Picked up a #1 coil and #11 to mod for giggles. And man....idk just not as fun as it used to be. Got a nice welder tons of stuff to make it easy but... meh..was goin pretty smooth and went to plug in the grinder and just idk wasn't feeling it... mabye I'm just off today or something

Maybe catching something with it would be funner.... ??? Just trying to help

Wolfie, nothing is as much fun as it used to be. And your still young.

I use to like modifying traps but after doing hundreds of traps I don’t like it anymore. Now I just buy no bs traps and don’t have to worry about it. I still like my own chain though

Most things are more fun when it's new. Tends to loose its excitement after a while. My hobbies go in circles. I will really get into something for a while get goog at it then get board and move to something else. Eventually I circle back.

As I got older with more responsibilities I find time is more valuable and I can't enjoy things I used to thinking about other things that need to be done or more productive things I could spend my time doing.

… provide at least 3 examples of this please

You need to find a new challenge to overcome. What other ideas do you have about improving trapping supplies?

Keith

Sometimes the fun comes from the struggle, try burning them on with a torch and some coat hangers it'll bring back the challenge at the very least lol

At 72, I've gone through modifying traps, building fishing gear, knife making, blacksmithing, making horse tack, making buckskin pants, shirts, and dresses.

Even did a stretch of writing some poetry.


Charlie

Black powder, archery, big bore hand guns, single shot hand guns, long range rifle. Running rabbit dogs competing in NSTRA with English setters and German short hairs, riding horsed, just to name a few. I was just eye balling a litter of litter of beagle pups l saw advertised just this evening I have not had one in 20 years but I'm starting to circle back. But I don't have time to dedicate to them now.

eventually I circle back. trapping is another example started that about 20 years ago played with it 3 or 4 years and quit untill my boys showed interest about 4 years ago so I started back into it. Nothing serious just enough to teach them and get them started and knock down some predators on the farm.

Interesting thread. I agree with others, a person gets going on something and go all in for several years - fishing - then catfishing, muskie fishing certain lures/ techniques, hunting - then hunting with certain weapons, after certain animals, canoeing, camping, etc. I think it is actually a good thing because it keeps your mind engaged and you don't stay stagnant or get stuck in a rut. Change is really good for your brain. The last several years I have been 100% engaged with lure hunting but that might pass and I am okay with that. Who knows what could be next?

Happens to all of us. Back when I joined this site I'd easily spend ten hours a day doing trapping related stuff, five months in a row for five years in a row. This season so far, I set two traps and caught two beavers in two days, wanted the meat. Traps are back home. It's cold out there. lol However, I dug out my 55 gallon fishtank that's been stored away for over ten years and am finding myself enjoying getting back into this old hobby of mine. Maybe I'll sell a few dozen traps and buy another tank.

Hey Wolfdog... Just same thing here... although I thought about ordering a dozen new traps and doing all the unique mods to them last fall... just got busy doing something else.... Working on some new yard art..... still building a couple items for sale. I'll find something to do really cool and unique as I get older...... for awhile

My take on this is that when you start something new as say a hobby, you enjoy it more. Once you get to the point where you depend on it for income or feel pressured to do it. Then it becomes just another job and a grind.
The adventure of things for me goes away when something becomes a job. I been all over the map with interest during my life. Most involved outdoors.
Hobbies can be exciting and interesting as mini adventures. Maybe that adventure only last the length of trapping or hunting season. Then you move on to the next adventure say spring fishing run.
Their are of course some people who can make it their living or their job. That's not for me so much with outdoors sports.
I was a volunteer firefighter working construction when I decided I wanted to make firefighting a career. Quit the construction trade and went full time firefighter. I found the job a good fit for myself as steady income. I also realized that I had to be there like it or not to feed the family.
Anyways I have trapped and been a diver most of my life starting very young. I've made some good money doing both and enjoyed that as mini adventures. My vacation from the grind of regular job.. I'm pretty sure had I made either of those two things my full time job. I would have not enjoyed it at my leisure like I still do now.
I'm crippled up now and quickly compiling a list of Can't do's and use to's.
I guess in the end it is does a person want to do something? Or have to do something?
Maybe Life should be more
a la carte than we make it?

MTCW

Mac

what multiple hobbies and they go round in favor , no never !

yes , they (shrinks) would tell us we are all ADHD brained

it makes us good trappers , hunters and survivors.

do you also hear 5 other conversations in a restaurant if you find yourself keeping up with them at other tables and your own
yeah very hard not to give an answer to a question that you know they are getting so so so wrong at the other table , but just hold your tongue.

I think they now call it nero divergent vs nero normative

they (nero divergent) will say Normies are boring , because really anyone who hasn't taken a few deep dives into different hobbies , types of fishing , hunting , ect. what do they do with their life watch the boob tube.

I do like to refrain from the name calling and labels

Oh no the dreaded burn out has struck again.

… what in the jumped up hay is going on in here…. Dude just said welding on traps ain’t as fun anymore lol

You just got a free psych eval, cheer up!...

more of a response to Providence farm

although I suspect it will hit for wolfie as well he may even be familiar with many of the terms

… providence farm…. That’s the hand that works too much ain’t it ?