When I think of originals, innovators/pioneers I think of Arthur "Art" Crane...Pete Rickard was influenced by him, and then Johnny Thorpe was influenced by Rickard.

Ardell Grawe was the one I looked up to while young....Who I think was a Bill Nelson disciple.

Any of them except the ones who are certain that they know everything.

That’s a fact sir.

330 trapper…. but with less fake history photos lol

Lol

Lewis Quarles

He taught me to Fox trap, and carried me to trapping events before I could drive. Heck of a guy he was.

Also inspired by Tom Tyree. His fur handling skills are amazing, and he is one heck of a trapper. Gave me a fleshing knife that I still use today, as well as many fur handling tips.

Phil Brown and Ron Leggett are inspiring for their work ethic, that pair can sure stack up the reds!

The ones I look up to is Johnny Thorpe, Dale Billingsley, Todd Strohecker, Stu Miller, Alan Probst, to name a few.

….it was Leftlane until I found out he was stunt double in brokeback mountain

My hero was my father, Larry. He raised 7 children, worked he swing shift at a tire factory and caught a lot of fur in his day. His main targets were fox and beaver but he was also good at catching all the other species.

Savell. Slap tamer of the trailerhood

John "liver eating"Johnston

I read a book about him years back. They don’t get any more hardcore than Ben Lilly.

I don’t have one in particular. I took in a lot of info from a lot of different experienced trappers when I first started and tried about everything then decided what worked for me and what didn’t. I’d sure like to talk at length with some ol west Texas lion trappers though.

I agree with you about Tom Tyree. A wealth of knowledge who had no secrets. Kind of guy who would give you back the shirt that he took off your back.
I'm kidding about the shirt.

You ain't getting that shirt back.

And I'm sure he'd laugh loudly if he read this. lol

Jim Helfrich and Carroll Black come to mind, and Craig O'Gorman. In my late teens, O'Gorman was the one I admired the most.

I remember wanting to call him and ask a few questions, and I finally did. But when I made the call, I got his answering machine. So, I started rattling off my questions like an idiot, and about 3 or 4 minutes in he picks up the phone. I froze and didn't know what say. Long story short, O'Gorman was very nice, professional and exceptionally helpful to me.

I like being me. I have had a few of my own adventures.

Tom Miranda