Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Any current or ex-trappers?

Just got of the phone with a friend and was reliving some of my trapping days.

I learned SO much when I trapped. I really enjoyed it.

It was one of the best ways to spend a winter in Alaska. I trapped mainly marten and beaver. Had some mink sets and maybe a dozen wolf sets. Wolf was by far the toughest, but mink were certainly crafty at times.

Just wondering if any of you do or have trapped.

No, you can't even live-trap coon, to use on your hounds, in WA state <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />!!!

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you trap to kill? Is it horrible or do they go fast? I suppose it depends on how often you check the trap, if it isn't a snap trap. I dunno....just asking <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> !

HoundGirl

HG,
My in laws were trappers..Had many a thanksgiving dinner with muskrat pelts drying on the floor..

Victor Conibear 220 Gripper Trap
7" x 7" square heavy steel trap which has
two springs for strong setting. The springs are in the shape
of a "V" and when set, compress the tops of the "V" together.
There is a safety latch on each "V" so that once compressed,
you can latch it for holding it set. Once both "V"'s are
compressed, you set the key into the groove of the trigger.
Now, place the trap where you want to make the set. Once in
place, the safety latches are released and the Conibear is
now ready to work. Because of the strength required to compress
these "V" springs, it is generally suggested that you get a
set of Setters. These will enable you to compress the springs
with a lot of leverage and make working with 220's much easier.

Damn, Elf beat me to it. I was looking for a conibear picture. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

They come in various sizes. I used 110's for marten and mink (single spring) and 330's for beaver. Had to use a tool to set the 330's. Got both thumbs caught in a 110 once, kinda of a silly situation.

Critter goes in and the trap snaps across the neck and spine. If the don't die then, they do in a minute or so.

Wolf traps were generally beach sets. The tide can shift as much as 19 feet in 6 hours so I think you can see how that works. Some snares also.

Some legholds for marten. Usually pole sets, the would run up a small log placed at an angle to a tree, get caught and would fall of and hang there. They would usually freeze pretty fast.

There really isn't a GOOD way to die, is there?

Conibear

found some sign of bobcat about a mile away on some vacant property so i got permission to trap it. All that I know is from personal expierience. long story short i had him in to small of a trap that was tied fast. He hit the end of the chain an kept going then somebody built a house on the property.

ALOT of skill and knowledge to be successful at it. I am greatful for a friend there that had been trapping for 20 years.

I made my fair share of mistakes, and there is still a mink running around up there that I could never outsmart.

Us Elf's are quick on our feet...But I'll leave the rest of the answers up to you.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I am mostly an ex-trapper, but took my son out to get a little taste of it...........

Sea otter...or river?? Nice animals....sissy looks pleased <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />!!!

HoundGirl

Cool, a cat and an otter. I would love to try the cats sometime. Would really love to give fishers a go. My trapping buddy in AK would get an occasional wolverine.

But his near death experience was from a big otter.

HG, It is a river otter, and yes the daughter is liking it.

Steelhead, 'cats are my favorite..........easy to catch and easy to put up, and they live in the kind of places I like..........plus as close to a viable market as any furbearer, but that's not very close these days.............

Otter where bringing about $50 when I was trapping. Beavers very little, and marten about $35-$40. I can remember when marten could get you close to $150.

I kept the majority of hides. Been thinking about getting a marten teady bear made.

Trapped for a living for a couple of years back in the boom years, now it's just a hobby. IMHO, there's nothing better to teach sign reading and woodcraft than a trapline. To take that trophy buck, depending on hunting methods, if you get within anywhere from 15 to 400 yards, you have a chance....... trapping, if you're off location by a half an inch, you have nothing to show for your effort, except a lot of Hard work. And for those that think trapping isn't hard work, come on and run a beaver line with me for a few days. I'll let you tote 'em out of the swamp.

I trapped as a teenager.W/a highschool bud.We went out b4 school to check traps.Was great fun.See more stuff from the SportsPal b4 school starts in the morn...than most kids will see in a lifetime.

My trapping experience started by tagging along with Dad when he would run his line but by the time I was in high school I was the one doing the trapping. Just like Jed1899 I used to check traps before going to school in the morning which meant leaving the house by 5am.

The trapping I did was primarily for fox which meant that coon could also be expected along with the mandatory boatload of skunk. Also took badger if given a chance and even nailed a coyote one time which was pretty cool as they were a VERY rare passer-through back when I was trapping.

Would love to do it again but with the price of gas there is no way I could make it pay in my current situation.

Different slant on "trapping"...............In N. O. LA., more'n a few years ago, there was a guy with an old ice cream truck, bought venomous snakes. I think he sold them to a pharmaceutical outfit, for anti-venoms..................but than again, it could have been something else.
The whole deal, even to a 12-13 year old, smelled a whisker shady.
Did well, and sold him LOTS of wriggling critters.

GTC

Oh, ya!
Some of my fondest memories, gettin' up early to get water for the kettle, or something frome the "refrigerator" (plastic box with double sealed plastic bag , kept under the ice)

My brother is still living on his trapline, but he works at one of the oilsands plants ,also.
I's more of a hobby now, pretty hard to make a living like it was
25 years ago...

a friend at the fishcamp trapped until just a few years ago. even in the free state of alabama, regs are getting weirder and weirder. he says it ain't worth it anymore, but he is considering doing a bit this winter. if so, my youngest boy and i will tag along. i am WAY interested. probably for beaver.

We basicly define traplines into two different groups.
Fly-in, and drive in.
The fly-in lines are very few and far between up here now, with the advent of the quad, the updates to the Argo, and of course the big strides in snowmobiles.

At vone time a person could make a good living and have a good life doing it, but is not the same as it use to be.
The morning that the pic of me getting water was taken, it was about -30 outside.
Living outdoors makes foir tough young whipper snappers! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />