Hey all, just curious how long everyone’s been trapping and how long it took you to be confident in what your doing.
I’ve only got a few years experience and have had limited success with beaver, fox and coyote. Very confident with moles, though I feel that hardly counts.

I’m 74 yrs young and still learning. That’s one of the best parts of trapping. Every day brings new thrills and education. Many things can be learned on this site. Have fun!

That word competent is kind of hard to define as I'm sure everyone has a little different opinion. But I say it took about 4 years for me to start being able to catch coyotes pretty regularly. With that said I tried to catch coyotes summer in the summer for a friend that was losing goats and that was a bit humbling.

Don't over think things, keep it simple and have patience. Attend as many workshops/seminars as possible.

I need to quit my fill time job so I can have time to improve.

Probably year 4 or 5 for me when things started making more sense. The hardest thing for me with the canines, which I'm still learning, was figuring out locations. Macro and micro. Nothing is more discouraging than checking empty traps for a few weeks and nothing is happening because you're not on location. I was self taught so I've spent alot of time walking properties and following tracks and picking up on the animals habits.Once I started understanding location to where I KNEW they were coming to my sets, then I could start playing with my sets more and really fine tune things and also figure out what works when. Keep an open mind, whether nothing's happening or youre doing well, or you're just scouting and following sign ask yourself why it's happening or why did the animal do this? I know it sounds basic but once it starts clicking and you build confidence there is nothing quite like it.

It al depends on one's own definition of confident. Raccoons,rats,possums and skunks are pretty easy critters to feel confident catching for the most part but when you get into beaver,cats and especially k9s that's a different story for me anyway. When I started targeting these critters they were quite humbling for me , with no internet or books on hand to gain knowledge I didn't feel any real confidence for 5 to 6 years ,not that I wasn't catching those critters I just knew I was not catching the numbers that were available to catch. This site would have shaved at least 2+ years of of that maybe more. Lot of great information on here and so great people that will share it as well.

Since 1976. I thought I knew what I was doing for a while, then I learned more and realized I knew a lot less than I thought I did.

Lots of guys think they know what is going on, and lots of them are wrong also.

Have you joined your provincial assn, attended sales and meets, and asked officers for a mentor?

Yep one year things go really good and you think you about figured it out and then..... the next year comes and things change. I can say I learn every year also but keep the things in mind what you learn. Right it down. I have been trapping the same country here for 40 plus years and know the trails and where to set. It makes it easier but still not 100%.

The hardest thing for me to get used to was checking empty traps for a week to 10 days which it is sometimes the time it takes for a single yote to come back through his territory. Sometimes it’s not you, it’s just how the animals behave. That will mess with your confidence but sometimes it’s not you.

Here’s what helped me shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your provine/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.

Water trapping you can get pretty competent in a few years for most animals. After that it's more about streamlining your system.

Been trapping for over 40 years... but I have to admit life has pull me away many times. I'm with traprjohn, joining a local Trapper Association boosted my success and confidence at a very young age, it definitely shorten the learning curve by decades. The biggest challenges today are health issues and age. I had to educate myself on new developments in equipment and techniques, a lot of this information I acquired are from Trapperman, YouTube and again, local Trapper Associations. Even with my limitations it has returned most of any diminished confidence. But the best part of the final exam for this re-education, is getting out in the field!

Read the archives...apply what you’ve read.
Make mental notes of what works and what doesn’t.
Reread the archives again...apply what you missed the first time.
Make mental notes of what works and what doesn’t.
Keep traps in the ground and undisturbed for as long as possible. Make mental notes of catches because generally you’ll make a catch there the following year as well. (I have a pipe in the deck next to an big ole pine tree at a T in the road. It’s good for a couple coyotes plus a possum/coon or two every year. Just attach trap to chain and set it.)
I pick up a little something from just about everyone on here. What works in their world may not work for me, but I still give it a go just to see.
And never forget, you’ll never know it all...just keep learning every year.

In my experience having a partner out on the line with you regularly can really help build your confidence. they may see things you do not and vis versa, that way you learn off each other and help each other grow. this along with conventions and such with help our knowledge and thus your confidence

Have not joined Manitoba trappers association yet and I was really hoping to go to the trappers rendezvous this year but unfortunately it's cancelled. I do have a couple mentors who have been very helpful. Tons of info on this site too. Thanks for the replies!

I’ve been trapping for 36 years and learned some neat stuff from a teenager last year. Never stop learning and adapting.

A lot of good advice here. The biggest thing I would add is the time component. Sadly many of us are limited by the jobs we have to the amount of time we can devote to trapping. I believe that if we all spent more time on it we would become better. Dang work gets in the way.

Brian

True



Very true