Trapping, anyone?
Contributors to this thread:Small Game
From: Big Fin
16-Feb-17
Fun in the catching; the skinning, not so much.
Fun in the catching; the skinning, not so much.
Big Fin's Link
Some of you here probably have a trapping background, as I do. Before I was of legal hunting age, I had a pretty good trapline for muskrats, mink, and weasels. I would say that trapping background gave me a better foundation for hunting than any other activity I could have asked for. And as a kid, this trapping skill gave me money for ammo, tackle, and other necessities of a youngster growing up in rural America.
Even in low price periods like the fur market is experiencing right now, I always go out and do some water trapping, targeting muskrats and beaver. I make no money at it with prices where they are, but I flat out enjoy it. It brings me back to the simple days of walking the rivers and marshes as a kid, excited as can be to walk up to a set and see my trap was gone and the wire stretched tight out into deeper water. Trapping these spring creeks and rivers also gives me a lot of friends in the ranching community who are relieved to see me and my conibears show up when the beaver are flooding their calving pasture.
Given I have the benefit of a TV show, one of the biggest podcasts in outdoors, and a rapidly growing YouTube channel, I want to use those platforms to reach folks who may not understand trapping in the same way we understand it. Most of my audience are hunters, with a mixed exposure to trapping. A lot of anglers. And quite a few who are new to the outdoors and have found our platforms while searching for better food sources. All of them have a pretty open mind about trapping when presented professionally by someone they trust.
With that goal in mind, I had a camera guy follow me around for a couple days last week and we filmed three muskrat trapping videos aimed at the audience I mentioned above.
The link below is the first day. I will follow up with two posts that have the last two of the three-part video series.
In a few weeks we will do another three-part trapping series that follows me as I remove some beaver and skin, flesh, and get them ready to eat.
Thanks for watching. Would be interested to know how many of you have a trapping background.
From: Big Fin
16-Feb-17
Big Fin's Link
Link to the video of checking the traps we set on the first day.
From: Big Fin
16-Feb-17
Tastes better than chicken.
Tastes better than chicken.
Big Fin's Link
Link to the video of skinning, stretching, and yes, eating the muskrats we caught.
From: Old School
16-Feb-17
I grew up in southern MN and then central MO where I started trapping. I'm passing on the tradition to both my sons. They run the trapline here now inspite of the very low fur prices, they enjoy the challenge and anticipation of what might be in the traps the next morning. I believe as you Randy that it helps develop/refine your outdoor skills. It's one thing to sit on the edge of a hayfield and shoot a buck that comes out anywhere within 300 yards, its entirely another thing to place a trap exactly where an animal is going to place its foot - and then get to the point where you are predicting which foot will be in the trap.
Thank you Randy for all you do for us outdoors-men!
--Mitch
From: JacobNisley
16-Feb-17
I'll check out your videos once I get off work. I'm very much a minor hobby trapper. 2 or 3 traps for a couple nights a year. This year's grand total is at 1 coon, 1 opossum, 3 muskrats, and my first beaver. Hope to catch a few more beavers before the season ends in March.
From: LINK
16-Feb-17
Here's a seasons catch of cats from 2004. My 2 brothers and I grew up hunting but also running box traps for coon and bobcat and hunting coon behind hounds. For a poor youngster my $2500 was a nice bonus. Gas was probably $1.40.
From: wilhille
16-Feb-17
So cool. I would love to run a trap line.
If anyone in southern new mexico wants to mentor and train someone to tap, I'm all in.
From: Teeton
16-Feb-17
I haven't trapped in years and till have all my stuff.. I just don't have the time anymore.. Love see trapping posts.. I keep saying I get out and put some beaver traps out, even for just 4 or 5 day but, never do. Where I live in Northeast Pa this is the good old days of beaver trapping.. I know of at least 10 places with in 15 mins of my house for beaver. Beaver have become a problem in my area. Every year I see roads flooded from them.. Last time I trapped beaver it was on all private land that I was ask to trap because of all the problems..
