Let’s go trapping
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: Lewis
11-Jan-23
All right deer season has ended and we’re blessed with our larder packed with some great venison.A very nice 10 point filled it nicely.Now we start trapping this is the first year I’ll be staying in Tennessee for most of the winter as my wife’s mother is battling Alzheimer’s.So if I haven’t lost my touch I hope to post some pictures I really want that black yote,wish us luck.Good luck Lewis
From: deerhunter72
11-Jan-23
I always enjoy trapping threads! Good luck Lewis!
From: ahunter76
11-Jan-23
Good Luck. When a kid & a very poor one at that I trapped. I think from the time I was in 7th8th grade until leaving high school & joining the Navy. I walked to the canal about a mile from my home & ran traps from 1 bridge to the other, crossed & ran the other side back. About a 3 mile run total. So roughly 5 miles from home & back. I did this AM b/4 school & PM after school. Mostly Muskrats but an occasional Mink. Unskinned .75 cents. skinned & stretched $1.25.. That helped me, my siblings & the best Mom in the world raising 4 kids alone AND my archery habit . Wishing you a successful season..
From: Lewis
11-Jan-23
Great story Abhunter and kudos to you.Trapping kinda reminds me of Christmas can’t wait to check under the tree to see what you were blessed with.Good Luck all Lewis
From: Basil
11-Jan-23
Trapping is an awesome way to learn the outdoors. Started out snaring rabbits & trapping weasels. Flying squirrels were a bonus. Amazing little creatures. Was awesome when I could finally drive & catch beaver, fox , coyote, fisher & Martin. Dad would just cut me loose as a kid. Free to roam for miles with a 22 & a pack basket full of traps. Most kids these days don’t have that freedom.
From: Wv hillbilly
11-Jan-23
Good luck! Thanks for taking the time to share.
From: Lewis
12-Jan-23
Nothing under the tree this morning did have two sprung traps with some hair looked like cat hair. Big storm system moved in bringing everything wind,thunderstorms and tornado warnings we got out just in the nick of time.I’m sure we’ll be resetting traps tomorrow.Good luck Lewis
From: t-roy
12-Jan-23
Basil…..interested to know why flying squirrels were a bonus. Could you sell them, as well? Did you target them, or were they just incidental catches? They’re fairly rare here in my part of Iowa, but we have a family of them that work over our bird feeder over pretty hard, at night. They kinda remind me of a chinchilla.
Agreed, Lewis. Every morning checking traps was definitely just like Christmas. Pulling trail cam cards is not quite as exciting, but it is kinda similar.
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
Remember the 1st fox I ever caught like yesterday. Was in a figure 4 deadfall just like you would see in Fur Fish & Game or a trapping book. Trap tripped & the rock fell on it but the fox wasn’t there. So I followed its tracks in the snow & found it about 100 yards up the creek. Was a great thrill for a boy if that age!
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
Sorry for the double posts. Ice fishing & typing on a cell phone don’t mix ;)
From: Lewis
12-Jan-23
lol Basil some are good enough to read twice Lewis
From: sundowner
12-Jan-23
We've had hard freezing weather and now rain storms. Difficult to trap in either. We're trying wax dirt for the first time, and making it ourselves. It seems to help repel water on flat sets so they can't freeze up. Not much luck so far though. A couple of coins and possums. The MB 550 offset trap is excellent! Fast!
Have ya'll tried wax dirt? Any tricks to it?
From: t-roy
12-Jan-23
Don’t drop your phone down the hole, Basil! ;-)
Did you case skin them, like muskrats, etc? What price did the fur buyer give you for them?
From: redneck hunter
12-Jan-23
12 possums, 8 coons, and 1 skunk so far off 94 acres in 7 weeks. No wonder our turkeys are suffering.
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
Don’t think I ever sold a flying squirrel. Some were case skun on weasel boards others skun open & dried on the garage wall. That trapping was just for the pure joy of it as a kid. Any animal I could catch was exciting! Did run some pretty profitable 2-300 trap lines in the early ‘80s. Funded my college a couple years. Sold red squirrel tails to Mepps a couple times.
From: Whocares
12-Jan-23
An old buddy of mine has an ermine skinned out like a bear rug with the teeth showing hanging on his wall. Little kids ask what it is and he says a baby polar bear! They are wowed!
From: cnelk
12-Jan-23
I caught a few flying squirrels up in N Minn. They have really soft fur. Also trapped beaver, mink, otter, weasel, but the big money was fisher back in the 80s
From: Basil
12-Jan-23
Ermine was the fashion in the depression. My buddies grandpa was a commercial fishermen on Lake Superior. His winter weasel line made him great money. $2:50-$5.00 per pelt was huge money in those times.
