What is your story?

A guy at lunch asked me how did you get where you are today? We shared our stories and I learned a lot about him. When I got back to my office I thought about it while posting on Tman.

In some of our spirited discussions, we assume too much about other Tman members. I am guilty of it. A little sharing may give all of us some perspective. I am happy to start.

My story:

I did not plan on going to college. I started mowing yards and doing other odd jobs in the town where I grew up when I was 13 or 14. I was painting houses by the age of 16, but also worked with an electrician from to 16 to 18. I had to work hard because our mother raised three of us and I was expected to pay my way as soon as I could contribute financially. My grandparents helped when they could.

I intended to be an electrician, but when I graduated high school I went to work in the oilfield. I decided after some time to go to college. A great boss encouraged me to do it and allowed me to schedule work around classes during the fall, winter and spring. He would also let me work 6 to 7 days a week on school breaks and in the summer. My boss was also a hunter so we made some time for that too. The oilfield paid my way through college and law school. I kept that job until I got my first legal job--about a year before I took the bar exam. I will never forget how much I hated being in an office. It was years before I got used to it and still might not be.

I hunted and fished since I was little but never trapped until I about five years after I bought the first part of my farm. I had always wanted a farm and worked hard to get it. I have added on over the years and will haunt my kids if they ever sell it. I have now trapped for 15 years (I think) and am still learning.

To this day, most of my friends are farmers and oilfield guys. My far right libertarian (and sometimes centrist republican) political opinions drive a few of them nuts too.

If you are willing to share your story with Tman, I would really like to read it. I do not think some of us are as different as it may look in the political spats. Let's hear it.

Good story Blaine Co!

I was born on the same piece of dirt I still reside on. My folks were both educators and farmers. Before he retired my dad gave each of his six kids 5 acres of the original farm. When I went off to Ag school out of high school my goal was to learn as much as I could about farming from college and the rest would be the practical that I learned on the farm. I felt called to serve my country in some form and entered the Peace Corps a few years after college. Spent 2 years working on an agro-forestry project in the amazon basin of eastern Ecuador. Learned fluent Spanish and eventually married a latina. (Then another). Spanish is the language we speak in home.

I have been small scale fruit farming ever since I returned from my service to the country. (I hope that anybody that has also served his/her country in the military might take no offense at my saying I (also) served my country in the "Corps").

Except for the two years in South America I have trapped every winter since age 15. Many (if not most) of those years I was depending on my winter income from trapping to help make it through until berry season. Or to make school expenses while in college. (Much easier in the late 70's)!!!!

Very cool Beaverpeeler.

Well I started out with nothing and still have most of it left ..

I bet you have a good story to tell. We've pieced together some of it from you posts, but let's hear it.

And Thumper said: "if ya can't say something' nice....don't say nuthin' at all".

I spent most of my riches on wine women and song. The rest I just sorta wasted!

Come on, guys. I think we all know BC is quite left leaning but y'all don't have to be total jerks. I think his post is an interesting idea.

I am watching.

Tell yours!

I grew up hunting, fishing and trapping in central Iowa. Went to the University of Northern Iowa after high school, mainly because I was supposed to do something but didn't really know what that was. I majored in English mainly because it was the only subject I didn't struggle with! With my new degree I began a newspaper editing job. Long hours and very low pay. About a year in I was offered a job with an environmental compliance firm and took it. 30 years later and still in that field.

Graduated High School from a dirt Poor Family. Went into the Military and went to Bagdad during Desert Storm. Learned a Trade in Demolitions then got kicked out with a Medical ( Caused 100% Deaf in my right ear and only retained 43% in my left) Then went back to WV back to Coal Mining. Then was sent to College to finish my Degree to get my Shot Fire Certification, met my wife, then went back to Coal mining. Still Coal Mining. Must have some Brain Damage for sticking to it. Money is great but hard on the Body. Will retire in a year and Half and moving back to Wisconsin to spoil the Grandkids and teach them all of the things their Parents don't want them to know, like how to skin a skunk just before school so they can get an extra day off to check Traps with me. ( My Grandpa taught me that one and I believe Traditions should be kept) Might even set me up another still.

Graduated High School from a dirt Poor Family. Went into the Military and went to Bagdad during Desert Storm. Learned a Trade in Demolitions then got kicked out with a Medical ( Caused 100% Deaf in my right ear and only retained 43% in my left) Then went back to WV back to Coal Mining. Then was sent to College to finish my Degree to get my Shot Fire Certification, met my wife, then went back to Coal mining. Still Coal Mining. Must have some Brain Damage for sticking to it. Money is great but hard on the Body. Will retire in a year and Half and moving back to Wisconsin to spoil the Grandkids and teach them all of the things their Parents don't want them to know, like how to skin a skunk just before school so they can get an extra day off to check Traps with me. ( My Grandpa taught me that one and I believe Traditions should be kept) Might even set me up another still.

