New Traps

[bigbob]

I do, or did. A winter float can be spectacular! One winter I was with some friends on a Current River New Years overnight float, and as we passed some cabins very early, I heard a Kids voice yelling "Mom, There's canoes on the river!" And Mom yelled back, "SHUT UP AND GET BACK IN BED". lol Nobody else on the river, and you get superb service from the liveries too. LOL

[bigbob]

I do, or did. A winter float can be spectacular! One winter I was with some friends on a Current River New Years overnight float, and as we passed some cabins very early, I heard a Kids voice yelling "Mom, There's canoes on the river!" And Mom yelled back, "SHUT UP AND GET BACK IN BED". lol Nobody else on the river, and you get superb service from the liveries too. LOL

[segsarge]

When we trapped the Meramec and Huzzah we seldom saw anyone else. A few hardy souls, but they were always different than the summer crowd. Some would stop and talk and were genuinely interested in what were were doing. Most thought we were nuts for being IN the water, LOL. Don't recall ever having a trap stolen.
I've heard it said that most of a trapper's pay comes in the form of scenery. Might be truth in that, because the river is a wonderful place in winter.

[krank]

I think you are downstream. The area that is busy year round is State Park down to Eminence. Problem with downstream from there is all the giggers.

[segsarge]

We were running east of Steelville off Hwy 8, about 11 miles of river, above Meramec Springs Park. Some giggers, but never had a problem with them. Some of the river was too shallow for them to get up in to. Have to go by canoe to travel it, lots of places a jon boat w/jet can't go.

[krank]

I would love to launch a boat on a creek and drift down and set traps. Take out downstream and camp somewhere in between. Next day check traps and hopefully have something to skin.
A guy could launch a boat at a lake and set along the shore line.
Only problem is a hard freeze or a heavy rain. Or people.
Yup, one of these days.

[bigbob]

Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda! Don't wait till your an old man like me, and can't get up off the ground level fart sack, all stiff and sore! LOL Hurts just thinking about it.

[segsarge]

We haven't made the trip in a couple of years. Life got in the way. But there's nothing like it. I do think 11 miles is a little much in one day.(That's a lot of paddling) Have to rush to make whole thing and my sets suffered for it. Always felt like I was racing against time. Six miles would be better, then skin and put up fur without having to do it by lantern.
We did a 10 day run at it. Camp was at the half way point. Made for a deserved coffee/lunch break at camp. My partner is a dedicated trapper, he'd do 20 mile in a day if there was enough daylight. After the quick break it was on to the other half, back to camp to put up fur/eat some dinner and collapse. Hard work.
Seeing the sights on the winter river and memories made it worth it, but it's exhausting. I really need to do it again, it's an addiction.

[Walleye Joe]

My gosh that sounds like so much fun. But at my age, 63, I'm going to consider it a missed opportunity in life. Oh what it would be like to be half that old again.

[krank]

I could do it around here on a local creek but my job gets in the way. I remember Willie living at LOZ and running his bassboat.

[segsarge]

I'm 63 now, be 64 in Feb. Started doing that trip every year when I was in my early 50's. Every year we added more miles to the line, or maybe it just felt that way. Always headed out the weekend after Thanksgiving. Back in the first several years, muzzleloader season was open for deer during the trip. Carried my St Louis Hawken in the canoe. Saw lots of deer going down the river, but never killed one. Did score a nice doe behind camp one year though.
I really do need to get back out there. Don't think I could do the whole 11 mile line now. But 5 or 6 would be nice. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find a second person to run it. Have to have a vehicle at both ends. My old partner and his son have switched from canoes to kayaks so they can cover even more miles in a shorter time. I can't keep up. Both my son's are grown and working and it's hard for them to get the time off to go. I'd go it alone if I could figure out a way to solve the vehicle problem.

[krank]

Can you motor back upstream?

[segsarge]

Not on the Meramec or Huzzah, water is just too shallow. In spots it's only a little over ankle deep. That's what keeps the giggers from running a big part of the line. First two years we tried putting in on the Meramec at the Hwy 8 bridge and paddling up stream then floating back down. Part of that goes through the Woodson K Woods wildlife area. It's rough paddling and dragging a loaded canoe upstream.
I've given thought to trapping the St Francois, making camp at Greenville. Would be easy to run a boat w/motor there. Don't know the area that well though.

[bigjohn]

Never cared much for water trapping but have done the boat deal a time or two. Guys my age, I'll be 69 next month, don't even want to go rabbit hunting behind the dogs. I don't hunt all day but do go several times to work the dogs. Usually I about 3 or 4 hours at a time. Same way fishing on the river. I catch a lot of big fish but those guys my age just don't think they can handle it. Hell you only go thru life one time so you should enjoy it as long as you can.

My old hunting buddy for years had a stroke while trapping one year while running his creek line. Climbed a steep bank, crawled back to his truck, and drove himself to the hospital. This was with his left side pretty much useless. After some time he made the comment he'd like to turkey hunt at least one more time but was in too bad of shape. I loaded him up the next morning and drove him into a field, got him set up, hid the truck, and called him up a bird. That bird hung up at 35 yards and finally walked off. I asked him why he didn't shoot and he told me he thought I'd get him closer. Well I called that bird right back up and he still didn't shoot cause it was all about the hunt to him. This is the stuff that'll keep me going until I finally give out.

[krank]

In 1810, Daniel Boone was retired in Missouri at 75 years of age. He heard about the Yellowstones and the beaver trade. He yearns to experience it and struck out with a couple of his Kentucky buddies who were in their fifties. They went up the Missouri and were well recieved at Fort Osage. Up further to the Platte and out on the Plains. Six monthes later, Boone steered a keel boat into St.Charles with 60 beaver pelts. Amazing journey of a man that was "washed up" after he settled in Missouri.