All this talk about “non trappers” running off “real” trappers on the other thread got me thinking.


Who are the real trappers? And if they are so “real” why are they run off so easy? Sounds woke to me or something. Or maybe just thin skinned, maybe they will dye their hair blue.

Also, what constitutes a real trapper vs a regular trapper. And who decides this?

How long does a trapper have to stop trapping to be deemed a non trappers?



Can we get a list of “real” trapper’s? Or are they all run off?

Can we get a list of non trappers that do the running off?


Thanks for your time.

Rob

Alleged real trapper, or maybe non trapper since I haven’t set any traps since the season ended in March.

DMH

Bite me

lol.

I remember when there were a decent number of very experienced trappers posting regularly on this site. I also remember kids and other inexperienced trappers arguing with them and just generally making arses out of themselves. It got to the point where some of the experienced trappers stopped posting or just left for good.

It got to the point where he Boss instituted a policy where you were supposed to post your age under your avatar so folks would know when they were talking to a youngster with seven possums and a coon as their lifetime catch total.

Maybe you better add another category, Rob. Washed-up-has-been trappers for Buzzy.

Yep for sure.

But, shouldn’t we as experienced trappers treat all new trappers regardless of age the same. A new trapper is a new trapper.

And apparently those experienced trappers don’t have children, or they would have realized that sometimes kids are not the best communicators. Heck some adults aren’t, then add the difficulty that is reading tone and meaning of a post.

Or, as others have done, ignore those people you don’t want to talk to. No need to run off.

Well, that list could grow pretty quickly.

It's a good question Rob. What is a real trapper?

Is someone that made their living for years trapping marten off a dogsled a real trapper?

Is someone that ran 27 marten sets for 2 weeks and caught 0 marten a real trapper?

Are they both real trappers?

What Buzzard said!!

Or, does that make them marten trappers? But, the one is a real marten trapper and the other is not yet a “real” trapper.

I’d say both are trappers. They take their time to set traps, one might not have the critters or they need to work on their sets. We have no marten here, so I would not be a real trappers in that scenario.


But, I did convince my wife to marry me and stay married, so maybe I’m a real trappers after all.

Thanks for your thought out and logical reply Angela, I appreciate it.

As I alluded in my post, what is a real trapper?

I believe most everyone here still traps, has trapped, or traps a little. Lot of guys no longer trap, or trap less due to age or health reasons, doesn't make them persona non grata if they're only "mouse trappers" now. I've seen the remark from more than a few posters that think they are the real thing and appear to look down on the "less dedicated".

Point being this is a very eclectic group of people with a wealth of experiences in almost anything you can ask about, including trapping. If I'm off base or misconstrued anything then I apologize.... but I don't think it's necessary.... Tough, independent folks should be able to give and take and not get butt hurt over stupid stuff.

OK, blaze away..

Make room for me buzzy

Many of the old timers are dead or have aged out of posting online and there's a lack of interest from "real trappers" due to fur prices.

Let's see $40 muskrat, $120 beaver,$60 coons and suddenly we'll also see a resurgence in posting and trapping in general

Guess I'm a "HAS BEEN" predator control or long line
trapper
For
I has been to Texas
I has been to Mississippi
I has been to Florida
I has been to South Carolina
I has been to North Carolina
I has been to New Jersey
I has been to Ohio
I has been to Indiana
I has been to Ontario
I has been to Maine
I has been to New York

Made my living off the woods and waters since 1984

Newt! You’ll always be a legitimate legend of a trapper to just about anyone who has heard your name sir.

Same goes for my good buddy Ron Jones.



That being said, neither of you are blow hard know it alls who would be run off. Heck, like you said, you’ve made a living off the woods and water, but don’t forget that you’ve taught a whole mess of new and experienced trappers things they wouldn’t believe.

When I've trapped for 25 yrs and someone that caught theys first coyote tells me everything there is to know about coyote trapping and how I'm wrong.. It's chased me off when I've felt I could've taught a thing or two.
Bet a lot of people feel the same

But, you didn’t get run off, you just didn’t reply to them. Some folks need to learn the hard way and that’s the way that person chose to learn.

Like Cuz Strickland says, once the average turkey hunter has killed three turkeys, there isn’t anything you can teach them. They have it figured out.

One real trapper stopped posting after a
guy from here called his boss whining.

Well, that’s not being run off, that’s due to death or health. Can’t count them toward the vote, they aren’t democrats.

