I might be a tad biased I guess,, but “ Trapping North American fur bearers “ by Stanley Hawbaker is probably the best. Although some of the sets are outdated and downright illegal now,, some sets are still pretty darn good today. His “ pen” set for beaver is one I still use today. I remember when I first got it and read it cover to cover 30 times before season came in when I was a kid. I was devastated when I loaned it out to a buddy and it got lost when he moved away. Of course I got another copy. To be young and excited like that again!!! That’s why I’m always willing to help out a kid who’s really excited about it…. I was once that hungry kid.

I agree a good read. Go there for new-old ideas usually every season. We can learn from the old trappers.

I'll have to check that book out. My favorite would have to be "A Modern Trapline" by Bob Gilsvik.

"To be young and excited" Exacatly! I remember when I used to sneak pocket-sized trapping catalogs to church and study them during service! Ha Ha!!

My favorite book. As a kid from the 70s I wore it out from reading it from cover to cover over and over again

How many used the: buried-up-to-the-neck "Dead Chicken Set" ?

Didn't have a dead chicken so I used a road killed pheasant.

It worked for both coon and red fox !!!!

That set would be a no-no in New York State today.

w

That old book was all i had when i first started, cousin had bought it and gave up on trapping so what little he had was all i had to work with. Id set a rock on it to keep the page open so i could copy whatever goofy set it was i was trying to make, worked great on possums, lol. Trapping was 'magical' back then, i too miss those days.

Never buried a chicken, but used the chicken coop set to catch a gray fox that was preying on my parents chickens.

Hawbakers TNAFB was my first trapping book (1974)....Probably the most circulated trapping book of all time, and a true classic.

Was my first trapping book as well. I plumb wore it out... cover falling off, pages torn and stained. Must have read it 100 times back then.

My first also back in the early 70s.mine also looks like it been well used. Have to say the person that said he had trap-line north. Very good read. Thanks

Tom Miranda in his book Master Trappers states that S. Stanley Hawbaker was the king of the cottage industry trappers .And he says the book he wrote Trapping North American Furbearers was published in nearly 20 editions.

Alaska Wolfman

Mine too. I have mine Autographed from the 8th Grade.

Charles Dobbins' Land Sets & Trapping Techniques remains the most informative book in my collection.

For me, The School Boy Trapper by Pat Sedlick written in 1960. It was directed for ages 8-20 but a good read for everybody. The only problem I had with the book he had a chapter on airplane and helicopter trapping. I don’t think young people could afford renting these machines for trapping or scouting.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Cronk’s Scientific Muskrat Trapping”

For muskrats and mink the reversible book written by Austin Passonate (sp?) I lent it out years ago and it is gone but I followed his plan well......jk

Charlies Dobbins books are the most insightful books I even read as far as learning the science of trapping. By reading and studying his books he showed me how to be creative with my equipment and the best methods to use it

"Trapping north american furbearers" by Hawbaker is great reading for sure.

But the video "Eastern style professional fox trapping" by Bob Jameson is what i still loan out to new trappers

Too many for me to list as I had no family history regarding trapping so I learned from books, videos and the hundreds of demo I have watched over the years.
I am pretty practical and cater to books written by authors who write about species and regions similar to where I trap. Gilsvick's books were the first I read when young.
There are also not real specific trapping books but trapping related stories in books that I read when in HS that triggered my interest in the outdoors and hunting and trapping. Jack London books, Kjelgaard books, Those Calloways etc. were all books I read when younger.

Bryce

Charles Dobbins' Land Sets & Trapping Techniques remains the most informative book in my collection.


Best book ever written on the subject! How i wish he was still around with these game camera's i can only imagine what he would of been able to learn and pass on to us all.

I'm about half way through traplines north very good read ended up buying the book after seeing it on here I recommend

I could not find the book but I purchased the other one on this thread and they recommended this one. I don't know what I am doing but now I have two on order. Now if I could just find the bobcat book that Beaver Peeler was talking about last week.

Austin Passamontes coon book opened my eyes to seeing coon habitat from a long ways away and made rolling through new territory easier and faster.

Which 2 did you order?

Book sales always go up when a topic like this pops up….lol. Some are hard to find here and shipping kills a fella if it’s from the states

Yote,
Trapping North American Furbearers by Stanley Hawbaker (paperback book)
A Modern Trapline, Methods and Materials
Bob Gilsvik
I got Modern Used for $8 +4 for shipping when it recommended Hawbaker's book. I checked the spelling and could not figure out why it did not come up the first time.
Every year at season close I say I probably will not do this next year. Then the phone starts ringing with ADC calls about a week into season and I go get my license.

Two very good, comprehensive trapping books that cover modern trapping methods are:

Bernie Barringer's - Farmland Fur Trapping (304 pages)

Jim Spencer's - Guide To Trapping (224 pages)

Both authors are excellent writers and have many trap line miles under their belt.

This little 32 page book is the bible on tidal water muskrat trapping. I have two copies and re-read them every season. It is good solid advice and right to the point with absolutely no filler!

Mine was fox trapping in the snow, by Russ Carman. My wife (girl friend at the time ) got me the book for a Christmas present. I thought it was the best Christmas present ever !

Got Trapping north american furbearers" by Hawbaker a week ago, the got Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America today…..holy smokes! It’s bigger than my dads old classic family bible!

Great thread so far!

I really enjoyed Scott Welch's Coyote trapping book. The title escapes me right now, but it is chuck full of great information IMO.

I like the books that tell you all about the animal, not just sets and areas. Gotta learn their ways, the 5 Ws, to effectively make a set. I think the 5lb book is the true trappers bible.
By the way, I never did buy the “Trappers Bible” book, it looked too cheesy

Shakeyjake I have wanted that book from Ontario for yrs...where did u order it? Thanks...Wow,found it many places 300-450 usd...gotta pass

Currently $275.00 on ABE Books.

You used to be able to check out the trapper's bible @ my local library.

Bud Boda’s Fox Tappers Shop Manual

Did you hide them inside your open bible so they'd think you were studying the bible?

You should have taken multiple catalogs to share with friends @ church.