2014-2015

tulecreeper wrote:

Interesting commend from George Kordum at the Ely sealing.
Have you ever heard a fur buyer drive 1,200 miles to a tagging and say please don't sell to me as the price will be going up in a few weeks???

Good point tulecreeper.

George asked me why I didn't put up all my cats. I told him with the uncertainty in the market I was looking to see what they were going for and if it looked good then I would return to the next sealing in February. He then said the price will be less then. I told him then I will save them for another year or two and he really didn't like that comment. There was another buyer that looked at my cats and said thanks for showing them to me, Ill be back in February and can give you a bid then and he drove away with a completely empty truck.

Matt the picture of your cat.... What kind of tree trunk is that behind the cat? LOL A big NV state flower/bush/tree. Nice cat man.... Can't fit anymore cat foot in the 450.

Yeah that is some big brush they hunt in for sure. I sure love it though!!! Here are the pics of the first big tom I caught after I got him put up and dry.

Look at the length of the hair on that big Tom. Happy about that. Now I just need more of them.

He is a beautiful cat.

Thanks partner.

bucks I am jealous of you guys with these Giants. That is a cat that makes a guy want to get out there and get his own for sure. I have yet in my trapping career to weigh one of mine over 20 lbs. My buddie text me a picture of a giant he caught today. What is the secret? LOL. I believe I had one this season that if he hadn't been lunch may of done it.

Nice cat bucks! I am jealous of your shop!!! Makes my 1/4 of the garage I use look like a shack.

No secret just in alot of different country. There is always big guys out there. Gland lure towards the end of the season helps too!

BUCKSNBOWS wrote:

No secret just in alot of different country. There is always big guys out there. Gland lure towards the end of the season helps too!

Thanks Matt.

I have caught several over the years in the 40" and up to 45" range but for some reason they have never had the bulk to go past 20 lbs.

Nice cat bucks, size and a good wide belly. Couldn't ask for better!!! Well,,,,, maybe ten more just like him

My first cat was a Mid February 44 inch, 25 pound tom, with a really wide belly! I had no idea what I had at the time I was just happy to catch a cat! Since then nothing close LOL!

My biggest cat was also my first. My first year trapping I didn't start till February and I must have caught 50 pack rats.... I didn't know anything about trappin .... Including pan tension lol. The last day of that season I caught a coyote in one of my cat sets. That's was it for me all season. The next season I came in more prepared....so to speak for what I knew. Anyways I trapped every single day from November 1st to the end of February. Caught 6 coyotes and on the second to last day of the season I caught my first cat. I still remember walking up to the set and seeing the trap gone.... I think to myself where's the rabbit lol then I see this guy peaking around the rock at me.... Man that was by far the best feeling ever!


This Tom went 45". A good friend of mine rockytrails was testing out being a buyer that year. He was I think $20 off from being the high bid at the tagging so I just sold to him. Little did I know that Rich and my old man had planned to talk to the other buyers if I wouldn't have sold to him and buy the cat back.... Long story short my dad baught that cat back from Rich and sent it off to get tanned. My dad gave that cat to me for Father's Day a couple months later. I feel damn lucky to have my first cat hanging on my wall at my house. That coyote and that cat were the beginning of the end for me lol hard to believe this was my 5th season trapping this year. Just thought I would share this story.

Also found out the best way to find cat sign is to pull traps for the year because you're out of time and go on a hike. Pulled traps yesterday and walked up a ridge that I would drive right by when checking traps all year, to look at some deer. Found so much cat sign up and down that ridge and a HUGE toilet, I wish I would've taken a picture.

Those pictures of big Toms never get old. I just went back through my archives and looked at mine from the years past. Brings back allot of good memories.

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Glad to see someone is catching a few!!! Good job.

here is the first cat that I caught

Here are the cats we sold at the sale in ely. They beat us up on the females But the Tom made up for it I guess

Sweny can I ask how what you got on those, I am waiting til the Panaca sealing, and I am wondering

NAFA's cat sale:

they only sold 13 out of the 45 lots of western and 0 of the southwesterns. The only cats sold were xl and xxl 1 & 2's

Wow not sure how to take that! Must not be many orders. Hope things change.