And is someone who stops trapping due to fur prices really a real trapper? Or are they a money trapper. Don’t get me wrong, the money is an incentive. But, I won’t stop trapping just because the fur prices are gone and they aren’t coming back.

We get prices like that and we will see a whole lot of nonsense. Real trappers or otherwise. Lol

Yeah, I remember that. I had a couple people try to call my boss a few times. One has absolutely lost her mind since DJT was reelected.

You feeling emotional little buddy?

So?
It is pride month!!!
(Is this person gay)

Lol

I would say a real trapper is any trapper who takes time to make his sets, reads the trapping regulations and follows what the regs say, and learns from his mistakes. He might not catch much (or anything for that matter) but he puts effort into it. He might not ever go live in a cabin in Alaska and shoot moose and trap wolverines, but he is a trapper.

Solid definition. I would agree, he or she would be a real trapper.

Yup, you said it correctly IMHO. I’ve been lucky to have trapped every year since as a kid, even the year I enlisted in the USAF, which makes the previous season my 70th. But, I’ve never trapped down in LA, or the boreal woods of ON, or MN, or WY, or AB, I’ve ONLY trapped in Michigan! I can only relate my experiences and observations from a Central Michigan prospective! I admit I do get somewhat upset when fellow trappers, want to tell me how wrong I am in my methods, or how I don’t catch enough coyotes, or mink, or beaver when they’ve never walked or trapped in my shoes on the same properties I trap in Central MI!!! If I don’t step on you and your experience, don’t step on me & mine!!!

Everyone can have a different definition of what a "real trapper" is. Typically if I used the phrase real trapper or "real" anything it's usually referring to someone with a lot of skills or experience in that area.

As far as alot of the good guys leaving here my thoughg is if someone needs to explain why they are leaving you probably would get it anyway.

Guys come here at the beginning to enjoy their time with fellow trappers and the fellowship of like minded outdoor folks. Then the realization hits some stay and some go. LOL

I remember a trapper that took his time to make educational videos to help out others until some clown asked what makes hit an expert he went away after that. Guys come here for many reasons but when it’s no longer enjoyable they leave it’s that simple. IMO

…. Real trappers drive Tacomas … dip snuff .. drink beer and have to beat women off of em with an axe handle

Real trappers only put it in 4 wheel drive after they get stuck …only renew their vehicle registration after they get a ticket and ride farm to market roads with seat belt buckled behind their back so the dinging doesn’t ruin Waylon Jennings songs on the radio

Well, Savell, if you can get them to, have them post more often.

The only real trappers are yankees. The good ol' boys down here in Dixie just like killin' stuff.

…. All the real trappers left because there were too many Yankees posting terrible looking food in here

…. That’s what I heard anyhow

Crazy interesting topic......
Last I knew even mouse trappers were real trappers

Glad you're still here, sir.

Don't know much about your trapping skills but suspect you're a real cowboy at least, lol.

Well that all makes sense when you're talking about kids. Not so much men that are retirement age, lol.

I shouldn't but will.....you seem to have a problem with all of"has beens"

You ain't getting younger Angela, your time will come

A real trapper has to bring extra traps ...while running a fisher

Line...cuz the one in the trap is Frozen ..and can't get it out.

And is in anus deep snow...doing it....Yankee Style

How about methods? Do real trappers have to know how to snare, cage trap, foot trap, and kill trap as needed for the particular critter they are trying to catch?

There was a time when trappers never told anyone how much fur they were catching or how many traps they had out. They were all considered trappers.

Oh yeah, those folks catch a mess of mice sometimes. I had some in my office once. They messed with the wrong building. Lol

Real trapper,,,,, roll in diry
Then they say,,, Imn set here and connect ….

If I can do it is a cage,,,, you suck if you can’t…

So if u catch a mouse ur a trapper? Or maybe if u have ever just set a mouse trap ur a trapper?
Is the forever inclusion thing an off spring of the everyone gets an award movement.

Oh no, Keith, you couldn't be more wrong. I was just joking with you about being has-been. There are two specific people here that get under my skin, both of whom are old enough to know better. The people I was replying to know what I am referencing.

Our older trappers on here are are by far my favorites! They have a wealth of experience to share and I absolutely love talking to them. People like you, cotton, Newt, white17, Bob Jameson, the Boss, ( and many others I am sure I am forgetting) are who I consider the real trappers. Although there are also a few younger ones who would meet that criteria as well.

What I am referencing is a couple of people that want to give grief to people that have probably caught more in a season than they have in their lives. For the most part, the older "has beens" on this forum are what make this place so wonderful. You may think I "have a problem" with them, but you're wrong. I'm sticking up for them.