Keep it clean and respectable or imma just delete your posts, seriously all the bickering name calling and crap on all these posts lately is getting old. Call it woke or whatever dont care just knock it off

Grew up hunting , fishing , trapping,digging ginseng in southern Illinois graduated from college with a degree in earth sciences , never used it been in a brewery ever since always liked the job till the tranny bs…Jon

I hunted, fished and trapped from the time I could crawl, basically. I remember running "lines" of like 20 mousetraps in the gardens and fields behind the house in winter when I was 4 or 5, lol. Started trapping with footholds when I was 7. My first catch was a skunk, lol. Totally consumed with trapping and coon hunting until I was about 17 or so, when I started hanging out with a rowdy crowd and got more into the party scene.

I dropped out of school when I was 16 as I despised high school, took my GED, and was entering my third semester of college when my high school classmates were just starting their first semester of college. Graduated community college and went to SUNY Buffalo. That's when the party life I'd been living caught up with me. Dropped out of college before completing my bachelors, and spent the next 3 years or so wrapped up in booze and drugs. Finally got sick of that life, got clean, and went back to my roots of country living, trapping and hunting. That was 19 years ago.

Now I've been married for 16 years, I work as a supervisor of the garden center at Lowes, and I trap, hunt, fish, garden, can, forage, etc. Living on my dream homestead in the middle-of-nowhere-Mississippi.

I left a year long stint at Payless Cashways off my story. I worked in the garden center and really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your story.

Randall, we have some things in common. I don't drink anymore but when I retire I will grow championship quality herb and probably mushrooms--whether legal or not. Also, I can't hear out of my left ear from an oilfield incident.

Thank you for sharing your story.

It doesn't shock me you studied English. I enjoy your posts.

My wife was in the environmental consulting business and I handle a bunch of environmental cases.

My undergraduate degree is in something similar. It was fun for a kid that grew up hunting and fishing. It also helps a guy who had to learn how to operate a farm. Thanks for sharing your story.

Born in Steubenville, Ohio April 6, 1949. We lived in Amsterdam, OH where I attended St Joseph Catholic school until grade 5. Dad had a heart issue and was recommended that he leave Wheeling Steel, where he was working. He got a job working for the Virginia Department Of Health trapping foxes for rabies control, so we moved to southwestern VA and lived in a house at the base of Big Walker Mountain. I was 12 when we moved. We were in the country and I had a ball trapping and hunting groundhogs. At the age of 14 we moved to Culpeper, VA because it would be more centrally located. I trapped with dad and on my own around the house. Hunted squirrels, doves and deer. After high school, I got a job building silos for Old Dominion Silo company out of Bridgewater, VA.

At the age of 19 I got that letter from Uncle Sam inviting me to go play in the military. I had an two uncles who had served in the USAF, so I decided to enlist instead of being drafted. After basic training in Amarillo, Tx, I was shipped to Denver CO for munitions maintenance training at Lowry AFB. After that I was shipped to Guam, December 1969, where I played with bombs in support of the B-52s, which were flying missions over Vietnam. I arrived December 23 and spent Christmas eve on Tarague Beach drinking 10 cent cans of Schlitz beer getting a sunburn. While on Guam, I hunted wild boar and deer with my bow in the bomb dump. We had some great BBQs. While on Guam, I received a letter stating that my parents moved from VA to Canton, OH. When I returned to Canton from Guam, I found this beautiful young lady who happened to live next door. By golly, I married her and still married to her 52 years later.

From Guam I was stationed at McCoy AFB, Orlando, FL June, 1970. While there Disney World were having their grand opening. They asked for 140 volunteers from the base to blow up balloons, and I volunteered. For that effort we were given 8 books of tickets, which was a lot. While at McCoy working in the bomb dump, I noticed the EOD folks sat around a lot and drank coffee. I commented that was quite the life they had. Well, one of them challenged me, saying I didn't have what it took to be in EOD. So, I put in for that field and was accepted.

1971 I went to Ft McClellan, AL for Chem/Bio training for two weeks, then to Naval Ordnance Station, Indian Head, MD for surface and Nuke training for six months. There were 21 of us who started in my class and 4 of us from the original class graduated. It was a tough school, but fun too. I was fortunate to beat out a West Point LT. for top honors.

1972 I was transferred to Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD. We were a Centralized Support Base, which meant we were the team responsible for Ellsworth AFB, Grand Forks AFB, ND, Minot AFB, ND, Malstrom AFB, MT, Frances E Warren AFB, WY, and Whiteman AFB, MO. We had to travel to these bases for training and for Commander's briefings annually. This meant a lot of travelling. While at Ellsworth, I got to hunt mule deer on the prairie, white tails in the Black Hills and Antelope. I also got to trap coyotes, foxes, bobcats, beavers, rats and some of the biggest mink I ever caught.

1975 I was transferred to Incirlik, Turkey. Fortunately, it was an accompanied tour, so my wife got to come with me. They say when you go there, you either come home with a Flocati rug or a kid. Our first born was born in Turkey. While there, I got to hunt wild boar in the Tarsus Forest. It was another fun time.

