The weather forecast pre-Christmas is good and the burning desire is there to get more traps out.We have an unfilled fisher tag and we have a friend that has seen them on the deer cameras this fall. Also have some springs at the headwaters of the creeks that flow through the picturesque valleys that provide easier hunting for the critters. I loaded up the vet van with traps,baits,lures,stakes and waders. First stop was the rendevous with our friend to search for fisher sign. Our long uphill walk was rewarded with heavily used trails leading from a rock face to a huge brush-pile through the fields and back to the woods. The trail is being used by coon and fisher. We made 3 sets using #160 Belisle body-grips. The first set was simply a trail set as it went under a deadfall using a KB Stabilizer to keep the trap from freezing down. We’ve heard many reports of how well these stabilizers work and that they elevate the trap enough to make it easier for the animal to enter. The other 2 traps were placed in buckets along the trail and baited with Greg’s Great Coon Bait and Porter’s Grandma D’s Pie sweet bait. Some of Porter’s All Season Call lure was smeared above the sets to give that good skunk smell. This is my first attempt at fisher and I sure am excited about our prospects! Next it was on to the springs to look for mink and muskrat sign. The heavy cover of snow draped over the banks making it hard to find feedbeds or bank dens. Today was a day to do some “product research”. I used some Pocket Poppers,a versatile product made by Jim Blakely, that are plastic structures that have a square notched front to hold a 110 or 120 body-grip snuggly. They are about 5 inches long and can be dug or pushed into the bank to make a quick pocket set. I used 2 of them in this fashion and baited with Greg’s Coon Bait to give the fresh fish smell. This bait is preserved and has an antifreeze to keep the bait attractive even in cold weather. I also used one Popper to set a 110 in a bank trail that had very fresh mink sign. The other set I used was the bottom-edge set-this set involves placing a bodygrip in the current tight to a structure such as a stump or a log or an inside bend in the creek. Two stoploss traps were used in locations where muskrats were entering undercut banks. It felt good to breathe in the cold fresh air and be part of the quiet white serene landcape.Check back to see how the line produced. Post a comment if you have any questions on the sets or the products. Happy Holidays!

Tom Roskos