I hope everyone is enjoying trapping season. I just wanted to ask everyone a question. Has anyone ever experienced a year where they don't catch as much as they did in previous years? This is my 4th year trapping and I'm not catching a ton. I caught more the year before than I have been this year. I feel like I've read so much more on trapping and gained more experience in this last year. I've been enjoying this year but it is getting slightly discouraging. Has anyone else ever experienced catching less than when they started? Thank you for reading.

Having a tough year here too, it's just one if those things I guess

Just keep trapping and do what worked in the past

It's like fishing or hunting.
There are those times when you just don't connect for some unknown reason...

You cant catch what aint there.

Things change year to year, weather is different, crops are different, moon is different.

X2 And this is why they call it trapping and not shopping. No guarantees!

Minker this will happen if you trap same places every year in my experience.
Try adding 25 to 40% more permission a each year to keep up catch rate.
Or let areas rest 2to 3 years and come back if you have that option.
Target only certain critters maybe.
But this a good year for not catching as much as the market is off.

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I guess I just wanted some reassurance that this happens occasionally with other trappers.

And I thought it was just me Crops came out real early this year and it's been colder than normal with snow 2 or 3 times already. I just keep at it and hope it turns around,

Our populations on rats and coon are way down and I will not catch what I normally do. Make the best of it and seek out more ground if possible.

Come trap the Jordan river with me in utah. The rats are out of control. Lol

This happens all the time. This season I am catching
Muskrats in places that I didn't last year due to high water and rain. By the same token some of my favorite locations have produced poorly or not at all. Marshes shift and vegetation that was in one place last year is gone. There is thin ice now so the telltale bubble trails make it a lot easier. As for other critters time will tell. This is why I trap.

All I hear is a bunch of trappers making excuses on why they arnt catching much few good solid answers most just excuses

I don't catch much because I suck at trapping...

I live on the edge of a city and I think I am the only guy trapping for many miles in any direction at my spot. If I dont have a good year its because I am doing something wrong. We're infested with Fox and Raccoon. The fox hang out in groups of 2-5. The deer are walking our streets every night, but I have no way to shoot them with anything without violating a law. So frustrating.