From: krieger
16-Feb-17
Good for you! Trappers see and learn more in a year about critters than most outdoorsmen learn in a lifetime. Never met a good trapper that wasn't a helluva hunter, but I've met a bunch of hunters that couldn't catch a 'rat with 2 dozen borrowed 110's, in a 100 gallon horse tank.
wilhille, in the Trapper and Predator Caller magazine, there is a state trapping assoc. for most states. Call the board member closest to you and they will put you in contact with someone who will be more than willing to show you the ropes. You can probably google them up also. Good luck!
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
I caught a female coyote today
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
From: Zbone
16-Feb-17
I grew up trapping too, running trap lines as kid and teenager but haven’t trapped for pelts during winter in years, been too busy hunting during spare times, although this will be my 8th straight season as a state licensed nuisance animal control trapper and am sitting here right now filling out my application for this year’s state license due by the end of the month… I started nuisance trapping to prepare to supplement income after retirement, but didn’t expect it to happen so soon after my job elimination a couple weeks ago to merger after 29 years’ service with a company (37 total years in telecommunications industry), so am thinking about trying to nuisance trap until early social security in 4-1/2 years… Previously nuisance trapped as a sole proprietor to help folks out or favors and didn’t charge, although sometimes gained hunting privileges, but thinking now of actually getting incorporated…
If any nuisance trappers out there got time to send me a private message I can ask a couple questions about the business end, would be so much obliged… Thanks much…
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
and again
From: CJE
16-Feb-17
I trapped quite a bit in high school and in college and I set a few sets out here and there when time allows. Running a trap line is like having Christmas morning every morning. I will probably dive into it again when my son is old enough to tag along.
From: drycreek
16-Feb-17
I usually trap for coyotes every winter, but I haven't been able to this winter. Just got through with PT for shoulder issues and blew out my left knee a couple weeks ago so I can't get down on my knees to set traps. Woe is me ! I'll just have to shoot the suckers !
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
my first bobcat this year
From: flyingbrass
16-Feb-17
and my first fox from this year
From: Greg S
16-Feb-17
Trapped this giant B&C mole yesterday. One of the elite species to target with a trap IMO!
From: loesshillsarcher
16-Feb-17
Good Stuff Randy. I have only live trapped coons and released them elsewhere, however, I have always wanted to start getting more serious about trapping in general.
From: lineman21
16-Feb-17
Just put this one up the other day.
From: Bake
16-Feb-17
I loved trapping cats . . . . Wish I still had time for it.
From: Bake
16-Feb-17
I have no idea whatsoever where that second picture came from. It ain't mine, and I can't figure out how to delete it
From: boothill
16-Feb-17
Hey Bake where did you pull my picture up from? That was from many years ago. LOL
From: t-roy
16-Feb-17
I trapped coons, rats, and mink in the 70s in Iowa. I didn't target grinners, but caught plenty of those too! I didn't run a long line, just on the dredge ditch and the river near where I grew up. I absolutely loved it! I remember getting $7-9 each for rats, $25-40 for coon. That was really good money back then. It was like Christmas morning every day.
I keep threatening to get some coyote traps and target them after bow season. Maybe this next year.
From: Scooby-doo
16-Feb-17
I trapped a lot as a kid right into the 80"s then prices really took a hit. I remember rats going for 7 bucks and Coons up to 45 bucks. A large red fox would bring $75. When the prices went down I sold all my stuff. Tons of rats in the creek by my house but at a buck a piece they are hardly worth it. Scooby
From: jmiller
16-Feb-17
Fox
Fox
I run a short trapline every fall. My kids enjoy going with me, and I tan all my own fur to make into hats and earmuffs. It's almost as much fun as bowhunting!
From: jmiller
16-Feb-17
Raccoon
Raccoon
From: jmiller
16-Feb-17
Here's a raccoon fur bomber hat I made. The outside is raccoon, the inside flaps are cottontail, and the tie strings are brain tanned buckskin.
From: TSI
16-Feb-17
From: lawdy
16-Feb-17
Got a weasel this morning. Putting out beaver sets this weekend with my granddaughter. Both her and my wife trap with me. Hard trapping with 6 feet of snow in the woods.
From: lawdy
16-Feb-17
I should add that trapping is a life skill. We must pass it on to our kids, grandkids, and any young person interested.
From: krieger
16-Feb-17
Little monkey's first fox.
