Yes I was one of those young trappers just dying to get a few top secrets that would make me a trapper also I have all of Jim's books I think. I still have unopened bottles of his lure that have been stored in an old refrigerator and I think I still have a hand written letter from him that was from the mid 1980's Tom Miranda Carroll Black and Jim Helfrich where some of the great rappers of that time period And Charlie Dobbins also Lived in Ohio at least during some of that time period I think

Profitable Coyote Trapping

Profitable Bobcat Trapping

plus several others

I used to use his Spotted Death 330. It was an excellent gray fox and coon lure. Not sure who makes it now.

Met him and found him a soft spoken and personable guy. Things can go South in the business world, and go fast. Could happen to almost anyone.
Very good writer. Wrote some thought provoking articles.
Books: 2 on fox, 1 on coyote, 1 on cats and 1 on mink.

His ads on instructions were works of art. I was ready to sell everything I had, take instructions and travel the country trapping. The only thing holding me back is I did not want to divorce half my stuff.
Mac

I'm pretty sure I have a bottle of his lure out in the barn. But I couldn't tell you what is called. Also, I have one of his traps that has never been used.

Spotted Death was a legend here when we had a lot of red fox.It was so full of glands it didn't always pour out of the bottle.I used his other lure too but that Spotted Death was something else.I read a while back his 750 Wolfer models were well thought of in Alaska.

I'm pretty sure he had a "COON lure" MoJo ....We used to play the Doors song mojo rising as we drove to checked out traps...







,.,.

Does anyone know if the Helfrich lures that are being sold today are the same formula as when he made them?
I loved using his lures.

Well in looking back at my post I see that I called Jim Helfrich Carrol Black, Tom Miranda and Charlie Dobbins some of the great rappers of that time . That would be some thing to see.Those four sitting down and doing a rap song together.But than again they just might be able to pull it off

Not even close.

Jim was the editor of our Buckeye Trapper for several years, back when it was a fold and staple. I'd need to look at the mink book, but I'm pretty sure some of the pictures were ones we staged with a mink we caught by hand. Ran across the road in front of us at a small ditch, we bailed out of the truck and got it pinned in a grass clump, I distracted it while Jim grabbed it by the tip of the tail, then it made a serious stink and squeal. He and Blackie were good at keeping people entertained!

Could still sit on Charlies tailgate back then and talk while the people walked by.

Sterling Fur company still sells his lure, I think . Keith has bought about every worn out trapper's stuff that ever had any stuff to sell it seems, lol.

Grey Death was my favorite on our grey fox. Was talking to Kyle Kaatz when he was down trapping beaver, he as more fascinated with catching
a nutria than anything else, it was that ' never caught something' deal we all have even though they are worthless it was a new strange animal to him.

As we rode along in the boat talking about nutria of all things I mentioned to him helfrich use to make a coon lure called river rat that no nutria could
resist, he asked what was in it and I told him it smelled like cherry cough syrup which it might of been, lol. Kyle being Kyle the wheel's were turning and
next thing I know he's selling Cherry essence by the gallon, lol. That cherry stuff works pretty well on feral hogs for you hog men on here wanting to try
something new.

I used to use that for nutria too while I was a teen growing up in North La. You are right. It was a killer. Put it at a set and a nutria would be waiting in the morning guaranteed. That’s when we were getting $5 to $8 a piece for them.

His coon lure was masked death, mojo was a milligan lure. Funny thing probably both formulas came from same guy.

Ohh yes you are right Thanks wr ottis that was back in the 80's my memory is off.... haha

Jim Helfrich ,was to we high school trappers in 1980, a star. Had a lot of articles out then. I remember attending a meet and saw a table with nothing but a Helfrich lures and my buddy and I were impressed that they actually knew him. Things were all new and wonderful back then.....different times.

I really like his Red Death, Red & Grey and Masked Death - they worked really well for me and my family

Jim Helfrich And Charlie Dobbins were on the road giving instructions back In the day and they came to our District meeting. They both stayed over at my place that night.

So true trappers were the ones we looked up to and reading and rereading FFG , Trapper along with so many books.... Another name I recall is "Jack G Mel" he wrote some good trapping articles back in the day...

How about ole Bud Boda -he and my Dad were friends. I always thought the way he diagramed and described locations were excellent