We are almost to the point of saying u can be anything u want without there being any validation of it. The woke movement has snuck up on some people without them knowing it

Good point Yes Sir.

I suppose you would need to be a successful mouse trapper. But, what determines success?

I set some last fall, first check I caught 6 out of 8 traps on a two day check. Then nothing for three weeks.

I would say I caught them, but did I catch all of them? Like the 90/10 rule or whatever it is. Most trappers can catch the 90% but the great trappers also catch the remaining 10%.

And as far as totals, if I only had one mouse and I catch that one mouse, what does that mean? I caught the one mouse! Interesting.

Maybe it’s all subjective, and a trapper is defined by a person who traps. Or attempts to learn as much as they can about the animals they target and perfect or attempt to perfect their methods.

I don't think that just setting traps makes someone a trapper. There has to be some catching involved.

….. if you ain’t killed a wildcat with a whiskey bottle you ain’t no trapper

This subject got me thinking about an experience I had with my CPL instructor. He was a wannabe canine trapper and ask me to show him one of my “good” sets so I showed him my version of the Miranda double-dirt hole set using one of his traps. I got to placing the trap and he stopped me. He said “stop, you don’t need to go any further, I can see you don’t know chit about how to trap coyotes because you didn’t have the dog facing the right direction as Mark June does.” He was serious and I was too as I got in my truck and left. True story!

I would agree with that, but just like your example earlier. Someone who catches a zero marten over two weeks might be a trapper or at the the minimum a brand new trapper as long as they are learning, but they wouldn’t be the same level as someone who has caught a load of marten over decades of trapping.

…. lol I get a kick out of where to point the dog…..dang coyote come in from all different directions half the time

What's it really matter. I dont go around calling myself "A trapper", I do trap animals. If someone wants to call me a trapper that's fine, if they dont think im a trapper that's fine too. Society today has moved to a point where too many people need the validation of others to have any self-esteem, you can see it happening in some of the posts on this site.

If you ain't trapped Martian wildebeest on Mars with a Bridger double laminated bigfoot trap you ain't no trapper

…. What’s validation mean? … isn’t that when someone graduates at the top of the class or something like that

…. Taking it a little far there cowboy lol

… got to be careful… yessirs’ in here

Sometimes it takes some experience to recognize experience. Makes marketing much easier, whether it's product or personality.

Must mean something like validating a credit card

I always thought they were called...... oh never mind

I have the most pathetic trapping schedule, 5-10 catches a season at best, a two wheel drive truck, a broken back, poor fur handling experience, a vague understanding of wildlife habits, a tiny shed for mounds of equipment that I don’t use a fraction of, tons of patches t shirts and memorabilia, unsuccessful attempts at gaining new trap lines,
But by God I’m a trapper

I don’t care if I never get better. Of course I want to. But it’s in my blood and I don’t see a distinction. I can’t exclude myself because I’m not “good enough”.
I just wanna be a part of it

Last summer, I caught 162 voles and 21 field mice in a very small part of my front yard. Used baited and trail sets with Victor snap traps. I think I am a pretty good trapper.

LOL! When welders have to travel all across the country to different job sites looking for work, they need to test. If a welder hasn’t; welded for 6 months he needs to test! Both a form of Validation!

There’s an old adage that says “if you talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk!”

Old Dale B is a real entertainer

yes sir, he sure is Yes sir

Could be like that Conway Twitty song. Don’t call him a cowboy.







Perhaps to earn the title of real trapper, there has to be a hearing and video evidence of said person setting traps and catching critters.

Until then, you are a trapper’s apprentice or something.

Obviously you run the risk of them being labeled a wanna be trapper for posting videos. And you run the risk of “running off” the real trapper’s.

Just something to consider.

Although, how is the board selected to review, what requirements would be needed to be assigned that task?

What?

Interesting! I suppose it may be important to know, but for instance. Some states can’t use foot holds, some can only use cage traps. So, where limited to certain traps, they may not be able to use those other things, so really no need to use that skill. They may be a dang good snareman or a fantastic cage trapper. Shouldn’t disqualify them bet they cannot use other methods.

Thanks for bringing that up.

I came here for the mouse trapping expertise.

I know! We could have a poll on tman!

But, would voting be open to real trappers, regular trappers, old has been trappers, or non trappers? Obviously the non trappers would be out.

Im currently NOT a trapper. My left knee swole back up 10 days after surgery and now I'm the next thing to a paraplegic.

