Title says it all. Anyone remember how much they spent their first year trapping? Did you start slow and only buy a couple things or where you all in and bought a bunch all at once?

I was six dad gave me the stuff

I started as a kid with some old traps dad had hanging in a shed, and went from there. Slowly got new and better equipment as time went on. I imagine a lot of guys on here started the same way.

Spent $ 0.00 . Had ten traps , wire , pack basket Hatchet, and bike. 1960 .
one coon, two muskrats, Two mink . total
Sold to E.J. Daley . $45.00

Grampa gave me a couple traps he had hanging in a shed. I Didnt know you could buy lures and stuff. Didnt know to use a sifter or pan covers. As I learned over the years I began accumulating stuff.

I don't think more than 50 bucks. Dad got me some old 1.5 and w long springs and I bought s couple of Dale Billings lets original line of lures .

I bought my first 3 traps second hand at10 years old for a dollar each.
After receiving 46 bucks for 1Coon and 4 rats in the round I was hooked.
I was actually hooked before I sold them but the paycheck was definitely icing.

Was having trouble catching a muskrat in a #1 that I found hanging in the barn after my grandpa got killed. Was telling 7th grade teacher about it and he said I needed a conibear. I ordered 2 #110's for $1.19 each from Montgomery catalog. Caught 1 muskrat and still didn't break even. Just about like now, lol.

My first year was 1980/81. I was in the front yard shooting birds when a grey fox stepped out of the brush along the field right next to our house. I shot it. I knew my dad had a could old long spring traps and I asked him how to set them. He said rub some bacon grease into the bark of a tree and set a trap under the grease. I pushed a dead snag into the ring of the trap, 1 1/2 Victor. It was a couple days later while I was checking it before school when I found the trap missing. About 30 yards away was another grey fox. I sold both in the round to Yoakum in Dixon for $40/each. I took that money and bought some 120’s. I trapped a local spring for muskrats. Used that money to buy more 110’s. In 1985, I caught enough to buy a Honda 200 3-wheeler. Next year I was starting varsity football and discovered girls.

Dropped it completely until last year. I started from scratch and have invested more than I want to admit to in the last couple seasons,

I think a dozen #1 long springs were about $7.95 from F.C. Taylor Fur Co., so, about $7.95.

My Great Granddad and Granddad both gave me my first 6 traps in 1955. Caught one skunk, one ermin, and two muskrats total. I sure was a happy young critter.

I borrowed 5 Victor 1.5 coilsprings with the large square pans from my dad and set them for muskrat. I caught 5 muskrat and 1 buck mink for the season. Not bad for a 10 year old boy on a bike. It got me hooked for life.

Nothing
Grandfather has my dad’s old traps hanging in the machine shed.
Trapped gophers in Carrol Co IA for 25 cents per front foot on a Honda z 50 for area farmers.. and walked beans…

Started a adc business years later 12 duke 330s, a bottle of Pete rickards beaver lure and 2 cage traps for under 200 bucks…

I had my Fathers #1 long spring that I found in a toolbox in the basement back in 1975, I rode my bike about five miles to set it in a small culvert.

Do you count the cost of a therapist or not?

Unfortunately more $$$ than I want to admit ~ I contacted 36 land owners this past year & rec'd 36 NOs.
Still haven't gotten any steel in the ground but am scouting other properties for next year during this frigid cold spell.

It didn't cost me anything, I got a handful of traps from my older brother and I was good to go.

I was 6 or 7. My Grandpa gave me 1.5 victor long spring and a few 110s. I caught one muskrat that year. So I didn't spend anything, but was given a gift that was priceless.

ol' dad

Nothing.Was only 6 years old and trapped with my father using some of his traps.

Same story here.