...about your dad. It’s just about 25 years since he passed. He was a hero to many. Let’s hear some stories for the newer guys.

Todd I’ll tell one....I took lessons from Charlie in the late ‘90s...on beaver and predator trapping. I had talked with him on the phone a few times and while at conventions. He always answered my “ green horn “ questions. Charlie drove out from Ohio to my home as he had a few other students lined up in Illinois.
It was early July and hot with squeeters a buzzing. We started off with breakfast and me cooking....I was surprised at how big of an eater he was. Afterwards we headed out and we did beaver trapping/snaring the first day. My job was to keep the squeetoes off of him while he was setting traps and talking. His instructions were like his writings in the trapping magazines....precise and with reasons why they worked. After the first day we went back to my home and covered trap mods. This was before all of the newer traps came out so trap modifications were covered in detail. He covered good swiveling in detail. He talked about JC Conners
a lot as far as being a tremendous welder and a good trap modification man. I cooked up dinner and we
Bs.ed until late night. Next day, was predator trapping and the coyote was discussed in detail. We made different sets and talked locations and attractors. It was nice because Charlie set traps on locations on my actual trapline. It made me feel good that I had actually been setting up on the same locations as he picked out. But obviously his sets were superior and again he explained why. The trip ended up with Charlie heading out the following day to do more instructions in the central part of the state. Like other students of trapping instructors I was fired up and ready to trap in July. That season I added more fur ...a lot more fur to my collection and my confidence soared.

Great story MChewk.

Good story chewk, last time i saw him me and a buddy spent the whole day on a pick nick table talking to him, my head was spinning on the way home, wish id of had a tape recorder. Had no idea he was ill and i think he passed away the next year. I told Paul awhile back any trapping convention im at I see his dad everywhere i look, all the trap mods are now normal, he forever changed the whole trapping industry! Hard to believe he's been gone that long but long as there's a convention you can see him in EVERYTHING that is deemed normal or standard operating equipment today.

That JC feller had a bit to do with all that as well. We'll never have trappers of their caliber again sadly.

Here's one that hasn't been shown in awhile. Dad would take off for two or three months at a time to go trapping out of state. During that time, he would sometimes forget to contact mom and let her know how things were going. Of course, she would get a bit depressed because she didn't hear from him. So, one time she wrote up a letter from him to her where all he had to do was check boxes or fill in the blanks, and she mailed it to him. This wouldn't take too much effort on his part - lol.

I've read that letter before, and chuckle every time.

But do you have any trapping related stories of being with your dad, Paul, from when you were say.... 8-16? Or somewhere's about there? Did you ever get to tag along when you were a boy?

When I was around 12, dad worked for the state of VA trapping foxes for rabies control. He had a Plymouth Fury III as his state furnished trapping vehicle. He would work the first 23 days of each month in a different county. If the county he was working was close to home, he'd stay at home and work it from there. On weekends, I would go with him. I was his "gate boy". He would even let me make sets. It was a great time for me.


I recall one time we were approaching a set, and a fox was bouncing around in the trap. But before we got to it, it pulled out. Dad stopped the car, opened his door, and pulled his pistol. He used the door frame for a rest, and he shot that fox as it was running way. The shot was right at 90 yards. Dad didn't believe in using long rifles in that 22 revolver when dispatching animals, so the shot was made with a 22 short. He didn't make a big deal out of it, but rather matter of factly just said, "That one didn't get away".

This is the pistol, and I still use it.

Neat story Paul...what brand of gun...Hi Standard?

H&R Sportsman, 9 shot revolver. That was the first gun I ever shot. It was made in 1953.

Paul, thought you might like this. This one, near as I can tell was made about 1937. I got it from my dad who got it from my grandad. Dad said grandad had had it as long as he could remember.

I met Charlie in late '80's at Neil Olson's Hughesville (Pa.) Conventions.
He invited me to come over to his pickup after the building closed. Son & I met him each evening that weekend at his truck. Great time for me with a good man.

Charlie with our son on Muncy Creek, near Hughesville.

I can't even trap out of a 4x4 pick up without staying stuck all the time, no clue how he got around in that old car trapping fox, lol.

Old guns last forever, buy you a new one and see how long it last!

Cool stories, I really like the letter, and can relate! When I left on a trapping trip, my wife would complain that she felt like a widow! Never thought about it from her perspective. Now I call once in awhile! I'm with Jackie, he is the man!

You're probably too modest to talk about yourself but I would love to hear some of your EOD stories, Paul. Between you and your dad, there's a lot of stories to tell.

Thanks for the stories everyone! That letter is special, usually beside every man that accomplishes great things is a women who tolerates a lot.

Some of those old cars were just as good as a pick up off road.Lots of weight and clearance.And lots of room.

If there ever was a photo to be drawn by an artist, this would be it.

Y'all don't let me forget to archive this !

what a good read thanks guys