What he says ^

I'm just glad to hear that you finally got into one of those mandatory classes that do not deter participation.

Like ADC said here coons are pretty easy, one good thing about foot holds for muskrats is that if you have coons and opossum there’s a chance you can catch them also.

Whatever is easiest and most fun.. Here it was Mushrats and to this day I smile and giggle a little whenever I catch one.. Love it

That's what I'd recommend too. Maybe add mink to that.

That sting you describe isn't reserved for newbies. I've been trapping 50+ years and nothing can make a good line go cold like inviting a friend along.

I started with beaver because it’s the first season that opened here. They can be easy enough and you learn how to put ‘em up. My first 330s were kinda freaky looking when I pulled em out of the box…lol
Patience is key with wolf. Start learning right away and you’ll connect. There’s alotta books out there that tell you how to make a set, but you want to know how they think, their habits, why they do what they do and go where they go, are there other trappers in the area targeting them? Big baits and finding pee posts or finding territory edges aren’t required. Sometimes you gotta think outside the box and make a set that nobody would think of…..lol
Seeing that first one is a heck of a feeling.
Welcome to the club!

Thanks for all the input everyone! I am excited to get into the hobby. Spent time today scouting and it was exciting following prints and finding major "highways" and spots on those paths to set traps. I'll have to check if snares are legal in Idaho. Would be surprised if they weren't.

I started out trapping coyotes as a matter of income preservation (small sheep rancher) when they found there were free meals in our lambing yard.



If your interest is in coyotes and wolves there isn't any time like the present to start. Be aware of a couple of things: early on, trapping coyotes will be frustrating; there are easier animals to trap and be successful on. Second, wolves are canines same as coyotes. There isn't a coyote set that won't exclude a wolf if they are there; so, if you feel you're not ready to handle a caught wolf, start with smaller animals and smaller traps. And lastly, coyote traps are relatively expensive, snares/cable restraints if you can use them are more economical. But coyote fur, right now, is not being well compensated unless you are doing control trapping.

My recommendation to new trappers when asked is, start with muskrats (I'm not a water trapper), they are easy to catch, they are typically plentiful when water levels are good, fur handling is easy, and equipment (both catching and fur handling) can be inexpensive when starting out.

Best of luck in any of your pursuits!

Muskrats if you have them. They are easy to catch and will teach you a lot. Also build confidence. If you have raccoons, they are next; coyotes will take some time to get good at it, and wolves? Well, it takes a high level of skill to be consistent with them.

Good luck.

Water critters are definitely the easiest to catch and depending on where you are located there are some good areas for coyote and fox. Access is also something you will need to think about again on your location, truck , 4 wheeler,side by side or snowmobile. A lot of country over here gets closed down to wheeled vehicles around Thanksgiving and only accessible by snowshoes or sleds. I am on the northern side of south east and would be willing to help you out with any questions or advice if you are interested. Jon.

I sent you a PM...

Garry-