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Lessons learned #5293134
11/30/15 10:38 PM
11/30/15 10:38 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
This going to be a thread that I hopefully will keep up with. But it is basically going to be a list of things I learned my first years trapping.
Feel free to add your own lessons if you want.

BTW- I snare, and I live in NJ, so majority of my post will be about snaring and winter conditions snow and ice. Hope this will still help you steel setters.

1. Set on frozen streams, as fox run them.
2. Don't bother with store bought meats for making sent trails.
3. Don't set conibears under ice without a good way to get them out.
4. It is hard to snare coon in areas with no known trails. (they like to wander)
5. Catch it, hang it to dry, skin, and freeze until ready to flesh.
6. The best way to make your own stuff such as wooden boards and snares is to buy a couple pro ones and copy it.
7. Alum tanning is the cheapest easy way to tan. If garment tanning, vegetable tan after alum tanning.
8. Remove ALL the meat from the hide while tanning.
9. If someone pays you to get rid of an animal, you get payed by the animal removed. Not by how many times you went out.
10. Know your area so you know what traps to buy.
11. Don't buy a fleshing knife for less than $30, unless you really are that broke. Even a lawn mower blade is better then a $10 knife.
12. Short fillet knifes are good skinning knives.
13. Trap before school.

To be continued...


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5293188
11/30/15 11:05 PM
11/30/15 11:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 311
Fredericksburg/luckenbach.TX
S
Sterling133 Offline
trapper
Sterling133  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 311
Fredericksburg/luckenbach.TX
If I may add.

•don't add blocking that will keep the trap from closing all the way.
• and KISS


Type one diabetic.

15 year old short liner of the hill country!

Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas...
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5301775
12/05/15 09:53 PM
12/05/15 09:53 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 234
modale Iowa
yamahajake Offline
trapper
yamahajake  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 234
modale Iowa
-Keep a spare change of dry cloths with you
-if 2 traps are good three is better
-box cutter with hook blades and straight blades are cheap and amazing
-always let someone know where you are going and how long you plan to be gone

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5303149
12/06/15 07:51 PM
12/06/15 07:51 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,849
northeast mississippi
T
TennTomTrapper Offline
trapper
TennTomTrapper  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,849
northeast mississippi
........"K.I.S.S.!!!!!!!!!"

........"Don't fry bacon with your shirt off!!"............Trust me!! grin


Celebrate today 'cuz tomorrow ain't no guarantee!!
.....Live each day to the fullest!!.....

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5303756
12/06/15 11:23 PM
12/06/15 11:23 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 110
Lincolnville,ks
C
Cooncatcher20 Offline
trapper
Cooncatcher20  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 110
Lincolnville,ks
If you are planning on running a spread out line you'll want a ride.

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5303792
12/06/15 11:39 PM
12/06/15 11:39 PM

H
Haggard
Unregistered
Haggard
Unregistered
H



Don't try to wrestle with a badger. They are very slippery.

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5304317
12/07/15 11:38 AM
12/07/15 11:38 AM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 515
North Central, Iowa
critter cuffer Offline
trapper
critter cuffer  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 515
North Central, Iowa
Water is wet and cold in the winter.


God Bless America
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5306071
12/08/15 11:48 AM
12/08/15 11:48 AM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 597
Ohio
Hunting G Offline
trapper
Hunting G  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2014
Posts: 597
Ohio

-don't get sick during trapping season
-invest in connabear setters
-box cutters work wonders
-if everything is frozen and snowy put your trap in the corner of a trash bag and put a dusting of light snow on top


-Lydia

What you do today matters. Pass it on
Always stay Humble and Kind
OSTA- NTA
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5306932
12/08/15 09:25 PM
12/08/15 09:25 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
- Hunter Girl, when I got sick I just sprung all my snares, the local officer said he was ok with that, otherwise find another trapper to check them
- mink love to check out abandon muskrat huts
- If your worried that some animal right activist going to give you a hard time- "What do you do?"... "I am a wildlife manager and technician."... "Oh, that sounds like a great job." Works every time.
- Spray paint conibears and lightly on snares
- wash hides in water before fleshing


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5322176
12/18/15 05:57 PM
12/18/15 05:57 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,399
wisconsin
cowboy2005 Offline
trapper
cowboy2005  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,399
wisconsin
-be careful when trapping squirrel you lose a 110 body grip.





Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5326450
12/21/15 02:12 PM
12/21/15 02:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3
Tennessee
A
addison1 Offline
trapper
addison1  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3
Tennessee
Depending on type of trap, try to make it look natural


Proverbs 3:5-6 JESUS SAVES. GO TO CHURCH.
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5347003
01/03/16 12:41 AM
01/03/16 12:41 AM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
-After removing the animal, check the catch circle for turds. Bring them to other sets for lure.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5347164
01/03/16 08:18 AM
01/03/16 08:18 AM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,969
alabama
H
hoho Offline
trapper
hoho  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,969
alabama
Originally Posted By: Forest
This going to be a thread that I hopefully will keep up with. But it is basically going to be a list of things I learned my first years trapping.
Feel free to add your own lessons if you want.

