Come to the Trappers Convention in Ft. St. John

 BC, Yukon and Alberta and Sask. If you are interested in Trapping you are invited to the Trapping Convention in Fort St. John, BC April 19, 20 and 21, 2013.  Gary J Shroeder from Fur Harvester is coming to do demo's on Friday and Sat.  This is the first time the Convention has had anyone of his talents at the Convention.  He is the guy in Fur, Fish and Game that does the fur price forecast.  Gary is also Fur Harvesters fur handling expert.  There is also a Sportsmen's Show on at the same time, so lots of things to keep you busy.  You do not need to be a member of the BCTA to attend this Convention.  If you have an interest you are invited. 

Chinese Food, Egg Foo Yong and Mu Shu Mixed Vegetables with noodles

EGG FOO YONG

In large frying pan, combine 1 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 can Bean Sprouts, drained, 1/2 cup onion, 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts.  Cook 4 min.  Cool.
Beat up 2 eggs lightly, add 1 tsp Soya Sauce.  Add Bean Sprout mixture to the eggs.
On frying pan spoon out three circles.  Cook 3 min on each side.  Put aside warm.







In the Wok (now empty of saved cooking oil)
Add 3" Water and bring to boil. Add 1/2 package of Chinese Noodles.  Cook 1 1/2 min.  Drain.  Set aside.  In Wok with small amount of oil.  Heat Sliced Carrots, rest of Bean Sprout, Corn, rest of Water Chestnuts and red pepper, celery etc (if you have it).
Add cooked Noodles. 
Mu Shu Sauce.   Combine 1/4 Chicken Broth, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 egg lightly beaten.  Add to cooked noodle/veg...  cook for 2 min. 

I will have made up some cooked rice to go with this all. 

MU SHU MIXED VEGETABLES WITH NOODLES

Chinese Food homemade in Cabin... Sweet & Sour Chicken

THINGS I HAVE ON HAND.  CANNED CHICKEN, WATERCHESTNUTS, BEAN SPROUTS, CORN, PINEAPPLE, EGGS AND NOODLES.

SWEET AND SOUR BONELESS CHICKEN

First get the chicken into small pieces.  

 Make up batter.  1 cup flour, 1 egg slightly beaten, 1 cup milk, 1 Tbsp melted shortening.

Heat cooking oil (2") in Wok.  Coat chicken in Batter and dip in hot oil til light brown.

Drain cooked pieces on paper towel and put aside.  Only do about 6 pieces at a time.

SAUCE...      1/2 cup Soya Sauce, 1/2 cup Pineapple juice from can, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard or dry mustard.  1 tsp Garlic.    Heat all above and pour on the cooked chicken.  Stir in can of Pineapple.  Sprinkle with Sesame seeds.  Keep in warm spot.

Flew Out of the Lake....

Will post when we are back.... have a great spring. 

Musquash

After getting  four from each Push Up we shut the Musquash trapping down.  A great total of 45 in a week.  These are big extra fat beautiful Muskrats.  This morning we got a Big Shadow Black Male Wolf.  
Been busy doing inventory of supplies, getting fire wood and getting ready to go out. Counting seed potatoes to fly out and figuring out what can be let freeze and still be good.  We decided to put the Cetol paint in plastic bags plus the 3 remaining Mayo jars down the well on rope.  
 Hopefully we will have Company for the five days before we fly out.  Our friend Gary is suppose to fly in here for a visit.  

Muskrating

Mountain Goat?

Bryan finds the Push ups and then shovels off the snow, cuts the weed dome off with his chainsaw, puts a small trap in the hole and covers the hole with a cardboard box that he has cut a big hole in the top of.  This hole is covered with a piece of wood and then snow.  We've caught 13 in 2 days.  We plan to take 4 from each site.  We mark the flagging tape for each one. Thanks Muddy Water for the hint.

Creek Just about took Out Ice Bridge

 The trip up to take the Marten and Wolverine traps down at the end of February went well.  Lots of Wolf tracks but didn't catch any.  You can see all the Moose hair in the scat.

Center Mountain from the East.

The River had opened up and Bryan had to make a bi-pass up on the bank.  It entailed shoveling a ramp up onto the high bank and then working thru the brush for 150 feet. 

Bryan closed down the far cabin.

While he'd been up at the far Cabin for the two nights the side creek had backed up to the Ice Bridge.  It had filled the whole side creek and froze on top.... then blow out.

The BEST Homemade Hamburger Buns

These keep Moist and are Wonderful.














4 cups flour
2 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
(Mix and make a well.)
Add 2 well beaten eggs, 3 cups lukewarm water, 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1/2 cup oil.
Mix, then add 4 more cups flour.
Knead for 9 minutes.
Let rise 15 min.  Knead a few times.  Let rise 15 minutes.  Make up Buns.  Let Rise 3/4 hour.
Bake at 350.  for 15 to 18 min.  Watch closely at the end.  Take out when slightly brown on top. 