From: Whocares
12-Jan-23
Yes Brad. I got $350 for 1 female fisher in the 90s on the Canadian auction. That was exciting. Sold lots of mink there. Of course I couldn't keep it a secret from my bride!
From: cnelk
12-Jan-23
1984 - lol
From: t-roy
12-Jan-23
Ermine (weasels) are kinda rare here. I’ve only seen 4 of them over the years, and have never caught one. I bought these at the Alaskan Trappers Assn. auction at the Fur Rondy in Anchorage. They were caught and tanned by a youngster running his first ever trap line, that year. The smile on his face when I bought them, was priceless!
The traps hanging, were my dad’s (my brother and I used them, as well) a couple of the books on the shelf, were also his. The board came from the original barn on the homestead that my great grandfather built in the late 1800s. A cousin who lives on the original homestead, tore the barn down several years ago, and found a couple of boards, that my grandfather and his brothers had carved their initials into. You can see my grandpa’s “HW” initials near the top of the board.
From: Mad Trapper
13-Jan-23
Very nice Troy! I would like to get up to that auction sometime. I hunted with a guy who was a past president of the Alaskan trappers awhile back.
From: Basil
13-Jan-23
Special little piece of family history there T-roy
From: Wv hillbilly
13-Jan-23
That’s awesome troy!
From: Lewis
13-Jan-23
Cool picture t-roy I’m glad you shared I see Vic Dunawways book in the stack he was a very good friend of mine and just a great man.His control of the English language was off the charts and btw he was a very good fisherman Good luck Lewis
From: t-roy
13-Jan-23
Thanks guys.
Very cool, Lewis! That was my brother’s book. He lived in Florida for quite awhile, and loved saltwater fishing. He passed away several years ago, so it’s kind of in memory of him.
Tom….you definitely need to go! It was a blast, and very interesting to me. If you participate in the Running of the Reindeer, leave your Speedos at home :-)
From: t-roy
13-Jan-23
Science of Trapping, by E Kreps. Copyright 1935. I wonder what the significance is of the swastikas in the upper left corner on the book?
From: BwanaND
13-Jan-23
Can't wait to hear more reports on what folks are catching this season as I truly miss those days.
I too trapped as a kid and like ahunter76, had to run my lines before school. Getting up between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM every morning to run the line, getting back and going to school all day, and then having basketball practice after school meant that after about 2 weeks my body would just crash usually requiring a full day of sleep to get back on track.
I eagerly awaited each month's edition of Fur-Fish-Game and in fact, still have many of them squirreled away for safe keeping.
Red fox and coon were the primary targets along with a badger now and then, but invariably there were plenty of skunks encountered along the way as well as an occasional mink or weasel but those were rare.
Oh the memories!
From: BwanaND
13-Jan-23
Can't wait to hear more reports on what folks are catching this season as I truly miss those days.
I too trapped as a kid and like ahunter76, had to run my lines before school. Getting up between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM every morning to run the line, getting back and going to school all day, and then having basketball practice after school meant that after about 2 weeks my body would just crash usually requiring a full day of sleep to get back on track.
I eagerly awaited each month's edition of Fur-Fish-Game and in fact, still have many of them squirreled away for safe keeping.
Red fox and coon were the primary targets along with a badger now and then, but invariably there were plenty of skunks encountered along the way as well as an occasional mink or weasel but those were rare.
Oh the memories!
From: Lewis
13-Jan-23
Not a bad day considering weather
From: Lewis
13-Jan-23
Another
From: Lewis
13-Jan-23
Double about 25 feet apart Good Luck Lewis
From: midwest
13-Jan-23
Atta buddy Lewis!
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
13-Jan-23
Awesome Lewis!!!
Troy that is awesome! Great momentos there!
From: Screwball
13-Jan-23
You running NO BS Extremes? I love them myself?
From: Lewis
13-Jan-23
I see you noticed all I can say is they don’t play I really like them and they are made in the USA Good Luck Lewis
From: Lewis
14-Jan-23
Another bites the dust but of all things I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia today first time that ever happened I’m on antibiotics and steroids so we shall see .Still hoping the black one makes a mistake Good Luck Lewis
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
14-Jan-23
Get better fast Lewis! We’ll keep you in our prayers tonight for a quick recovery!
From: Screwball
14-Jan-23
Get well getting ready to fill a couple otter tags soon here. Kendall and his traps are incredible. Never have I had a pull out, toe catch, or miss.
