Went to check the traps on Friday on a flat calm day. Nothing in 6 sets! Looked and looked for otter after seeing so many on Tuesday but did not sight a single one. Lighting for seeing seemed poor, or it’s just 50 year old eyes. Got into the cabin after a long spell of not being there. I took the 3 marten and otter I got trapping so far this year to skin. I tried getting in from one side of the island and after post holing and losing the trail in the deep snow, I back tracked around to the other side of the island to go in, and that was mostly better, except there had been some wind event that snapped a bunch of seemingly healthy 12″ spruce trees down over the trail. Perfect for firewood, though, and I’ll have to get those later this winter. I was sweating up a storm when I finally reached the cabin with a pack on my back and the 30+lb otter and another pack in a plastic sled I dragged behind. Deep heavy wet snow is no fun.
Skinned my first otter after watching an 8th grader skin 4 in one night over Christmas in Craig. Their fur is like nothing else I’ve seen except for sea otter. Still puzzles me why the little marten garner such high prices compared to something like an otter.
A little windy and bumpy coming back today. I put the otter skin in a bag and in the freezer. The marten I fleshed and put on the stretchers in hopes to make the February auction, but I might be too late.
Crappy rain/snow looks like it’s going to continue for another week but it keeps more people from moving here.
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Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com