Wild Fur Sale NORTH AMERICAN FUR AUCTION (NAFA) Prices

 NORTH AMERICAN FUR AUCTION SALES FEB. 2013

WILD CROSS, SILVER, & SUNDRY FOX
AVERAGE 62.54 US   TOP 126.00

SQUIRREL
AVERAGE 1.01 US      TOP 1.80

ERMINE
AVERAGE 2.73             TOP  31.00

BADGER      
AVERAGE   33.01         TOP  180.00

OPOSSUM    
AVERAGE   4.41            TOP   9.25
 

SKUNK     
AVERAGE 6.98       TOP 25.00

WOLVERINE
AVERAGE  262.68       TOP 460.00

FISHER
AVERAGE   158.78        TOP 350.00

WILD MINK
AVERAGE   30.40         TOP  184.00
  

 MUSKRAT
AVERAGE    11.51          TOP 54.00

RANCHED SILVER FOX
AVERAGE  225.25           TOP 400.00

 SABLE
HEAVY 1
XXL      248
XL         224.83
L            163.36
M             95.13
OVERALL       185.08            TOP   650.00 
SEMI-HEAVY  1
XXL        205.29
XL           185.75
L               121.58
M                 84.70
OVERALL        134.46    

SECTION 111
AVERAGE     81.37

RACCOON
W. NORTHERN      40.82           TOP   240.00
W. N. CENTRAL     33.51
CANADIAN              34.17
E. N. CENTRAL     29.78
W. SEMI HEAVY   27.56
E SEMI HEAVY      23.16
CENTRAL                18.76
SECTION 111              6.39

LYNX CAT                                 TOP 3,000.00
WESTERN      589.08     
NORTHERN    174.96
N. CENTRAL   145.84
CENTRAL        77.69
W. CAN             457.75
E. CAN               187.40

LYNX
AVERAGE         194.44                 TOP  525.00



BEAVER AVERAGE                       TOP   400.00
E.        37.45 
W.        30.91
SECTION 111   15.31
 OTTER   AVERAGE     112.58          TOP 260.00
COYOTE                                               TOP  1,400.00
H              93.98
SEMI       60.12
EASTERN   55.56
RED FOX        AVERAGE 65.78        TOP 340.00
GREY FOX    AVERAGE   E. 49.72       TOP 68.00
                                                W. 39.82

THE ABOVE TWO LAMINATED SOFT COVER BOOKS HAVE FULL COLOR INTERIOR PICTURES.  HOW TO BUILD A REMOTE CABIN WITH AN ALASKAN MILL IN 18 DAYS IS  BOOK #1 AND IS 28 PAGES AND COSTS 25.00 PLUS 3 SHIPPING.
BOOK #2 IS 60 PAGES.  COVERS IN PICTURES HOW TO BUILD ANOTHER REMOTE CABIN IN 17 DAYS WITH AN ALASKAN MILL.  ALSO TIPS ON USING AN ALASKAN MILL AND ALSO HOW TO CHANGE A 45 GAL FUEL BARREL INTO A BUFFALO STOVE.   PAY BY PAYPAL TO thehappytrappers@gmail.com or MAIL A CHEQUE TO BRYAN McNEIL, PO BOX 396, ATLIN, BC   V0W1A0 CANADA
EMAIL US AT thehappytrappers@gmail.com if any questions.   Thanks 

 

 

         

MOUNTAIN GOATS IN CANYON BEHIND CABIN

THESE THREE MOUNTAINS GOATS HAVE BEEN HERE ALL WINTER.  THEY WERE CLOSER TO THE BIG LODGE BUT BECAUSE OF THE WOLVES HERE NOW THEY HAVE MOVED OVER TO THE STEEP CANYON.  THEY SLEEP UP ON THE BENCH WITH THE LITTLE TREES ON IT. 

Tuesday Feb 26. Back down the Sutlahine and up to Base Camp

 Just a grayer day.  A little colder and so the River is still crossable.

Coming down from Bryan & Henri's Pass

Extra Fuel had been stored for the return trip.

See that high valley in the center of the picture.  That is about the climb to get back to Base Camp.

 Looks like two Wolves had been here.  Ishi pee'ed twice were they had.

Finally back to Base Camp.  Took 4 1/2 hours again.  That is Center Mountain on the left and you can just see the Big empty Lodge on the right.  You can see the marker sticks on the one side of the path.  We always use the same route.  It makes the ice get thicker.  If you venture off this hard path you will find 15" of overflow.  Nasty stuff.  It has been -3 to 0 for the last 5 days.