Running My Winter Trapline in Northern BC: Wolf Snares, Marten Sets and an Old Trapper's Shack
My buddy Frank and I ran the Argo into the trapline cabin at about minus 10 to get wolf snares and bait out on the line. No tracks on the Argo, so the run in was a bit of a challenge, but we made it the night before and woke up ready to go.
We were late to the party this year. Normally you set your bait first and let the animals get used to it. This time we did it all in one day. We lugged the wolf bait into thick cover, pulled it out of the crate and snared the heck out of the place. The plan is to come back every week or so with a little extra bait and more snares. Eventually, those animals come in.
A marten or fisher shot across the trail on the way in. Fire had been through parts of the line since last season. One of our marten boxes was on a tree that had fallen over, and we went hunting for an old cubby that should have been right off the road. We also found a bear scrape, and a burnt-over spot that looks like good wolf country if our other set burnt out.
Then we stopped at an old shack I'd driven past and never looked at. The roof had collapsed, the pot had more holes than rust, and packrats live there now. But there was an old skinning board and a fleshing board left behind, a spot for a bunk and a stove, and some really old jars. Most likely an old trapper's camp from way back. Whoever he was, he liked his mixed nuts without peanuts.
Further on we found what looks like a coyote den, built a fire, and tried some ice fishing. The first hole showed about a foot of ice, but it was making lots of noise. Further out, the ice broke where part of the bank had collapsed onto it. Looks are deceiving on ice, so we called it there.
Back at the cabin it was minus 5 outside and plus 22 inside, so the place held heat all day. Quick tour: a picnic table out front, a skinning shack for skinning and storage, and solar panels that give you instant light. There's a decoy owl to keep critters off the deck, which they seem to have gotten used to. Inside there are bunks, a TV, a fridge, a sink and a custom-built stove that should outlast me by far.
The worst part of these trips is heading home. Someday I want to build a life where I get a lot more time out here, because once you're set up, it's so nice. Next up: check the bait station, see what came in, and get into spring beaver.
Lessons from the line
Bait before you snare when you can. Animals need time to find bait. When you're late, set both and rebait every visit.
Recheck old sets after a fire. Boxes fall, cubbies disappear and landmarks change. A burn can also open up new wolf country.
Ice that looks good often isn't. Drill and check as you go, and listen to it. Banks that slump onto the ice are a red flag.
Solar in the shack pays off. Instant light at the end of a cold day makes a real difference.
Chapters
0:00 Good morning from the bush and the Argo arrival
1:00 Setting wolf snares and bait crates in thick cover
4:00 Checking marten boxes and animal sign
6:30 Exploring the old trapper's shack
9:00 Bear scrape, coyote den and burnt-area scouting
11:00 Ice fishing attempt on thin ice
13:00 Trapline cabin tour: solar, stove, bunks and heat
15:30 Building a fire, packing up and heading home
Want the story from the trapline every week? The Trapline Report is one email a week from the bush this season.
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