Trapping Taneycomo

[Bill Babler]

Tight, do you or Trav, know who trapped the lower end this year? From the looks of things, they made pertty good catches.

I bet I saw where at least a dozen sets had taken coon. I was only down there for a couple of hours and only fished two locations, but someone harvested quite a bit of fur from the spots I fished.

Fur was up quite abit this year. It's always good to see someone out there slinging steel.

Wish I would have been with them, I bet they had a great time reguardless of price.

[Trav]

Sorry Bill. I am afraid I dont know. I do hope they got plenty of otter.

[Bill Babler]

Don't know about the water or drownding sets, what I saw was dry land stuff, where they wired to tree roots for coon and mink. Would be interesting to know if they caught Otter.

Saw quite a bit of Beaver sign all along the lake. Friend of mine Terry Parsons, out of Lampe, said he did catch a few Otter on taney that had been getting into boats. I believe he said he caught 4. Don't know what part of the lake. His cos, is Gene Parsons that runs the Fall Creek Trout Dock, so it may have been on the upper lake.

Couple of years ago on a guide trip, on the flats just below Cooper Creek I saw two litters with about a dozen total. Phil and I trapped a little and caught coon and fox, but no Otter.

Nither one of us had time to go this year, and I really missed it.

[Trav]

If it came between coons crapping all over my boat and dock, or otter that destroy my dock and chew on my boat. I would pick a coon.

A coon will get the hint after being chased by a 68 pound redbone a few times. But an otter is too much competiton for my Valentine. She dont like to swim.

Not so much latley, but in the past, I used to have probs with geese. But even a goose knows to stear clear from a barking dog that meant business. Is it just me or has the goose population gone down some in the Lower Taney?

Oh but the otter. That varmit is my nemesis. Probably more so than the Hawks and Eagles that used to eat my chickens. Solved that problem, I got rid of the chickens. Leaves me with a situation since I would rather lose my right arm than to lose my boat dock. Haha

So, I train my dog to intimidate them, Seems to be working pretty good so far, but I wont forgive the critters for eating all the stuffing out of my seat cushions and stealing foam from under my dock. I can get petty about the little things. Haha

Speaking of critters and dogs. I saw my Valentine actually playing with a pair fox the other night. Does that mean shes going soft on the surveilance? I chalk it off to dogs being dogs, but of course I have never had her target foxes either. Was a lighter side of her though. Other than Roy, The neighbors boxer, She dont have many animal friends. She is after all, a varmit killer.

[vonreed]

Hey Bill, Me and my dad trapped Taney the same year you and Lilley did. You guys seemed to have done pretty well. We seen several spots like you described where there was a catch circle on the bank, unless that was someone else too possibly. We thought we'd just have tons of otters from all the rumors that we had heard. We ended up with 1 otter and was shocked. There were lots of beaver though in the sloughs. I had thought about trapping lower Taney this year for beaver, otter, and rats but things didn't work out. Maybe next year. Did you guys catch very many fox on Taney? We caught 8 reds and was totally surprised by that.

[Bill Babler]

We only ran sets 4 times and I believe we have about a 1/2 dozen Coons and 4 Reds. I believe we only had 10 sets out, just playing. Lots of Reds, I see them almost every guide trip. Most are where you can't get at them up in the Restricted area in someone's front yard.

Be interesting to know who slung the steel this year, on lower taney. There bank sets for coon were right on, good spacing and double sets to catch two a once. Look like they covered the area really nice.

I bet they just blew in and blew out around the 1st. of Dec. Probably were not there over 3 to 5 nights, and creamed off the gravy, and kept moving.

Have not seen as many otter this year, but before the landing came in, they were just thick in the trout docks down there. A lot of them met mr.22 as they were tearing the seats out of the rental boats. They are really honery.

[Trav]

I havnt trapped since I was a teenager. Would love to tag along for the fun of it next season if you guys wouldnt object. Not interested in the bounty but do appreciate the quest. I may have some knowledge from just past observations on the Lower that might be helpful.

[Chief Grey Bear]

A coon will get the hint after being chased by a 80 pound redbone a few times. But an otter is too much competiton for my Valentine. She dont like to swim.

Let her corner one and see which one she picks.

[Trav]

Haha, I cant count the number of coons, possum and even skunk(unfortunatley) that has met thier end as chew toys in my driveway. She is a fearless killer. Without a doubt. She just doesnt like to swim. Wink

[Tightline]

Bill I know a couple of guys that have trapped for long time.They both work at SDC,so they have most of the winter off.Don't know if they make it down to Taney or not,but if they did,they probably cleaned house.