yes i know i miss spelled his name but who learned how to trap from this guy ? i call him sir stanley when i was a kid just starting out trying to learn how to trap was a mystery the old timers actd like it was top seacret were not helfpful at all when i was 13 i went to the nys trappers convention with about 50 bucks in my pocket, i bought some used traps some lures and stanlet hawbackers trapping north american fur beareres book, i still have it and its still in good shape i wrote in the front cover bought at trappers convention frankfort ny 1978 ,i read ever page many time over, used the diagrams and i learned how to trap muskrats coons beaver from that book ,its still hold up today his lessons and tips .side not at this convention i met for the first time ol butcher he was in a wheel chair at the time also the widow of ej dailey she was still selling his lures also jonny throp who i would see for years after that first time he was a real (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) banchee

That was also my first trapping book,I bought around 1975. I still think it is a great book.

My first book as well. In the 70s sometime.

My first book too, but it was in the late 1960’s. Stanley Hawbaker was a true gentleman.

My first book also around 1961

My first book also around 1961

He pointed the way for a lot of us!

Moosetrot

My 1st trapping book too.

I have a signed hard cover copy.

When I was a kid he was a legend. All the lures that I used were made by him. All my ideas started with his booklets.


Heck a lot of the lures I still use are Hawbaker’s.

Used to dream about building a cabin in the woods and setting up for the fall and winter after reading that book when I was young. Fun just thinking about reading that book.

was never much of a reader when i was young, other than trapping books normally used fur fish an game , didn't have much money , so i spend what little i had on lure , like said here before ,old-timer what tell you nothing , and the ones that did would miss lead you on purpose

He sent this old man(then an 8 yr old kid)a free book,bottle of muskrat lure,blackish coon lure ,and logwood dye....FREE..back in the 60"s from then on I was a hawbaker fan buying lures and books. To this day i think trapping north american furbearers is the best complete book I ever bought. When we lost him it was a TRUE loss! Rip Sir Stanley.

My first trapping book around 1965!

I didn't read his books but Hawbaker's red fox lures and urine were my go to for many years until the line was sold and the quality slipped.

Yep agree when Hawbakers was sold quality of lures dropped, in fact alot of it was just plain slop. A shame.

A couple other Old Timey New York trappers were E.J.Dailey and Johnny Thorpe.

First trapping book I bought, and first lure I used was both by Stanley Hawbaker.

As a young trapper,

I always wanted to try the set where Stanley advocated burying a chicken
up to it's neck in the ground and then setting traps around it.

But alas, I had no source for obtaining a chicken so the set went un-made.

walleyed

I still buy and give the book to inspiring trappers
I know it's money well spent
I got my first one in 70 or 71 and the grandsons will get that one soon.
Lots of notes and drawings I put in that one