Had an interesting discussion this past weekend in Ohio at the OSTA convention that got me smiling -
Had a trapper ask me why some trappers seem to thumb their noses at any trapper that opens a lure business today? As if there is a "conflict" of interest or that the trapper is "trying to sell something". He said that trappers were the lure makers in eras gone by and we seem to hold them in very high esteem. Names like Stanley Hawbaker, OL Butcher, Charlie Dobbins, Herb Lenon. These guys were all trappers and they were all lure makers. But today the trapper went on to overview for me, there are those that rail about this and that when a trapper also sells lures or markets them? Why is that he asked me?

I smiled and told him that we IMO live in different times now. I grew up in an era when a store in the area or a man at a job who got a promotion at work were congratulated and talked up. But those days are gone.... libs have infected mind sets now. Those who succeed have done it by stepping on others you see and jealousy is the norm. I mean, who talks about a promotion at work anymore? So I told the trappers standing at my booth that any trapper who opens a lure business today is swimming upstream in a different current than in the days of Stanley Hawbaker. Now, internet and youtube experts tell others that actual trappers shouldn't be selling lures. Internet experts should be. They are the new experts in today's tech environment.

The more we talked about this subject the bigger the crowd got at my booth, until finally I told them all to please back away from the booth! It looked like a trapper was marketing stuff and some would get the wrong idea! We all had a good laugh!

Food for thought for sure.

very true,i ill be going with a newer luremaker this year that is fairly close to me and a good trapper.may be trying to break my own stigmatism.have learned enough about him to give him a try.

My brother and I at a convention years ago heard a guy nearby saying all real trappers make their own lure. I hid my bag of lures behind my brothers back as we walked away.

-this has nothing to do with "libs" and seems like pot-stirring to inject that

-according to legend trappers are more generous with info now than at any point in the past

-there are a lot of snake oil types that pop up with no experience to back up there product. Example: look up "English Mountain Lures." Dude just started trapping 2 years ago, the same year he opened a "lure" company. So it is natural for trappers to be skeptical until a track record is proven.

pcr2,

I'm crazy in that I prefer a lure maker to be a trapper
The more they trap, the more experience they have, and maybe, just maybe... that experience goes into the bottle they sell me!

Yea I seen that big crowd at your booth Mark. I thought you were giving out free samples there was so many people blocking the isle.

Back in the day when I started trapping you had to learn from family or a close friend or on your own because trappers didn't share like they do today. The old timers, were mostly known because they made their bones. Without all the technology we would hear who was putting up numbers, at least in a tri-state area and if they sold lure, we'd give it a go. My first was Hawbakers coon lure and of course Lenon's and Blackie was a local boy. I think why so many are skeptical today is because some of the newbie's have caught one yote or one coon and posted a video on youtube, and are self proclaimed pro's. I personally wouldn't buy lure from anyone that hasn't put up numbers. Due diligence is the key now, ain't like it was.

This is true times have changed and they are gonna keep changing and some people you will never please the proof is in where the paw lands. One thing that will never change is the greatest lure formulation there has ever been that a good map a understanding of animal travel behaviors and some foot work.

How many times have we seen that new trapper that caught a coon or fox that runs to his fridge looking for a few things to put together and become a lure maker! LOL Maybe that's what he was talking about? The fact is a lot of people will try to make a good lure but few will succeed in doing so.

The truth is people are looking for the great lures not just the good ones really. A lot of good lure out there that people are sifting through to find the best ones for their lines. IMO

Id rather use a lure from ANY luremaker than try my own. There has got to be some time/money invested in that. I even buy fish for bait rather than get my own unless someone dumps a bunch of fish off on me.

What???

Each year I personally face a decision. Do I buy from an established lure maker who has the reputation or from a newbie?
Maybe the new maker has better stuff. This year I’m doing both and see what works best for me.

I think it's the same with many things now days. Old timers we're self taught figured things out for them selves, or where lucky enough to apprenticed under someone. Now day young folks go to tec school or collage, and in case of say lure making. That school may well be here on t-man or some other internet site.
Then they come out want to be the manager or their own boss. Never have the hands on that old timers had. That don't mean they may not have good skills or good product. Just not the experience us old folks saw in past.

Mac

Spot on Mark, it's funny I build turkey calls, but not only that, I mount, study,photograph, practice calling everyday,draw turkeys,talk turkey with some of the nations best callmakers and hunters,build decoys,build calls and spend most of my free thought time trying to fuiger how to best kill birds,hunt spring and fall in a couple states,record turkeys in the woods,and generally spend 365 in physical practice or mental thought on killing turkeys, you'd thank I could sell a few calls. But in reality when I'm killing birds during yrs they can't, they just get jelious and won't buy or even use my calls if I gift them, but that's ok I don't like folks killing my tirkeys! It's for sure a different world!
I sure do get a lot of calls concerning what's going on with the birds in them off yrs though!!!!!
Colt

The only lure I make myself is Marten lure. Very easy to make and Marten are easy to draw in. I buy all my canine lure. That stuff is a science.

Like anything else, "The cream will always rise to the top!" that applies to the bigger and smaller lure makers, word of mouth being better then the printed words on a piece of paper most of the time.

Law Dog
I had a boss that thought he was gods gift to world because he had a Masters Degree..He liked to use the line about Cream Rising To Top..
My insulting reply to that was.
A Turd Will Float Too If You Put Enough Worthless Fiber In It..

LOL!

You might say we didn't get along to well

I thought lure was to lure in the trapper,lol.

Instant information has changed everything. In a nutshell, as described above, the world is full of internet cowboys. There is a how to video available for literally anything. So yes, I think we’re all lil more skeptical towards new companies, products, methods etc.

I think this is a sign of the times and I agree with Mark. Watch the news and see how people want to tear down someone who is successful. People used to say things like '' good job'' and congratulations'' when someone succeeded with something like the example of a promotion. If someone lands a great job why not be happy for them? I would say the people who are thumbing their noses at the people who try hard would be the ''higher fiber '' floaters. Let's all try to be good examples for our you people and include in positive mentoring. The liberals have been soaking our young peoples minds in their garbage in our schools for generations and now we are seeing it come to fruition. Hard work and taking chances doesn't always equal success but at least there are people who try. Keep up the good work.