I really shouldn't be hatin' on the mouse trappers.

But, there is more beaver money in my dreams.

U forgot the wanna be trappers

Dang, hope it t heals up quick.

Thanks, I think they should be labeled as wanna be trappers while their video and credentials are being reviewed.

Did I spell something incorrectly? Lol, on the phone, happens all the time. I once called shutters, shudders.

Big dummy

No. You didn't. Just thought that was how we could decide who gets to vote.

Hahaha. Idk, might disqualify a whole mess of folks really quickly and won’t be fair.

Seems some folks care. They worry about real trappers and non trappers and that the non trappers and wanna be trappers are running off the “real” trappers.

So, trying to get the root cause and determine the definition or common idea of what that is. Then we can work on retaining the real ones or if they aren’t actually real ones we can then notify them of their realness or notify them they didn’t meet the necessary qualifications.


Personally, I don’t really care either.

You're right, they found him.

Lol

I think it's people needing validation to the point they post the most trivial stuff for a little attention (you know the stuff u see on FB) that is running the more intresting people off. I do miss a lot of the real trappers that use to post on here. Even if you weren't talking trapping we could still have intresting discussions. But there is guys that use to be on here, that pretty much left, that didn't trap much but were still pretty intresting to have on here, you know guys like Scuba. Now we post pics of minnows we catch and what your favorite color is. Or my neighbor just walked their dog past my house. Use to be if u were off tman for 4 hours u use to have to go thru the first 3 pages of Trap Talk to catch up, now you can just about look at the first page and know what's been posted for 3 days.

Around here we run down raccoons and Kill them with the quart bottle that the Old Milwaukee or Busch came in. At night while driving the gravel roads and emptying said bottles. We are kinda Low Brow I guess.

…. Ol hippie don’t pull any punches lol

… respectable form of harvest in my book

… the very definition of fair chase actually

Maybe that’s the point. That nobody really cares. Like all the hunting influencers. Nobody cares.

Just run your trap line how you want. Trap how you want as long as it’s legal and ethical. Live your life how you want and don’t worry about labels.

Absolutely.

My old dried-up Fat trapper butt can't run like I used to either, So it is probably more than fair chase. But I still try on occasion.

Probably tip over some day doing that young guy stuff as an Old Fat Man.

Lol

If you are a true trapper lets say, I don't feel any amount of non trappers would run you off anything. And as for wannabe trappers, that were we all stated wanting to be a trapper is it not? I don't know how y'all classify ,e, nut I am here for good and I dont post unless I feel i can add something to the conversation or i have some interesting news or a question I want answered, as this place is a treasure trove of finding things out!

Great point.

Dammit Savell…
I only fit one of your criteria (beer drinking).
I was hoping after 45 years at this I could finally be a real trapper. Oh well, I’ll keep driving my GMC Sierra and trying hard to be a real trapper.


“.. Real trappers drive Tacomas … dip snuff .. drink beer and have to beat women off of em with an axe handle.”

I care Seth. What's your favorite color???

…. You get a pass jab if the Sierra is four wheel drive and has a brush gaurd lol

Not sure it if fits. But it could be similar to this….


There are people who trap and then there are trappers.

That's kinda sexist. I drive Tacomas, smoke cigarettes, drink whiskey and have to beat men off with an axe handle.

Can I be a real trapper too?

No …. Women can’t be real trappers…. I believe that’s in the Bible

I for one have learned an extreme amount of good info in a short time from this site. The archive is a treasure trove.

I always performed predator control via dogs in the past. That is no longer feasible so I joined the site for inspiration.

I am very very thankful for Mr Dobbins and those who are willing and have the patience to answer questions.

Keith

Lol black

Well... ok. You wanna sammich, then?

it’s a knuckle sandwich, isn’t it?

… I won’t stand for this sacrilege

Looks like I caught 3 muskrats, two mink and a couple beaver one time… does that make me a trapper?

What?!? You basically told me to get back in the kitchen so I just asked if you wanted a sandwich.....

Heck yeah, nice job!

…. I’ll take a paminto cheese …. Thanks

Yes! I made it!

Mike, just don't tip over during coon season. I'll actually be trapping and will be (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) if I have to take the time to go to your funeral. Please be considerate of others.

That’s my opinion, I’m not on the decision making committee. And everyone knows my opinion doesn’t matter.

Hmmm. I figured real trappers ate meat.

They do, as far as I know.

….. it’s to go with my raw back strap