From: deerhaven
16-Feb-17
Great to see all the young ones out on the trap line. First words out of my granddaughter's mouth was the otter sure don't look as cute and cuddly as they do in the cartoons. We have to keep them grounded with reality no one in the media or in the schools seems to do it.
From: TSI
16-Feb-17
Snows no issue,
From: TSI
16-Feb-17
From: Wayne Helmick
16-Feb-17
I love trapping. Been doing it since I was a kid. Unfortunately I have a job and that makes it more like work and less like fun. I agree with all the "it's like Christmas morning" statements. That's how I feel about it. I think if you are trapping you should be on your line checking every morning right at daylight and that's really hard to do if you have to leave for work at 6:15 so I don't do it if I'm working. I'm finally gaining ground on vacation so I'm going to start taking a week or two off every Late November/early December to snare coyotes. That's my new favorite hobby.
From: RTJ1980
16-Feb-17
Great 3-part video series. I always wanted to trap, but never took the time to take the Trapper's Ed course that is required in WI. It was neat to see how you skin, flesh, and stretch the hides.
Randy, did the rats taste good because of the marinade, or do you think they would have been good without it?
Thanks for posting and taking the time to shoot and edit the video.
From: TSI
16-Feb-17
It's muskrat! Nuff said.lol
From: Big Fin
16-Feb-17
"Randy, did the rats taste good because of the marinade, or do you think they would have been good without it?"
I think they would have been good, even without the marinade. The hope was the marinade would make the lower legs a little more tender.
From: TSI
16-Feb-17
Just a couple tips on the rats skinning.Useing wire stretchers is standard so I found especially doing up a hundred plus rats a day it was easier to leave about two inches of tail skin on the pelt to attach the stretcher hooks on.fleshing is a 15 second job best done with a sharpened table spoon.Those overhanging grass banks are best with blind sets that way you get more rats and a few mink.120/110 coni works best and fewer refusals.
From: Z Barebow
16-Feb-17
I trapped when I was young. I would love to do it again. I often have said if I could no longer bowhunt, I would trap.
From: Keef
17-Feb-17
I got into trapping this year to control some of the egg eaters. Caught 67 coons, 7 possums and a bobcat. Now I'm hooked on it and plan to go after it hard this year. I think the turkeys and deer will thank me.
From: TSI
17-Feb-17
Russia buys most of the coons,better relations could soar fur prices.
From: lawdy
17-Feb-17
I remember getting 25 bucks for a coon unskun and $75 for a fox. Fisher and otter used to be over $100. A local furbuyer here is paying only $5 for beaver. I have some problem beaver to trap. At least they are excellant to eat.
From: Pete In Fairbanks
18-Feb-17
Grew up trapping. Spent a few years as president of the Alaska Trappers Assc. Did some time as the Alaska Director to National Trappers Assc. Was Conservation Director of Fur Takers of America for a bit in the 1980's. Wrote and edited Alaska Wolf Trapping Manual. Now that I spend a portion of each winter in the L-48, I'm back to trapping coyotes, fox and coon. Yup, I've done some trapping! Pete
Pete
From: midwest
18-Feb-17
Loved those videos, Randy! Brought back so many memories. Trapping is what brought me to bowhunting.
From: cnelk
22-Feb-17
Good stuff Randy! As you know, you and I grew up not far from each other 'Up North'.
Brings back great trapping memories for sure
From: lineman21
22-Feb-17
5 more off the boards last night.
From: TSI
22-Feb-17
Nice bellys
From: TravisScott
25-Feb-17
Here is the end of an Idaho line last year.
From: Lee
25-Feb-17
That is freakin impressive Travis!
From: midwest
26-Feb-17
Nice work, Travis!
From: t-roy
26-Feb-17
Very nice Travis! How many rats did you guys catch? Looks like a few hundred!
From: Gil67
26-Feb-17
Totally off subject but if you guys need cheering up listen to randys podcast with Fred Eichler and Kyle Lamb there's some predator talk , it's easy the funniest podcast I've listened too
From: AccMan
26-Feb-17
I trapped as a kid and young adult until my job took me to the city. The only trapping I have done in years is taking out nuisance yotes on hunt clubs. I am looking to move back to northern NC or southern Va where I can hopefully resume trapping. As much as I love bowhunting, seeing a yote dancing at the end of a chain just makes my day as I know I saved several fawns.
