Hey all! I'm new to trapping and new to the forum, so thanks for any advice in advance. I'm new to trapping and preparing for my first season this year. I'm looking to target beaver primarily and have been doing my research thoroughly as to what equipment to get, set ups, etc. I'm a lifelong hunter and fisherman of all species, and a wildlife biologist by trade with limited experience fox and raccoon trapping as a part of my job. I'm now located in the upstate of South Carolina, right next to the mountains.

But with no experience beaver trapping, I wanted to see if you guys had any advice or resources to help get me off my feet. I also wanted to see if you guys had any advice on finding areas to trap, as South Carolina does not allow trapping on WMA land, our primary source of public land. Thanks all, Mike.

Buy a couple of books I won’t tell you any specific as they are countless and no need to start a war here. Lol. Join your state, local organizations and attend all you can. Especially demos. Stay safe and enjoy.

Start lifting weights right now.

Archives are your friends

Learn how to sharpen a knife sharp enough to shave with and keep it that way. I use at least two knives when skinning beaver at home, I use one to take off the feet and tail (many people like to leave the tail on as a convenient handle to maneuver the beaver, find your own preference) and either it or a seperate knife to skin around the head where you are liable to nick bone, therefore keeping my main skinning knife razor sharp for clean skinning.

Join a state trapper organization.

YouTube has some great videos that can give you some ideas on how to handle different situations when trapping beaver. Much can depend upon what type of traps you want to use.
As far as finding places to trap, talk to your county road crew.
If they're having beaver problems, you can become there new best friend. Check out local maps to find potential locations, then start knocking on doors. Many times if you can remove problem beavers from one spot, the LO's will spread the word and you'll have more areas to trap in no time.

Always remember to anchor for an elephant.

Get some books to guide you. Lots of inexpensive books for sale on the trap shed. Also use the archives on here as info source too.

Local trapping group there would be a great resource too.

I like to talk with the local game wardens too. They've seen it all and most are willing to give good tips and advice.

Not allowing trapping on a wildlife management area is nonsense.

What county are you staying In? I might be able to get you In touch with someone who can help you.

If and when you learn to trap beaver that's all you have to do Is knock on doors and say you are a beaver trapper and you won't be able to trap all the ground that Is offered.
This Yankee spent 15 years In SC and never ran out of ground to trap.

I have a book coming in next week and hoping that will get me on the right track as far as sets, what to look for, etc. I'm going to start with talking to the local warden and seeing if he can point me in the right direction. Thanks for all the advice, can already feel this starting to become an addiction!

Beav, I sent you a private message! Thanks for the help.

To add another sharpening idea for your skinning knife get a good F. Dick steel get a hold of Horn on here he can set you up with one .
Take the time to learn clean skinning those flattails , and when your knife doesn't cut quite as well as it was get the steel out and gently touch up the edge in other words run the cutting edge across the steel so softly you can hardly feel the knife touching the steel. That's where many myself year's ago included made mistakes.

Then as mentioned above join your state trappers association the NTA and the FTA .

For beaver traps I'm a big fan of the 330 respect them when you're setting them and plan on joining the 330 Club in other words you'll catch yourself it's just a matter of time ha ha

330s conibears, Bridger #5 or mb750s for foot traps. Smaller foot traps will work, but you run the risk of pull outs. And there is nothing more frustrating than coming to a trap that once had a beaver or otter in it and no longer does because a bigger or better quality trap wasn't used.

Also very important, know your trapping laws for south Carolina. Some states a 330 has to be touching water, some states a 330 has to be completely submerged, and in others it can be on dry ground. Also there's different regulations pertaining to what size foot trap you can use.

For example, here in Illinois any conibear bigger than a 7x7 (280s and 330s) need to be in contact with water. The biggest foot trap we can use here is 7.5" and has to be completely submerged.

Welome to the adventure, warning its addictive LOL. Buy Charles Dobbins book , Open water beaver and otter. Money well spent. Most beaver are easy some not so much...

Well I think it is great that there is interest by anyone these days to become a trapper. If you want to jump start your education and shorten you learning curve there are many ways to achieve that.
In fact you are entering trapping at a time there is more education available than any time in the past.

There are a great many DVDs that are very useful and full of good information. There a lot of good books available. Buyer beware, there are also a crap ton of books and DVDs that would be best used for other matters than attempting to get smarter.

Youtube is a place that is much like the books and DVDs. You can find some excellent information or you can find a kid that hasn't yet grown peach fuzz on his chin telling you how to trap.

The Fur Takers Of America offer one of the best educations possible. They offer a a college that features outstanding teachers and they cover about every topic under the sun.
There are folks that offer personal or private instructions. Either of these two options will shoot you light years of the beginner status.

One thing to consider about any trade, profession, vocation or avocation. You are going to pay to become proficient. You will pay one way or the other.
You can chose to self educate by prospecting (an old school term that more modern trapper should be aware of), reading books, watching DVDs, watching Youtube and going out a spending time trapping.
To become good, unless you are the anomaly, you will pay. You will pay with time spent experimenting, finding some success, finding more failure, running into road blocks, getting discourage, losing money, sweat, blood and tears, sleepless nights, and so on. Trapping at its roots is very very simple. Getting to the point that it is very very simple, well, it is not so simple.

You can choose to go the route of learning from a pro or two. Is it costly? Oh heck yes. It is expensive most of the time. Is it worth it? Oh heck yes.

It is a very personal decision on how to proceed. I wish you the best of luck.
If you have any questions I would be more than happy to offer ups some advice.
Private mail me and I will help if I can.

There are some really good trappers on this forum that will be glad to assist you.

I have made some awesome friends and contacts that would not be possible without this and a very few other forums. If you look wisely there is a mountain of wisdom to be gained here.

I wish there was an easy answer to your question, but alas there is not.
Blessings

Mac

KIiss---Keep It Simple Stupid

Sign on as an 02 with an experienced trapper for 2 or 3 seasons.

Here's a link to an article on this subject.

trapping article

Here’s what helped shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your state trapping assn, Google it. ANd contact officers off their site and ask for a mentor to ride along with. MANY states have their own forums. Like here in NC. And TN has 2 and Va has 2 also and KY too. A mentor helps Learn trap prep and techniques and tricks and the laws in YOUR state regarding jaw spreads, shock springs, etc, etc. Laws vary a lot from state to state so BEWARE of FB and utube.you can be shown things that are illegal in your state!. 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, Dakotaline, Sterling Fur, FandT, PCS, Flemings, Northern Outdoors, Trap Shack, Schmitt enterprises, Southeastern outdoor supplies, JR & Sons, Grawes, 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 Easter 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.