You need to meet your local Game Wardens because lots of people call them asking if they know of any good trappers. I'm friends with 2 GW around me that give my number out to people all the time. The GW's don't want to deal with having to deal with the problem of coyotes or even coons, it's much easier to just call you or give your number out and the problems are solved. Also hang out at your local feed stores. Bringing donuts in from time to time helps with getting on peoples good side quickly.

Man the anti's have got you guys tricked good.

You are absolutely offering a service if you are removing coyotes, coons, beavers, or any animal causing damage to crops, wildlife, or property.

Offering this service for free is the gift to the landowner. No crappie filets or baked goods required. This isn't asking for permission to deer hunt or turkey hunt.

Not everyone is cut out for face to face conversation and asking for permission. What Seldom said about 2/3 of Trappers not being allowed to trap my land is spot on.

You just need to get one farmer. Do him a good job and show him quantifiable results. I promise the word will spread. Tuck your shirt in and get after it. Good luck!

Lots of good advice...Massac has some great advice....way too many stories about guys getting permission and then abusing/taking advantage of the land owner.
AND production..ie taking critters...be sure to take pics or physically show them.
Be patient it isn't a FAST process....but worthwhile..I've made a lot of life long friends trapping/ predator calling for folks.
Good luck!

Find an interest in your smaller towns like bowling league, shooting club, darts if you drink the bar places where folks gather. Mention you’re a trapper when you can to get the word out there. What you do for a living might help you barter your services if they are needed.

IL rural communities are very clannish they distrust strangers so much, if you don’t connect with the locals it’s tough. Local trappers have the best places sowed up as they know everyone. Talk to a CO in the area if you can find one they are not available like many other states like unicorns at times finding one.

Do a public trapping trip but again getting away from people in IL is not easy to do. Figure out the needs of the folks you hope to trap on like crop damage or livestock issues not that you don’t have a place to trap they don’t care. Get pics of your catches or you're just talking even if it’s a stack of coons it shows them potential.

Lived in IL for years it’s one of the toughest states to get permissions in hands down one of many reasons I left that place in my rear view mirror and never regretted it. Permissions were spotty then no real decent “line” just a few spots here and there places to set.

Figure out what’s legal for trapping like float trapping, ditch trapping anything to get you started. Here ditch trapping if legal gets you onto places as you meet the locals snooping what you’re doing that can go either way then. Be respectful it goes a long ways I had folks start to get rude thinking I was trapping on their land I calmly said I’m not and wouldn’t do that I can show you my traps are not on your land then was welcomed to trap that same property. If I would have huffed and puffed it never would have been offered then.

Don’t take this personal but IL sucks theres a big world out there to see check it out. If you really want to catch coyotes plan a out of state trapping trip but do your research before you go question everything so you know what your getting into.

I was thinking the same thing

This is a good post.

It just takes one place to make or break you. If you are respectful of the landowner and their land, word will spread. If you are not, word will spread.

Presentation and appearance matter. I would not let some bum on my place. And, do not act like you are doing the landowner a favor.

If you're in IL you need to let the people know your doing them a favor tell then what you can do for them if it’s “I want to trap” they won’t care in IL and permissions in the West is a world apart from permissions in IL. The chance of being invited in for cookies and coffee in IL is about zero! LOL

Get a plat book and find your big farmers. Drive the farms and look for solutions to offer. Beaver dams are indicators. Guessing Illinois around you is mostly crops. Eliminate flooding caused by beavers into crops and that will open up what you want to trap. Kill the beavers when you see them being a problem. Most farmers dont care about coyotes and usually are not a problem so they have no desire to have you around. Offer a solution that will impact their bottom line that they dont have to get an excavator out to solve. Again, get to know and ride with your conservation agents in surrounding counties - they get the calls for nuisance and be able to prove yourself - not just TRY to catch something. Be prepared to trap species you may not care about - like groundhogs or skunks.

Join your state trappers association and find other trappers around you. Ride with them and get to know landowners from them. It is an aging thing - would guess there is an older trapper that would desire to have you help if can bring anything to the table. Skin for them or scrape. Most trappers I know have multiple lines and would assist and younger trapper.

Call and ride with one of these guys closest to you.


ITA Board of Directors (Revised 10/2/2024)

Ryan Ruhl - President Bob Collins
5027 E 1670 St 3220 Gross Gables
Cambridge, IL 61238 Quincy, IL 62305
bhfdto@gmail.com lighthousebob@hotmail.com
(309) 368-2523 (217) 242-7414

Cody Champ - Vice President John Fink
9530 E. Meadows Rd. 1664 Pheasant Ridge Dr.
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 Lincoln, IL 62656
Cody.champ@yahoo.com johnfink61@yahoo.com
(618) 231-4868 (217) 671-4329

Andy Day - Treasurer Jordan McGinnis
297 Creve Coeur Ct. 3730 E. 800th Ave.
Creve Coeur, IL 61610 Altamont, IL 62411
pcfixertech@gmail.com 437trapper@gmail.com
(309) 397-0691 (618) 367-1625

Mike O'Brien - Secretary Dean Corgiat
344 2400th St. dcorgiat@gmail.com
Emden, IL 62635 (217) 491-0936
moby915@hotmail.com
(217) 671-8045 Timothy M. Kelley
​ 22987 DiGiovanna Ave.
Dave Scifres Athens, IL 62613
28533 Queenwood Rd. tmkelley69@att.net
Morton, IL 61550 (217) 415-4347
dscifres@gmail.com
(309) 264-7133 Neal Graves
​ Forest City, IL 61532
Joe McCall bzbeaver@hotmail.com
303 Chestnut St (309) 989-7616
Varna, IL 61375
joemccall77@yahoo.com Mark Hebert
(309) 238-2155 1112 E. 2450 Ave.
​ Ramsey, IL 62080
Kent Weil mhebert062@gmail.com
11054 Robin Ln (618) 292-5079
Athens, IL 62613
kentweil.kw@icloud.com
(217) 836-2682

Mike Vose
P.O. Box 183
Perry, IL 62362
Buckfever.mikevose@gmail.com
(217) 779-481