From: Lewis
15-Jan-23
Another one got caught turkeys will like this at full disclosure I didn’t go with my trapping buddy to check the traps I’m going to be cautious until I get over this pneumonia Good Luck Lewis
From: Lewis
15-Jan-23
Another picture
From: t-roy
15-Jan-23
Hope you get feeling better soon, Lewis! Cool kitty pic!
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
15-Jan-23
That’s a meannnn kitty
From: sundowner
15-Jan-23
My dad always said, abobcat is like a "window fan with razor blades".
Trying to release one from a leghold trap is quite an adventure.
From: t-roy
15-Jan-23
I’ve seen a couple of YouTube videos of how “NOT” to release a bobcat….
From: Catscratch
15-Jan-23
Catscratch's Link
Hope ya get feeling better soon! Here's a cat I released a yr ago. Just through your coat ot coveralls on them. Tame as a kitten!
https://youtu.be/pobEfXvaiJY
From: Corax_latrans
15-Jan-23
“Trying to release one from a leghold trap is quite an adventure.”
I was just wondering about that! They are protected here, but I don’t know if it’s at all common to catch one, if you are setting for coyotes in the first place… Don’t think that sounds like as much fun as it might have 30 years ago….
“I wonder what the significance is of the swastikas in the upper left corner on the book?”
It’s my understanding that that is a symbol that has shown up all over the world for many centuries, and has great significance in many places; so it’s a shame that it was appropriated as it was….
Anyway, I think chances are really good that those have nothing to do with the modern associations….
From: Brian M.
15-Jan-23
Corax, I was never lucky enough to trap one, but most of the trappers I know have released a few. I'm tempted to start coyote trapping again just to try and catch a cat. I think it's the only animal in CT that I haven't caught. (Except bear of course). I even poked a porcupine with a stick once, considered it a kill.
From: Zbone
16-Jan-23
cnelk - Yes their fur is really, really soft, had them as pets, but why trap flying squirrels, they're not worth anything are they? They're no bigger than a chipmunk...
Been receiving Fur-Fish-Game for years, best magazine out there, the February 2023 with an otter on the cover just arrived the other day...
From: Lewis
16-Jan-23
Cool release Catscratch thanks for sharing Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
16-Jan-23
Cool release Catscratch thanks for sharing Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
16-Jan-23
Nothing today to report oh well Lewis
From: Basil
16-Jan-23
That was the puzzling part of trapping. Some days nothing moved & other days your traps were full. Kinda like hunting. Some days you get chicken other days feathers.
From: Mike B
17-Jan-23
I released a few bobcats back in the day...use a snare pole (for control, not choking) and pull their head to the ground. Stand on the snare pole and remove the trap, then release the cat.
Want something hard to release? Try a porcupine...:)
From: Lewis
18-Jan-23
Back at it turkeys won’t miss this guy
From: Lewis
18-Jan-23
Good looking yote oh well
From: Lewis
18-Jan-23
Real nice coat
From: t-roy
18-Jan-23
Pretty yote, Lewis! That would be a nice one to tan and hang on the wall.
From: Lewis
18-Jan-23
T Roy that will probably be the case he is a good looking yote I still really want that big black one I have on camera Good Luck Lewis
From: deerhunter72
19-Jan-23
That's a beautiful yote Lewis! Congratulations on your success so far! Hope you are over your pneumonia.
t-roy, I really like your trap display on the old barn board. Great looking and a great piece of family history. I've got a couple of traps hanging in my game room that are electroplated gold. They look cool, but don't have any real history to me. My dad was a trapper in the late 70's and early 80's when the money was good. I always loved to see what he had hanging from his workbench. I wish I had a couple of his traps today. I'll never forget the day he sold all of them to a friend for $100. That was the first time I ever saw a hundred-dollar bill and it seemed like a fortune. That guy got a real bargain that day.
From: Lewis
19-Jan-23
Nothing to report today but we did have a big storm blow through last night Good luck all Lewis
From: jmiller
20-Jan-23
Beaver blanket
Beaver blanket
Coyote mittens
Coyote mittens
Coyote bomber with leather bill
Coyote bomber with leather bill
My snares have been empty, as we have had a few weeks of warmish January weather. I'm not complaining as I've been busy sewing up fur the last two months.