I think what I saw in Elko was they would offer money for select cats and low ball the others. Females and casty cats have no market, but the buyers speculate for a low, low offer. If they pick them up it's not for much. Doesn't NAFA have basically a minimum of what they value the fur and only sell if it is higher than that?

Finally got some weather yesterday! ! Rain in the valley and snow in the mtns! Very happy to see that.

Just a lot of rain around ely, no white stuff even made it to the foothills.  Looks like another storm will be here Friday. Hope we see something come out of that storm!!!

I don't think the cats offered at nafa were fresh cats ether. so that probley didn't help much.

bucks, tell us you have been to busy skinning cats after that storm to post pics?

Uhhhhh nope just crying in the corner. Got some more sets in and scouted more country. But I did not bring home any cats.

Dang! I was hoping for some pics.
Maybe I can come up with something on tomorrows check to post up. I still have a couple out but the number keeps shrinking. I originally set 9 then I found evidence of someone checking two of them and I pulled the two. Last check I had someone help their self to one so I am down to six sets. I'm not really trying hard at it but it gives me something to do for an hour every four days. Also got some cameras positioned to catch some thief's. I guess at this point you could say I'm really only trapping thief's. No luck as of yet. I'm starting to think there may be more thief's than cats out there!

Heard Blackfoot sale yesterday only had 31 cats on it with a $241 avg.
There were a couple of cats went for 700 something.
Utah in a couple of weeks will be interesting.

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear nice well handled cats are still bringing good prices.

Caught this cat this morning. It looked to be just a cat, but upon closer inspection, it was a cat that had escaped one of Mercer's cage traps by lifting the door latch, opening the door, while rubbing its tummy and patting its head.

LMAO! I hope you left some out there still dumb enough to fall for the old foot holds.

One guy went farther and broke down Blackfoots sale on the cats it came out to a $181.00 average.
Things are about to get interesting on these cats and the markets.

Yeah I think I made a big mistake by not taking my 5 cats up to the Ely sealing a few weeks ago. I had decided to wait until the Panaca sealing on the 27th, I might be regretting that decision.

The pan cover-less pan covers strike again!

. . . and again.

I think I am going to ask Cameron2 if he can show me some pointers on this cat trapping deal when he comes down. Maybe trade him some shirts, cast iron cookware or something?? Looks like he knows how those kitty's roll !!

Thinking about setting in the morning for the last two weeks! What does everyone think? With the weather is it worth it?? I don't think I care anyway I can't sit by and let these february toms roam free!

Just put back out again myself. Today was first check with nothing. Lots of bugs out and even saw a horny toad today.... High was 66 and calling for 62 tomorrow with some showers. I am in the same boat. Had to try these last couple weeks at the cats. Look luck Archer.

moving to the high country paid off

I had the same idea the last three weeks, finally got some set in the high junipers and pine today. I figured with two weeks left I might as well go high, it's not like it's going to snow!!

No cats today either!!! 1 grey and one coyote.

I only have enough time to go three different ways, so as I was pulling some sets today I had this one waiting for me:) I even got a smile!



I sent Bucks a photo of my walk through and he gave me some pointers.  I made the change just in time...

Teach I am very happy for you!! He really doesn't look like he is smiling though?? Nice work and nice cat partner.

Congratulations to you guys picking up the late season cats! I am jealous for sure. I have a good buddie that has been knocking the piss out of them this month with hardly any effort. Again I'm jealous. My hat's off to you fellows with the drive to keep it up. If things were different right now for me I'd be given er hell at the least. Keep up the posts. I and this sight need them.

I will say that I am probably like most trappers and come here to read what others put out, but this season I decided to try and add to this sight and to the good people / trappers here that post. When I get my computer back I have one last thing from this season to share so stay posted. I think most will like it.

Thanks for the up beat vibe you are sharing partner. Cant wait to see what you have to share !!

If I was after anything but CATS I would be doing great!!!

This guy did a little trap relocation for me.