The writer of this article makes it sound like he was the sole reason there is snaring in states east of the Mississippi. The last sentence says it all: " But the impetus for this really started in Ohio, shortly before the turn of the century." ( my note: he is talking about 2000.)
New Jersey always had snaring. In 1984 we lost the use of the foothold trap and introduced regulations as to loop size, locks (no locks with springs, any other lock was considered non-fatal), deer stops and breakaways (all regulations the article's author takes credit for creating). The NJTA promoted snaring to other states. We had a committee that would attend other states conventions or DNR meetings to promote snaring. Art Monto, Emil Kwasnik, Jimmy D., Marty Scanlon, Jim P., and myself were some of the committee members.
I started selling snares commercially in 1990. By 1995 I was attending many of the state and national conventions in the east including the Ohio State Convention. In states where snaring was not legal sales were few but all the trappers I talked to were very interested about the prospects of using snares. In many states I did demos even if they could not snare. Newt Sterling was doing the same as me. Our demos were always standing room only as trappers were eager for snaring knowledge. I believe Ohio's first year of legal snaring was 1999. That's good for Ohio but hardly the bellwether for eastern snaring.

Need a name of the author

Hal.....

For real or u joking

Lot of the states that had snares legalized snares after Ohio did basically copy and pasted Ohio's rules.

Heard it was the cold springs kid only snare south of the Mississippi

…. Hal’s the man …. I don’t care what ya’ll say lol

I miss his family photos of his nieces.

That explains why they were not nearly as homely as Hal.

Just got the magazine today. Read the article.

I think this is mostly the point Hal was trying to make.

I did enjoy Hal when he was on here and I do enjoy reading his articles. But I've never met him in person.

The author wrote in the article " Because I wrote the D-- thing". Actually the D-- thing was copied and pasted from the NJ regs and the NJTA paperwork.
After having re-read the article several times and having calmed down since I first read it I realize it was over 25 years ago but I just hate seeing someone take credit for something done mostly by trappers now running their lines in the sky.
I will speak no more on this subject, Eric

I have no idea when folks started snaring here in Nebraska but it was well before my teenage years when I was at it in late 70s. Nebraska fur harvesters organization was formed in mid 70s and I started trapping in late 70s maybe 78 or 79?

I have a jillion coyote, coon, beaver, and cat snaring pics from SE Nebraska areas that I took back then with an old 35mm camera. (Wasn’t anything digital or cell phone back then) After the season I’d take all the rolls into the local place that developed film and I’d get all my trapping pics developed. Took a few days and it cost me a bit but was fun to get a pile of pics back to look over. I used that camera and then got another one later. Didn’t have a cell phone until after 9/11 attack. I remember that.

I snared a heck of a lot of beaver back then. I blew all my money on predator traps and then made all my own beaver snares with home made washer locks and smashed nuts to hold everything together.
I could carry a lot of beaver snares back into a creek or river area.

Did the article say when Ohio started snares? Just curious.
Jim

When I read Hal’s article, I figured he might be doing it ‘tongue in cheek’. Kind of like many of his stories. Some truth. A lot of BS but fun to read.

Does ohio have real snaring or the fake cable restraint nonsense?

Somewhere in-between. They have real snares but the regulations on them are very far what a great snare is. Locks they require suck, and no kill springs, that I recall.

I have.Great guy who knows his trapping.

Ohio legalized snares in 1996. As for locks, we are able to use any of the locks on the market, EXCEPT those that are assisted in closing with any type of spring.

Doug Haubert (1994-2000) myself (2000-2002) and Bob Fissell (2002-2006) were Presidents of the OSTA prior to, and just after snares were legalized. We all received calls from states trying to use snares. More than one was successful. Some used our language almost verbatim. One crossed out Ohio, and inserted the name of their state.

From the Ohio regulations book... I don't know how you're going to get a DNR guy to say a mini-pro or a cam-lock for example, is a relaxing lock.



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