Where are some of the best areas to trap in ak? anywhere? I'm looking to move there to trap and would like to have some direction as to where I should heac

Might want to use the search button, this topic comes up every few weeks it seems. If all of those who inquire actually go, I'd be surprised if there's any ground left.

Looks like just outside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Just west of the Canadian border looks really empty. I suggest you go there. Must be good Martin country.

It depends on what species you want to trap. They don't all occur everywhere.

Have you trapped before ? How will you support yourself ? What about a place to live with jobs available nearby ? I think you might want to consider those things first

"smart enough that they realize the future of trapping depends in large part on bringing new trappers into the activity. "

Pretty quiet around here.

Do you have a canoe?

the real world

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Click on this link.

Ok I will bite. First how old are you. Second how much money do you have. And third what is your physical capability and any health problems. I am not being a smart $&@ just these questions will need to be answered to guid you to the promise land . And Fort Yukon is not the place for you . If you have ever been there your will know what I am talking about.

23 strong nothing holding me back, can come up with the money

A very accomplished and experienced trapper died 2 years ago. He trapped the Hogatza River country in NW alaska. His widow has sold their main camp to a mining company I hear. The trapper (his widow) has several other camps/cabins, all BLM permits. I suspect others are interested in the area but it is remote and above the arctic circle. Very short days in winter. Access almost exclusively by bush plane. He owned a plane which his widow also had for sale. Not sure if it sold.
The area was quite good marten country.
mt

It’s been filled. I contacted them with a couple questions after it was posted a few weeks ago.

MK, you said you can come up with “the money.” How much is that? Alaska is an expensive place. Measure it in tens of thousands $$. Are you planning on working to support yourself here, or saving up $20k to live off for a winter? What are you going to do in the summer?

Your best, most realistic course of action is to find a good job, of which there are many now, and more increasing in the next couple years. Get a job and a place to live, then start working on recreational opportunities, which is what trapping is going to be for a few years for you.

Alaska is a place for the hard-working young or the wealthy retired. It’s a crappy place to be lazy or poor.

Very few of us, if any, moved where we are just to trap. We live where we because of jobs, homes, family etc. Then we started trapping where we are. Some have remote lines we travel to, which is another option that also takes a lot of research and connections to find, and $$ to operate. I think I can safely say no one here makes their living strictly from trapping.

Did you ask them the big question:" Is anybody else trapping there?"

MT:
Do you have any knowledge of how to contact the widow? Being in the next drainage over, one or more of those camps could interest me and be very practical given my location. If you have any more information to share I'd enjoy a PM from you.

Mike

Mk:

I'll chime in... I came from the same state as you, it's a lot of work to just up and move up here without having any sort of a base to start out. Best idea is to move somewhere up here and have a decent job for awhile first. That will allow you to get residency, meet locals, explore/travel around as time/money permits, and get accustomed to the environment. Do you have any marketable skills for the job market? If you do that will give you an avenue to pursue. You could also go back to school at the U up here. I did that myself. I went back to school at UAF, graduated, got a job, and am now living/working in a more remote location. Just moving up can help open up a lot for you since you can only do so much by chatting online and research like this.

I'm also still working developing a line myself. My best advice is to get established somewhere and go from there with trying to trap. If I could just trap I would, but that is not feasible for most of us these days.

Good luck!

Thank you all, I have an uncle in Wasilla I could stay with until I find work. Experienced Construction worker. Probably end up trapping somewhere between Wasilla and talkeetna

That area has an awful lot of people crawling over it. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding work in the summer. Hope it works out for you