From: Lewis
20-Jan-23
Great looking stuff there never have gotten into that but it is appealing I bet a bow case or a gun case would be cool ?? thanks for sharing Lewis
From: Lewis
20-Jan-23
Oh nothing but 3 sprung traps oh well Lewis
From: Lewis
21-Jan-23
Another slow day but we have a front coming so maybe it’ll get them moving Good Luck Lewis
From: Arrowsmith
21-Jan-23
With your permission Lewis, our contribution to "Let's go trapping". 2 checks at the cabin. 6 beav, 3 mink, and a few rats. Beaver on left was almost black. Arrowsmith
From: TMac
22-Jan-23
Nice haul arrowsmith
From: Lewis
22-Jan-23
Arrowsmith bring it on your posts are certainly welcome I have a very good friend whose last name is Arrowsmith Good luck Lewis
From: jmiller
22-Jan-23
Snare line finally connected after three weeks
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Conibear in great spot.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Some rats
Some rats
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Dirty 3 leged Yote. Farmer was very happy. Barn cats gone missing.
Dirty 3 leged Yote. Farmer was very happy. Barn cats gone missing.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Let's not forget This is bowsite! This weeks 3D league. Getting my trapping partner into 3D to increase his skill level. Hes coming along nicely. Lol
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Partner had a mink chewing on a caught muskrat and let him get to 10 feet before running off. Made rock cubby with here, but so far mink has been no show
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Yesterday's league shoot.
Yesterday's league shoot.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Partner, Jay "Stinky Minky" in pursuit of his favorite animal to trap.
Partner, Jay "Stinky Minky" in pursuit of his favorite animal to trap.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Another nice buck mink.
Another nice buck mink.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
We catch em in small trickles sometimes.
We catch em in small trickles sometimes.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
Excellent mink and rat spot in this drainage to a swamp. I generally put three 150 conibears spaced 6 ft. apart in this run.
Excellent mink and rat spot in this drainage to a swamp. I generally put three 150 conibears spaced 6 ft. apart in this run.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
A few more.
A few more.
From: Arrowsmith
22-Jan-23
And because I'm in Buffalo New York, LETS GO BUFFALO!!!
And because I'm in Buffalo New York, LETS GO BUFFALO!!!
From: Zbone
22-Jan-23
Way cool pelts Jeff, where'd/how'd you learn how to sew fur?
From: jmiller
22-Jan-23
Zbone trial and error, articles and youtube. I used patterns for fleece sewing and made them work for fur. It's quite rewarding to turn tanned pelts into usable garments. Fur is so amazing!
From: Coop
22-Jan-23
Awesome thread. Brings so many memories back when I trapped through High School. Fur prices were awesome in the 70's. Thanks to everyone posting pics.
From: Gun
22-Jan-23
My first year trapping Coyotes after taking the Alberta trapping course (required) and getting my first license. These were snared on three farms I hunted. Instant increase of deer the next season. You will never shoot enough of them to make a difference.
From: Gun
22-Jan-23
From: Gun
22-Jan-23
Fun getting this one loose. Frozen solid.
From: Gun
22-Jan-23
have no clue where that came from LOL
From: Zbone
22-Jan-23
Right on Jeff.... Well done...
From: Lewis
25-Jan-23
Nothing to speak of the last couple of days but this weather has been surreal heavy rain last night and this morning plus wind gusts around 40 Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
28-Jan-23
Caught a little break in the weather but I’m still not completely over the pneumonia mess but doing better got this guy today nice yote
From: Lewis
28-Jan-23
Another
From: Lewis
28-Jan-23
He has some chompers
From: jmiller
29-Jan-23
After a red fox last week on the snare line, a coyote this week. Mile long snowshoe hike in below zero temps was worth it
From: jordanathome
29-Jan-23
Nice
From: Buckdeer
30-Jan-23
Beaver pond dried up in last years drought so it's been 14 coons so far.I like using the revolving cage traps for muskrat. Caught 6 in 1 box in 1 night.
From: Lewis
30-Jan-23
Buck I am not familiar with that trap sounds pretty cool ?? Lewis
From: tobywon
30-Jan-23
Went for a hike yesterday and saw plenty of sign. No trapping allowed here.
From: Medicinemann
30-Jan-23
What does a revolving cage trap look like?
From: Lewis
30-Jan-23
Pretty cool looking yote Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
30-Jan-23
Another view
From: Brian M.
30-Jan-23
Medicineman, I think he meant repeating, not revolving. Aka, colony trap.
From: Lewis
31-Jan-23
Bad weather and worse coming looks like we might be in an ice storm yuck nothing much in the traps this morning but one nest robber.Good Luck Lewis
From: t-roy
31-Jan-23
Nice grinner, Lewis! ;-)
From: Lewis
02-Feb-23
More rain and ice this is getting old but we’ll keep trying Good luck Lewis
From: Missouribreaks
02-Feb-23
Nice job trappers!