BTW- I snare, and I live in NJ, so majority of my post will be about snaring and winter conditions snow and ice. Hope this will still help you steel setters.

1. Set on frozen streams, as fox run them.
2. Don't bother with store bought meats for making sent trails.
3. Don't set conibears under ice without a good way to get them out.
4. It is hard to snare coon in areas with no known trails. (they like to wander)
5. Catch it, hang it to dry, skin, and freeze until ready to flesh.
6. The best way to make your own stuff such as wooden boards and snares is to buy a couple pro ones and copy it.
7. Alum tanning is the cheapest easy way to tan. If garment tanning, vegetable tan after alum tanning.
8. Remove ALL the meat from the hide while tanning.
9. If someone pays you to get rid of an animal, you get payed by the animal removed. Not by how many times you went out.
10. Know your area so you know what traps to buy.
11. Don't buy a fleshing knife for less than $30, unless you really are that broke. Even a lawn mower blade is better then a $10 knife.
12. Short fillet knifes are good skinning knives.
13. Trap before school.

To be continued...


Very nice learning curve..I charge $50-$70 each day I check however. Just depends on ones circumstances tho..


Hohos quality predator baits
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5355196
01/07/16 07:50 PM
01/07/16 07:50 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
Hoho, yeah, but when you stink because its your first years trapping, or the person doesn't really have an animal problem like they think, then they feel ripped off. Thats why I do the way I do. I guess if I was confident enough I'd do your way.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5355224
01/07/16 08:00 PM
01/07/16 08:00 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
- Camo your traps, from animals and PEOPLE!
- Know your laws, if someone messes with you or your traps, report them to the game warden. I had someone messing with my sets, but never found out who they were.
- Muskrat are not afraid to live right next to beaver. Another thing I learned the hard way.
- When setting snares, wrap the support wire around a stick stuck in the ground. It is more natural this way and blocks part of the trail. You can also use smaller wire.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5355242
01/07/16 08:10 PM
01/07/16 08:10 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
- another brilliant discovery- if you want a cheap way to label traps you can cut soda cans into strips. Experiment with pens to see what one shows up the best, be sure to press hard so it indents the metal. Poke a hole for wire. Only use this for traps that kill the animal. It can be attached to wooden stakes with tacks.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5397967
02/02/16 01:24 PM
02/02/16 01:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 22
Henderson Ky
A
AJ Osborne Offline
trapper
AJ Osborne  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 22
Henderson Ky
Never wire a dp to a short stump.

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5399429
02/03/16 11:45 AM
02/03/16 11:45 AM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 69
N.J
Watertrapper#110 Offline
trapper
Watertrapper#110  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 69
N.J
The only thing I really learned is that catching foxes is easy. lol. Oh, I did learn that vise-grips work wonders on stakes that are frozen in the ground.


Get it, Skin it, Flesh it, Pin it, The life of a trapper.
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5705837
11/20/16 08:26 PM
11/20/16 08:26 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 491
Adirondacks NY
Muskrat eat acorns!
Fur primeness is based on daylight not temperature. Just because it's a warm fall doesn't mean the fur is less prime than a cold fall.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5706019
11/20/16 10:38 PM
11/20/16 10:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,640
SE Nebraska
possumcatcher Offline
trapper
possumcatcher  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,640
SE Nebraska
Make sure conibear safteys are attached securely.
Don't put traps in a creek when you are going to get 3-4 in of rain

Last edited by possumcatcher; 11/20/16 10:38 PM.
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5706422
11/21/16 01:34 PM
11/21/16 01:34 PM
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 179
Pa
Alexia Offline
trapper
Alexia  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2016
Posts: 179
Pa
When trapping muskrats watch the weather. If you are trapping a pond and a big cold snap comes you may find some of your traps iced in for a long while. Ponds don't have currents so like water like that freezes before moving currents do. In my first year of trapping I had like about half my traps froze in our pond for about like a month till the ice got thin enough to bust to get them out.


You have a friend in Jesus.
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5706642
11/21/16 05:50 PM
11/21/16 05:50 PM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 69
N.J
Watertrapper#110 Offline
trapper
Watertrapper#110  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 69
N.J
always carry enough traps. A carpenters hatchet is one of the best tools to carry because its can hammer in stakes cut new stakes, and cut other things like saplings that are in the way, or ice. its a tool that i never go without.


