconsin doesn't allow trapping them since it's the state animal.  Caught in a Bridger 2 dogless coyote set on Southern Snares and Supply's CAPITAL PUNISHMENT predator bait and BOBCAT JELLY URINE.