From: TravisScott
26-Feb-17
Thanks guys. T-Roy it's actually 960 rats believe it or not. Busy year but it was a good time with a good friend.
From: TravisScott
27-Feb-17
Thanks guys. T-Roy it's actually 960 rats believe it or not. Busy year but it was a good time with a good friend.
From: t-roy
27-Feb-17
Wow Travis! That's a pile for sure! Do you guys ship your finished fur to the auctions? Are the prices still depressed or are they getting better? Also, what is that pelt hanging just to the right of your fox? Badger or a bob-tailed coyote?
From: TravisScott
27-Feb-17
T-Roy the prices are still down quite a bit and we do ship our furs to NAFA. That craziness wasn't necessarily for the money as much as some neusance work for a particular stretch of river that was only about a mile long and that is where all those rats came from. There wasn't a piece of cat tail left and the banks were getting washed away pretty bad so the home owners asked us to do what we could. Surprisingly there was a lot of catching still happening when we called it quits. As for the fur that was a badger.
From: Mad Trapper
28-Feb-17
Bought my first truck with my fur check. Grew up during the 70's fur boom. Sold Pennsylvania red's for $90. The hard part was keeping people from stealing them. Caught 100's of rats every year before and after school. We don't have the rats that we used to. Paid part of my college tuition with my fur checks. Trapping made me a better hunter. Don't get to do it much anymore. No time.
From: Ursus a. Horribilis
28-Feb-17
I started trapping this year out of necessity. Squirrels took up residence in my attic. Flinging pellets and arrows at them wasn't having results so I bought a conibear 110 and a small leg hold trap. Took a lot of trial & error and experimenting but 16 squirrels later I think I've extirpated squirrels from my property. Used tree sets to avoid hurting dogs. Trap quality made a difference too. I'd love to try my hand at beavers and coyotes now.
From: mn_archer
11-Aug-17
ive been pretty fortunate to have trapped a bunch of stuff in a bunch of places. Every once in a while ill make a post on the community forum and share a few pics. Trapping has helped me learn more about wildlife than anything else ive done michael
From: Missouribreaks
11-Aug-17
Good luck to all trappers this fall, predator control needs more of you. I will always support trapping, and the people who choose to do it.
From: Smtn10PT
11-Aug-17
Not sure how I've missed this one. Always interested in a good trapping video!
From: midwest
11-Aug-17
Don't post your trapping pics on the CM, Michael....post them here!
From: Drahthaar
11-Aug-17
From: Drahthaar
11-Aug-17
Yep grew up trapping in 60's till late 80's . lent my traps to brother law got back a big pile of no good rust. Forrest
From: Jim B
11-Aug-17
1995,Montana
From: Jim B
11-Aug-17
1981,West Virginia
From: Jim B
11-Aug-17
2009,Montana
From: Jim B
11-Aug-17
Sorry,not my picture.Try again
From: Jim B
11-Aug-17
The lynx picture that says 2009,MT is not mine.I hope the owner will chime in.
From: t-roy
11-Aug-17
Wow, Jim B! That cat is a monster! Any specifics on him?
From: spike buck
12-Aug-17
NW Ontario. Snare line. Timberwolves.
NW Ontario. Snare line. Timberwolves.
From: Wv hillbilly
12-Aug-17
Ohio yotes
Ohio yotes
From: Missouribreaks
12-Aug-17
Congratulations on the trapping successes, good photos.
From: The GOAT
12-Aug-17
I too did my share of trapping as a kid but eating muskrat!!!!!! No thanks.
From: Jim B
13-Aug-17
t-roy,it was a big tom cat but the camera angle made it look way bigger.It was only 24 lbs but lean.It had been a hard Winter with deep snow.It was aged at 7 1/2 years.The hair was amazing.
From: shade mt
13-Aug-17
I ran a long line when I was younger.
From: r-man
13-Aug-17
Back in the late 70's and 80's I targeted Raccoon and fox , and the yote . Trapping and tracking taught me to pay attention to everything . I am a person whom seldom takes his eye off the ground . Now I just trap rats at a farmers barn for him .
From: Jim B
13-Aug-17
Nevada bobcat.