From: Gunny
02-Feb-23
Not trapping but shot this guy this morning sneaking around my barns. Turkey and pheasant will be happy.
From: Turpie
02-Feb-23
From: Turpie
02-Feb-23
From: Lewis
03-Feb-23
Finally sunshine got another big male kinda interesting most of our yotes have black tipped tails of course we have a few black yotes that keep eluding my sets but we shall see Good Luck Lewis
From: Lewis
04-Feb-23
Uneventful day here but reset and put in a new line this sunshine is great ??
From: Lewis
07-Feb-23
Decent yote today
From: Lewis
07-Feb-23
He made a circle good luck Lewis
From: Altitude Sickness
08-Feb-23
Jeff, your hat came in handy last Friday. River fishing up north. Single digits on the River. Used your beaver mittens too until I had to real one in.
From: Altitude Sickness
08-Feb-23
From: Buckdeer
08-Feb-23
Yes that is what I meant ,a colony trap just set with door in front of entrance to bank hole and stake it down
From: jmiller
08-Feb-23
Altitude Sickness that looks like loads of fun!
From: Altitude Sickness
08-Feb-23
Come on over Jeff. These were all Natural born rainbows (steelhead) end of March beginning of April, the spring run is on.
We saw a couple beav’s on the shore also. I think my mittens attracted them :>))
From: Lewis
09-Feb-23
Got another big male this morning he went up a fallen tree and tore the trunk up plus scratched up a big rock pretty impressive considering while pulling a big drag Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
09-Feb-23
Another he hadn’t missed any meals Lewis
From: Lewis
09-Feb-23
Took a little time for some cold water bream fishing ?? yum ?? Good luck y’all Lewis
From: jmiller
10-Feb-23
I'm lucky my full time job is in the conservation field. I spend a lot of time in the winter doing education and outreach presentations. Not only does it give people a first hand chance to see wild animal pelts up close it also allows them to learn about sustainable harvest of wild game as well.
From: Lewis
11-Feb-23
Black one down just down the road Nice looking yote Good luck Lewis
From: Lewis
13-Feb-23
Cat time good luck all Lewis
From: Jeff Durnell
14-Feb-23
Nice thread.
My brother sent me this picture yesterday.
From: flyingbrass
14-Feb-23
Arkansas catch
From: Florida Mike
14-Feb-23
Its been a few years since I posted anything on BS but I forgot how much I enjoy these trapping posts. We could sure use some Raccoon, Bobcat, Opossum, Coyote trapping here in North Florida. Goodluck trappers!
From: Lewis
14-Feb-23
Hoping to see this in a trap I think whatever it is lol Good luck Lewis
From: AccMan
14-Feb-23
I just finished day 6 of checks on a 100 acre farm I deer and turkey hunt. In six nights I caught 27 raccoons, 1 possum, 1 beaver, and one otter. This should help the turkey nesting this year.
From: Lewis
15-Feb-23
Good job AccMan it does help a lot Good luck Lewis
From: Arrowsmith
15-Feb-23
Fox and raccoon this week, but I wanted this big boy.
From: AccMan
15-Feb-23
I just finished day 6 of checks on a 100 acre farm I deer and turkey hunt. In six nights I caught 27 raccoons, 1 possum, 1 beaver, and one otter. This should help the turkey nesting this year.
From: Lewis
27-Feb-23
Historically February is a sloooow but this yote showed up Good luck Lewis
From: redneck hunter
28-Feb-23
Pulling traps today on 100 acres of hardwoods. Just putting coon traps along the main ridge that runs thru the property.
So far have taken 16 coon, 7 possums and 2 skunks in 14 days with 10 traps. Owner says turkey are really scarce compared to 10 years ago. Wonder why?
AccMan, I thought my catch total was high on 100 acres.
From: Dale06
28-Feb-23
Great job Redneck.
From: Lewis
28-Feb-23
Again great job guys you will notice a big difference in the amount of turkeys you see. I read a report taken from the state of Mo on 52000 acres and the amount of nests that are robbed is crazy.Their study shows 1.5 raccoons per acre.Keep on keeping on.Good luck Lewis
From: Buckdeer
28-Feb-23
Have a buddy that was at 72 cats this year last week and was still trapping since they extended season here
From: Lewis
02-Mar-23
This morning’s kitty he was not happy Good luck Lewis
