Walter Arnold (1894-1980) was one of the last in a long line of independent fur trappers from the mountain man era. Living most of his life in the woods of Maine, Arnold spent his early decades guiding sportsmen in the summer and trapping furbearers in winter, on foot out of remote cabins deep in the Maine woods. Arnold built a reputation in the trapping industry through the dozens of articles he wrote in national outdoor magazines, particularly his writings in Fur-Fish-Game magazine from the 1930's to the 1950's. He also manufactured trapping lures and sold scents and ingredients to trappers throughout North America. In his later years, Walter Arnold sold his business and most of his possessions, and retreated to a full-time life in the Maine woods in a trapping cabin only accessible by airplane. It was these years that Arnold gained nationwide popularity as the last woods hermit from a bygone era.
Walter Arnold lived a lifestyle many of us could only dream of, surviving in the backwoods of Maine, testing his skills against Mother Nature and harvesting furbearers for a good part of his annual income. In these parts, we look back on the stories that made Arnold a household name among outdoors folk throughout North America for several decades.

Well written.

Cronk said Walter Arnold had learned the art of scent making from his father, Lon Arnold, a pioneer scent maker who made a living trapping beaver, mink and other fur-bearing animals along with hunting deer, bear and caribou. The Arnold family has been making scents and animal lures since 1870 and were well known and respected by hunters and trappers throughout New England.

“I wrote to him asking for his help and advice and was kind of surprised when he wrote back inviting me to come spend a week at his cabin in Northern Maine. We became very good friends and I learned a great deal listening to, and watching him. One day he offered to sell me his business.

Back when they skinned the coons out square.

Cool story

Iconic figure in the early trapping industry!

In the early 70s everybody & their brother was trapping fox here because $$ were almost doubling several years in a row. Every hardware store had Hawbakers 500, 600, and full assortment of Lennon’s lures on their shelves. I was no different when I started fox in 1970 (using Lennon’s) but by 72 with a $$ increase of double from $8/avg to $16/avg and every trappable field had at least 1 trappers in it, sometimes 2, I knew I had to make a change to give me an edge. I found Arnold’s Red Fox #2 being sold by Cronk. With that lure change and my Disco Dirt Hole set, I spanked ALL the competition,( including 2 experienced cousins who trapped up against my properties) even when my competition was setting at the next corner of the field down from me!!

With my wife dying in the mid-80’s-late-80’s I found it difficult to kill fox so I stopped. When I went to work for MSU they had a trial canine study involving livers so I ordered old faithful, Arnold's Red Fox #2. What I received said #2 on the bottle but I believed it smelled like the #1. I used it but I judged it’s attraction as worthless and moved quickly to Carman’s Pro’s Choice and easily completed the fox/coyote study.

there's a really good book about him

Yep I have it.