Any recommendations on good books for a beginner trapper to read? Been looking at buying the "Trapping North American Furbearers" book by Stanley Hawbaker. Thoughts?

When I started I bought Dobbins dirthole and flatset books and also Mark Junes book
J

I looked through this book many times...

Having collected trapping books, magazines and paper for well over 20 years, I suggest you buy a good video from a western trapper. Join the MTA. if you must by a book to learn from Garold Weiland's books are reasonably priced with good photos. There are some other western writers that are excellent also. TNAF is a great book but a picture is worth a thousand word and TNAF lacks in this area (it like shoving 10 lbs of old ice cream into a pint container, your gonna miss alot) Dobbins books are fantastic and should be in your library, the pictures are not of the west but they do get the point across in a very effective way. Most books that were written are not like the Dobbins Books, in your case in MT, the K-9 books will fit your need. So for 20-30 dollars you can do well, if you watch the Trapper Shed here you will see some excellent used copies that will get you started. There will be some flack on this but when you lay 60-70 books side by side you see many flaws, in staking, drags, photos, western vs eastern methods.... it goes on and on. R.C. Smith has an excellent coyote book that is seldom referenced, he is spot on with his AZ amd MT comments and observations. O' Gormans Hoof Beats is a classic but may be a little complex for a beginner.. Slims Bobcat Book is the absolute best cat book I ever read along with Mel Hersherg Cat Book. Get a video first and learn to bed a trap and fasten it correctly. Use this web site to talk to real time pro's, this site is worth countless books and the trappers that post here are some of the best, use them. Good luck.

Hawbaker's book is a classic and would not discourage you from buying it. But it is very very old school, and mostly line drawings. Pictures really help someone starting out.

A lot would depend on what you intend to trap.
For set making of various sets for canines it would be tough to beat Charles Dobbins book on land trapping. He also has a very good book on mink and an excellent book on beaver/otter.\

Most books including the ones mentioned skip a very important part of trapping, which is trap treatment.
It is an old fashioned approach but I like Russ Carman's books on fox and on coyote. If you can get his book titled professional fox trapping, it is worth the hunt.
Not only good information on trapping but it throughly covers trap treatment.

For canines it would be worth you hunting up Garlod Weiland's fox and coyote books. Great pictures on set locations.
Good solid information.

(Note: there are lots of ways to treat traps but not many books that go into detail. There is fuel based cold dip, water based cold dip, paint dip, Full Metal Jacket, and some darn good guys do not do a thing to their traps. I think I like dye, and sometimes dye and wax the best. I like paint on my water traps and fisher traps)

Bob Noonan has a nice little DVD on treating canine traps by dying and waxing. I thought it would be a good thing for beginners. (To my knowledge there is no book strictly dedicated to trap treatment)

Mike Marsyada (sp) has some nice little books on most species.

If mink is your target, Don Powell has a great book on mink. Ardell Grawe, Red O'Hearn, Bud Hall, all have good mink books. Phil Presjak wrote a great mink book that can still be found.
Lot of good mink books and lots more poor ones.


Probably lots of other good ones I have forgot.
Good luck

This is the one I started with.

Here’s what helped shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your state trapping assn, Google it. Then contact officers off their site and ask for a mentor to ride along with, ask questions, learn. This gets you in the info loop of FREE trappers ed classes and meets and fur sales/pick ups, and conventions. Then attend ALL YOU CAN, this shows folks you are serious and will be a good student. It sure helped open many doors for me and it could for you as well. ALSO, get several different trapping supply catalogs, like MTP, Sterling Fur, FandT, PCS, Schmitt enterprises, Southeastern outdoor supplies, rpoutdoors, etc etc, THEN circle gear you need, and give the catalogs to loved ones to buy your Birthday and Christmas and July 4 and Anniversary gifts. Explain to them, you want their money to go towards what you will use and need, as opposed to another sweater hanging in your closet. WORKS GREAT in our family.

Buy Dobbins' Land Sets and Trapping Techniques.

You wont be sorry.

I've read several books and the one that did me the most good was June's. As far as learning to make the actual set I'd recommend Ed Schneider's YouTube videos th. Ive also heard good things about his books but haven't read them yet.