Dad showed me the outdoors, spent a lot of time playing in woods or riding in the log skidder while he worked logging. Then when he took a job as a cop I have to credit my uncle Fred for teaching me trapping. Fred was and still is my coyote and coon guru.
Kenny kreshel taught me a lot about coyotes and cats too. Dennis vicars I have to credit for beaver and rats.
And for many years now, 1crazytrapper has kept me focused and back to roots on coyote and coon work. Same with Cougarw. Both on here from time to time.
God bless all of them and their patience with me, I know I haven't been the best pupil. I hope I can pass this all down to my boys too.
Jim

school of hard knock back then people made money they did not want to show you anything it was part of there yearly income [a major part]

great thread

I started out by finding 3 old traps in my dad's shed that he bought in a box of stuff at a household auction. I suppose I was about 9 or 10 years old. There was a #1 a #2 and a #3 Victor LS. I bet I set/set off those traps a million times before I convinced my dad to haul me out in the country to set them. He knew nothing about trapping. I made some pretty stupid sets and caught a couple rats and a coon the first year (a couple of weekends) I trapped. The second season, I was prepared! I bought the book "Trapping North American Fur-Bearers" by Hawbaker and a dozen #1 Victor Longsprings. I convinced my folks to let me ride my bike to a creek on the North side of town. I suspect that a 10 year old out by themselves on a bike would be unheard of now..? Anyway, I went through a lot of trial and error and every time I sold fur to my locol buyer (who lived just 2 blocks from me) I asked a ton of questions about what I was doing right/wrong. He helped me a lot. I ended up finishing fur for him in high school for a little extra cash. Mostly, the trapping part I learned through trial and error and reading books and Fur-Fish-Game magazine.

Not really sure how I got so addicted to this crazy sport. Parents divorced when I was 9 and no one in my family was a trapper. FFG was read from cover to cover numerous times, couldn't wait for the new issue to be put on the rack at the drug store. All my free time was spent either in the river or the timber along it. Still remember my first catch, a huge grinner that is still the largest one I have ever caught. Buyer gave me 4 dollars for it. Trapped into my 20's, then life got to busy with kids and all. Two years ago at the age of 56 i started back up. More obsessed than ever. I'm having a blast trapping coyotes, learning something new everyday.

Pretty much self taught. Picked up my fox trapping from a book called Space Age Fox Trapping, the book simplified everything. I received lot of good info from Art Scott on trapping and Lester Fitzgerald on fur handeling. No one in my family trapped.

how many guy's snuck a ear a corn and a couple 1 longs and snuck off into the woods to become the greatest chipmunk trapper to come through since Ian Woodcock???

Spent a bunch of time in principals office for being late(and other things) after checking our chipmunk traps.Trapper and Predator caller was all about "how to" years ago. Watched Kermit Stearns demos,had Charlie Dobbins give me several of his pans for my #4 double longs,and checked a bunch of empty traps-wouldn't trade it for the world! Our kids would go with me after work to check a section of a water line when my wife was at work. Years later my daughter would shock people in the DC/Balt area social work job she had when she would say that she carried muskrats and shot a gun. Thanks to all those "teachers"

This thread took me back to 1982,that winter is still very vivid in my mind.The year I took up interest in trapping,rushing to the school library each morning to see if the new Trapper and Predator Calling magazine was in and check out the old issues,buying my first 2 traps,Victor 1 1/2 long springs and stumbling around not knowing anything.The time when Ray Milligan lived just outside of town and hearing about his success.I was just a teenager with a passion to be a trapper but each year there after was a learning curve.I can still remember the articles in Fur Fish and Game and the pictures in those magazines.

Beaverman on here showed me how to trap beaver, I ran with him (carried his beaver) for a week and learned a lot in that time well worth the time spent!

My grandpa was a lumberjack/hunting guide from International Falls; he also happened to be one of the biggest poachers in Koochiching county at the time (had to put food on the table). After WWII he got a job with the state as a game warden. He loved hunting, fishing and trapping. He always had traps but other than some nuisance animal sets, and some poaching sets, he never taught me much about trapping.

My dad, as a kid, trapped muskrats primarily with some incidental mink and coon. Again, never really taught me much about trapping other than some rat sets.

I've been around traps my whole life, but other than nuisance animals (I never utilized the poaching sets) I never did much tapping until this past fall. The itch has always been there and I've always wanted to trap but I just never got going until this year. Now it's way more than an itch, I've got the full on fever.

Bob curtis an adc trapper and biologist in south dakota helped me the most on beaver snaring and my thinking on the topic. many yrs ago. He gave me the ability to make immediate profit on them. Who helped me the most? hmmmm. Been so many

My mother and father. There have been others, but My mother and father taught me a strong work ethic and were always supportive no matter what. They were the biggest factor in all that I have done and paramount in my children as well as my sisters children.

I'm with most of you my mother and father for bringing me up doing outdoor stuff gardening, hunting, fishing and of course trapping. Mr. Lenon from the time I asked him if he could make me a coyote trapper many years ago has always helped me in business and life. Those folks have and continue leave me grateful for the values they have taught me.

My Uncle Wayne when I was growing up(dad was away too much). Taught me to fish, garden. Went everywhere with him. he wasn't perfect(fought with the bottle for years and eventually beat it, only to die from brain cancer at the age of 48). Very gentle man except when he gave me Noogies (I hated them). He never married.Had his heart broken when a young lady backed out of marriage (started drinking thereafter) and he never tried to marry again. Man we used to surf fish all the time. When he passed, I put my sergeant strips on his chest, he was so proud of me. Rest in peace Uncle Wayne. Your nephew Dale (Sarge)

X2

Mousey trapper

College buddy got me started in '73... he quit in a few years and I've trapped every year since. I did take instruction from Dan Kroll from PA about 1980 for fox...

Fur fish game.

Grew up in a waterfowling family,that did not trap. Two of my cousins trapped. Got the bug from them. Set my first few traps at 8 years old and caught a couple coons before freeze up that year. Was hooked. Back in those days (mid 70's), I learned the most from publications that came out of Sutton Ne. Trapper and Predator caller and other paper back books. Over the years trial and error and the animals themselves have taught me how to be more efficient. What a wonderful sport...Every time I run my line, I feel like a young kid on Christmas morning.