Get it, Skin it, Flesh it, Pin it, The life of a trapper.
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5707588
11/22/16 10:55 AM
11/22/16 10:55 AM
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 10
Northeast Kansas
F
FoxTrapper2002 Offline
trapper
FoxTrapper2002  Offline
trapper
F

Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 10
Northeast Kansas
Keep your pistol holster clipped shut...... Learned that the hard way...

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5707679
11/22/16 12:09 PM
11/22/16 12:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 478
Tennessee, USA
J
Jon T Offline
trapper
Jon T  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 478
Tennessee, USA
Ouch:(



Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5710620
11/25/16 12:31 AM
11/25/16 12:31 AM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 597
Ohio
Hunting G Offline
trapper
Hunting G  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2014
Posts: 597
Ohio
Don't set off a #220 connibear with your hand...results in a fractured thumb


-Lydia

What you do today matters. Pass it on
Always stay Humble and Kind
OSTA- NTA
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Jon T] #5710798
11/25/16 09:31 AM
11/25/16 09:31 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 478
Tennessee, USA
J
Jon T Offline
trapper
Jon T  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 478
Tennessee, USA
Originally Posted By: Jon T
Ouch:(



Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #5711901
11/26/16 02:07 PM
11/26/16 02:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 191
Moira ny
T
trapperkyle12 Offline
trapper
trapperkyle12  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 191
Moira ny
-Make sure all your required gear is ready the night before you set.
-when trapping a creek during the spring don't slip
-make it separate packs one bag for water gear the other for land(organization is key)

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6172101
02/27/18 01:56 PM
02/27/18 01:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,640
SE Nebraska
possumcatcher Offline
trapper
possumcatcher  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,640
SE Nebraska
ttt
Anybody learn anything this year theyd like to share?
Heres a few to start it off
Always put salt on your sets, even if its only going to get close to freezing.
remake sets after snow, or make sure they are working
gang set, always chances for doubles or triples

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6173606
02/28/18 09:08 PM
02/28/18 09:08 PM
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 375
Pennsylvania
PA_K-9_Trapper Offline
trapper
PA_K-9_Trapper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 375
Pennsylvania
-Watch and take advantage of the weather
-Try to set as many traps as you can tend, if you have good locations to set them in
-Trapping early season has its advantages
-Put up your fur the day you catch it, it is better than freezing
-Always keep your sets operational before and after bad weather
-It's better to have your mink traps spread out on as many different cricks as possible, rather than setting all of your traps on a few streams
-The key to putting catching good numbers of fur is to have a system, be fast at set making, and set a lot of traps in good locations

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6173754
02/28/18 10:49 PM
02/28/18 10:49 PM
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 207
Alaska Mat-Su Valley
P
Plum Billy Offline
trapper
Plum Billy  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 207
Alaska Mat-Su Valley
When trapping in muskrat push-ups put the trap as far from the ceiling as you can get, eliminates clogged traps when sprung. Also smaller traps are better, even no. 0's work well.

Even if a road looks not traveled it still may be traveled once in a while. Set your traps off to the side so as to avoid catching said persons dog. whistle


Life is hard; but it is harder if you are stupid.

John Wayne
Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6173814
02/28/18 11:39 PM
02/28/18 11:39 PM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 308
Virginia
C
coontrapper2016 Offline
trapper
coontrapper2016  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 308
Virginia
The metal plates used to hold the rail section to the rail road ties make great drowning weight for beaver. I'm just guestimating, but 2 plates probably weigh at least a good 10-15lbs more than a cinder block, and take up a fraction of the space. Just spend some time walking along a rail road and you can probably pickup a half dozen or more that have come loose and are laying in the gravel without too much searching for free.

Also,cable is awesome. A drowning cable is so much nicer and easier than a drowning wire. It'll go through multiple catches and can be rolled and re rolled with out ever showing developing a single kink.

Investing in a pack basket is very much worth it. I used to carry all my beaver gear in an old ALICE surplus back pack. I got a beaver trapping basket, and can haul 8 330s, 2 220s, plus snaring stuff, lure and other tools, which is 3 times as much as I could carry before, and takes half the effort.

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6175178
03/02/18 09:39 AM
03/02/18 09:39 AM
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 375
Pennsylvania
PA_K-9_Trapper Offline
trapper
PA_K-9_Trapper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 375
Pennsylvania
I know a bunch of guys around here that use railroad plates to anchor their mink traps, myself included. I started using a cable with a piece of steel on each end. It works kind of like an earth anchor, you turn it sideways put it through your hole on your plate once or twice, then turn it sideways. Do the same with the swivel. It works pretty slick because you can stash your plates the day before, then come to set and connect in less than 30 seconds.

Re: Lessons learned [Re: Forest] #6212832
04/09/18 04:23 PM
04/09/18 04:23 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,409
Central/Western Texas
AuthorTrapper Offline
trapper
AuthorTrapper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,409
Central/Western Texas
Don't use sheep wool for an underall! Animals WILL dig it up!!

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