Excellent article by Major Boddicker in the May-June American Trapper. He talks about Ray Alcorn who was a predator control supervisor in Nevada with the US Dept of the Interior. He supervised about a dozen trappers. He kept detailed notes on various trapping methods, both his own and the men he supervised back in the 1940s. Boddicker makes the point multiple times about how these trappers, 77 years ago were using many of the same methods and equipment that is being used today.

Ray Alcorn's widow, Cappy gave Boddicker all of Ray's records, notebooks, reports and photos going back to 1924. Boddicker donated the majority of this collection to the Denver Public Library so it would be preserved and available to future trappers, predator hunters and wildlife researchers.

In the beginning of the article, Boddicker talks about passing on memories of trapping to younger trappers. Here is a partial quote: "Messages from back in time have a tendency to appear in an old man's memory as he sits reflecting on life towards the end of life, all that is left are family and memories. Things do not really matter any more."

I have always enjoyed Major Boddicker's writings and certainly it was very commendable of him to make the donation to the Denver Public Library. It would be worth a look if anyone gets in the area.

Sounds well worth checking out.

It's a good read, and I got the book on ray by major. Only half way on reading it.

Boddicker's book is even better "Coyote Man"....an encyclopedia on Ray and ADC work. Learned a ton and enjoyed reading it.

Right you are. Good book.
Mac

I enjoyed it too.

There's a good quote in it. "When you can't make the set look like the surrounding area, then make the surrounding area look like the set."

I wouldn't give up my signed copy!