Snowshoe snaring in the Northwest Territories

[mpalmer243 0]

Hello fellow forum members-

 

I live in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. I have been an avid hunter and fisher ever since growing up on a farm in rural Ohio. Since landing in YK a year ago my outdoor adventures have been amazing. My latest challenge was snowshoe hare snaring this winter. I scoured the internet for information and stumbled upon the Hunting Life forum and great posts by G.S. Waters and others.

 

The traditional design wouldn't quite work for me in 3 feet of snow overtop of exposed granite bedrock prevalent on the Canadian shield here. I made a few modifications and have had some good success. Supplies aren't very easy to come by in a place this small and isolated so I had to use what I could find. I generally set out 10 snares at a time and will usually catch a hare or two in a weekend. My winter total stands at 9 after getting two more this weekend.

 

I thought the forum members would like to know their information is useful even to those of us living through -40C temps, -55C windchills, 4 feet of snow and even thicker ice. Thanks for all the info, it has helped to fill my stew pot and make a few warm weather fur items!

 

Mike

 

 

Edited March 4, 2009 by mpalmer243

[Guest ferret feller]

brilliant too hear from you all the way over there mate id love too live somewhere like that

[woodga 170]

well done that man you take care out there and keep us up dated on your progress and stick plenty of pictures up its nice to see different terrain and climates we complain over here when its -1 never mind -55

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

Cheers for sharing mate, well done with the snaring...... hope you stay on board and share some more of your experiences in Canada, looks great.

 

Regards

 

DnN

[The one 8,585]

Nice to see something differnt mate

[froese11 1]

its nice to have another Canadian on the forum, good job on the hares iv been trying to catch hares at my cottage in the canadian shield (eastern Manitoba) a few times but no luck yet. great post

[stealthy1 3,964]

Good post M.P, thats what I call snow.

[Trapper 0]

Hi Mpalmer

 

I was over in Canada this winter and shot a few of the snowshoe hares,lovely fur,it just sheds like hell,but I still skinned and tanned a couple just for the white fur to look at. what do you plan on using the fur for?

 

Have you snared any yotes this winter? When I had a go the ground is so hard for the anchors its not much fun trying to set them !

 

Trapper

[mpalmer243 0]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone.

 

We don't have many coyotes this far North, too cold. They are starting to move up here with our ever changing (warming) climate. I have seen a couple around town now and people are reporting seeing pups this winter. Coyotes aren't even in the NWT trapping or hunting regulations since they have never lived around here, meaning there are no seasons for them. Red fox are quite common. They can even be seen walking the sidewalks in town or in my front yard! Things do get complicated for me to pursue actual furbearing animals with things like trapline permits and aboriginal/native rights. I stick to the small stuff for now. After living here for 2 years I am allowed to chase bigger stuff like caribou and moose.

 

Trapper - I would like to hear how you preserve your hare hides. So far I have just pegged them out on a board and let them dry. That seems to work since there is almost zero fat in the hides. I am worried about the hair slipping over time and since the skin is paper thin they are hard to work with. So far I have made insoles for my boots. I have two hares in the freezer I want to use to make a belt of sorts, with two big patches of hide on the back to cover my kidneys. All the blood in your body cycles through your kidneys in an amazingly short time. It is an often overlooked place to insulate to keep yourself warm.

 

Here are a few more pics!

 

[Teesdale-rabbiter 15]

That looks really fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest SJM]

Great pics I was going to ask if you ever run the snowshoes with dogs but I guess the hares will just skim over the snow and the dogs would probably sink into it

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Cracking read mate .Good to see other areas of the globe .Its very easy to get stuck in a rut that all you see is all there is .Thats some snow you have there bud.All the best, Foxdropper .

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

welcome to the site mpalmer. nice haer there! similar to out blue hair. what was that hair shot with? is that a .22 rimfire. i'd love to be living up in Canada (apart from the cold!) as it looks like a beutifull place. G.S water is truly a great guy and very good snareman.

Edited March 7, 2009 by aaronpigeonplucker

[Trapper 0]

Hi MP

 

I've put some pics on here of some of the furs i tanned myself,i learnt how to do it from a local taxidermist when i was over there,there are many ways to do it,but i learnt a simple way,it can be alot of work,i dont use chemicals which i like the idea of,and the results are good enough for me .touch wood i've had no hair slipping on any of them i have tanned,i think the key is to get it dried/salted asap,so the bacteria cant get to work.

 

Here's a couple of pics,I have here,6 yotes,2 snowshoe's,1 muskrat and 2 rabbits. My next one is going to be a red fox,maybe i have left it too late over here though because they will be shedding soon.

 

Trapper

[froese11 1]

nice could you post the exact instructions? thanks a lot