Huntin' the beaver plew

[santee]

Good for you, Mogorilla! Yes, it would be fun to start something like that.

[Chuck 100 yd]

You are one interesting feller Will. Being an old Iowa farm boy myself (transplanted in 1961) I sure wish I had met up with you back in the day. We would have been thick as fleas, having so many common interests. 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Well, sounds like you're readying for another great adventure, Will. This will be one to follow.

[Drayton Calhoun]

howdy will,
what size metal do you use to make those chains. i have a small forge but i'm no blacksmith either. those may prove to be easier for me to make as well.
  i have the metal scrounged up but just aint took the time to alter the pans on my bridgers to make them look like the old pans.
i got those whisper creek traps because the picture in the catalog show them with square pans and center mounted chains( and they are american made) but when i got them they have oval shape pans.
when i can get caught up on my tanning i plan on bark tanning a cow elk and making a trap sack out of it. but trapping season is close so it may be spring before that happens.

i spilt some castor on my buckskin pants last year and the wife made me eat outside for a week.when she let me come in she made me leave the pants outside. that smell just won't hardly leave brain tan buckskins.
them women folk got no sense of humor

Ya got a point about that sense of humor, shoulda heard my ex screaming at me when I was boring a spout hole in a powder horn with hot iron rod! Shoot, I was right in front of the fireplace!

[buckskin billy]

that aint the reason she's yer ex is it?
  heck i know what you mean.its a wonder my wife is still around. years ago when i was learning to  braintan i would practice on road kill. i have been attacked by buzzards who by the way have no sense of humor either when it comes to there supper. and a few times my wife was with me when we were on they way to church or town. i've heard her say more than once, there aint no way you putting that thing in my car.
and if i had a dollar for every time i have heard my wife say,"dear,God what the hell is that smell?!"

[Curley Cole]

Me and Old Top went up to Bakersfield for the SheBang Victorian match. We had a blast. If ya would like to see some pix check:

http://sdough.smugmug.com

look under Art for the Shebang gallery

curley

[will ghormley]

Good lookin' group of folks there Curley, but where's the photos of folks prospectin'!  I want'a see some glitter.

Will

[GunClick Rick]

Dang Curley,you better scoot closer to the kitchen table,you wearin a little thin

[Curley Cole]

Will
We are goin out this weekend. will try to get some shots...

Ricky
ya, I am eatin a lot better since I reTired.
curley

[will ghormley]

Hey Folks,

Here is a link to a new page.  I set a leg hold trap yesterday and made the site, but my internet connection was down and couldn't post it till this mornin'.  It's rainin' and cold today, but I'll be goin' back out to check the trap this mornin'.  I should have some good photos of me lookin' pretty miserable when I get back...and maybe a photo of my plew...we'll see.

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/BeaverHunt2.html

Will

[GunClick Rick]

Do you boil and wax your traps Will?

[will ghormley]

Hey Rick,

I boil 'em in walnut hulls, but don't wax 'em.

Will

[GunClick Rick]

I had a bunch of old ones and someone told me they did that to keep the human smell off,sounds like walnut shells work good too I took a few of them and dipped them and hung them on the wall and friends would say wow old traps,oooo why is thier wax alll over it? I'd say,well animals see in black and white and the wax makes them invisible to them..Really,wy sure,you should always wax your beaver trap~~

[will ghormley]

Hey GC Rick,

I don't know that the beaver can smell the trap in the water, since they 'aint breathin' or nuthin.  When you are makin' land sets, the smell would be real important.  That's why I only handle the guide poles and such under water, and if I have to touch somethin' that's stickin' up, I splash it with water real good.  I don't make land sets.  I only make drowning sets.  Those are either under water near the bank where the beaver will swim out and drown, or on the bottom of the lake or stream near the food stash, under the ice.

I've heard plenty about sealin' the scent with bee's wax.  Bear, wolf, coyote, and other critters you can only catch on land would be real sensitive to scent.

Will

[GunClick Rick]

That splains it..

[JD Alan]

This is a great thread Will, thanks for taking the time to post it. I would not trade places with you in the water! Be safe, JD

[will ghormley]

Well JD,

It was drownin' in flood waters while canoein' over a dam that proved to me there was an eternity to face, hell to pay, a God who loved me, and the fact that I really needed a savior...so I guess if I always played it safe, I'd still be a heathen!  All the same, gettin' dumped in freezin' water isn't all that appealin' in my dotage.

Will

[will ghormley]

I finally got some photos posted of the beaver plews I took back in March.  Not much, but better than nuthin'.  If you don't want to scroll through the whole article, you can follow this link to the last page that has the new photos.

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/BeaverHunt3.html

Will

[GunClick Rick]

WIW!! Those are cool Will,i bet those would cost a pretty penny.I would hang one of those in my room..Don't know alot about that,but looks like you done one heck of a good job on those!!

[mtgelaude]

I love the article.  Thanks to whoever it was that brought it back to the top.  Can't see how I missed it the first time around.  Awsome.