1977 I was transferred to KI Sawyer AFB, UP of MI. It was another great place to be. I got to fish Lake Superior and Lake Michigan as well as the numerous lakes in the area. I floated the Escanaba River every year and trapped beaver until it iced in. Then I ran a culvert mink line. I hunted deer and also got a bear while there. My second son was born there.

1983 I volunteered for Instructor duty at the EOD School and got stationed there. I had three jobs while there. My first two years I taught nuclear physics as it pertains to nuclear weapons, third year I worked on developing the advanced refresher course, and the last year I taught IEDs. I spent four years there trapping foxes, beavers and otters.

1987 I was transferred to Eielson AFB, Ak as the branch chief of the EOD shop. I had a ball there. I got to run a marten/fox line on the bombing and gunnery range behind the base. Fishing was great! I went down to Copper Center and dipped salmon out of the Copper River. The base had two boats at Valdez that we could rent. We went out in Prince William Sound and fished for salmon and halibut.

1990 I was transferred to Seymour Johnson AFB, NC as the branch chief of the EOD shop. Sadly, when I arrived, there was only one other EOD guy there. The rest of the shop got deployed to Kuwait for Desert Storm. We had a requirement for two people to be on standby and be available for response 24 hours a day, so I was basically homebound until my guys got back from Kuwait. I got to trapping beavers since there were so many. The game warden put me on some good properties. One of the properties was owned by a logger who cut for many of the timber companies in the area. After he saw that I was rather proficient at trapping beavers, he recommended that I go to work with the timber companies, because they were having serious beaver problems. When i was ready to retire from the AF, that landowner put me in contact with the timber companies. I started trapping for them the day after I retired and did that for 30 years.

Then there's Dobbins' Products and how I ended up with that. Dad passed away in 1997 and I then was making and bottling the lures for mom, and she was shipping them. After a year, she turned it over to me, and I've been doing it ever since.

That's about it. It's been a wonderful life, and I've enjoyed every bit of it.

Hold my beer youngster, I've got this.

Grew up in small south Ga town. Caught 1st coon when I was 11...walked from bridge to bridge on edges of town trapping (this was in 1975.) Caught 1st fox when I was 14. First coyote at 18. Got married to highschool sweetheart in 1983 (at 19). First child (son) born in 1984. Second son born in 1987. Worked as a forklift operator and shipment inspector for 11 years. Got divorced in 1991....typical child custody arrangement (only got kids on alternating weekends/holidays.) After divorce, maintained my shipment inspector job and worked part-time as a truck driver for a local grocery company to be able to pay my bills. Later, I decided to attend junior college to obtain a degree in wildlife and forestry. I was 26. Attended classes all day and worked night shift....that was rough. Missed trapping for a few years during this era in the early 90s.

Ex-wife was killed in car crash one year after our divorce. So, I went from a full time dad/family man to a part-time single dad, to a full time single dad...all within a year's time. My sons were 5 and 7 when they lost their mother. God is the only reason I was able to hold it together....and my Mom helping me with the boys.

I applied to Georgia DNR Law Enforcement for a position as a GW a few months before I completed the wildlife portion of my degree. I had been awarded a full scholarship (due to my grades) to complete the 2nd year of wildlife degree. I also had been awarded a complete scholarship (given by a timber company) to complete the sophomore year of forestry degree. I was notified by the state that I would be hired 1 month after graduating with the wildlife degree. I had to forfeit the scholarship for the forestry degree . I was 30 when I became employed as a Georgia GW.

I met and married a local gal after being assigned to a county as a GW (about 45 miles from where I grew up.) I tell her to this day that the only reason she was attracted to me was that uniform....lol. Most days...she agrees. We "dated" for 4 years and have been married 22 years. She became the mother of my sons. She is the light in my life!!!

I have trapped a lot over the years (except for those 3 or 4 years in the early 90s. Fur and live market coyote/fox sales have paid many bills over the years. I have kept decent catch/sales records over the years. I have totalled just under 1000 coyotes, over 1200 foxes, 400 plus bcats, 450 plus otters, 400 plus beavers, and 2000 plus coons....since that 1st coon in 1975.

Last June (2022), I retired from GaDNR LE. It was a great career! Now, I'm still adjusting to retired life. Full time trapper and annoyance to my wife now. I also pick and choose where, when, how I trap today. I hunt and fish when I want. I'm 58 this November. Living the dream!

Great read. Thank you for keeping Dobbins' Products going. I don't do much beaver trapping but I use Backbreaker when I do. And, your Dad's books taught me a lot.

Another great read--especially you holding it together for your sons. I'll admit though, I am jealous of your retirement! Thanks for posting your story.

I grew up hunting and fishing from an early age. Some of my best memories are from going to Ontario with my grandfather and trying to catch a musky. I caught a ton of pike and bass. Hooked a few musky, but never brought one to hand. My dad loved hunting, fishing, golf, and bowling. With that tutelage I became quite proficient at all 4.

I hated school. Mainly because my sister was a genius and I always got compared to her. In my senior year I decided to join the Army. I was a signal/electronic warfare specialist. Not as glamorous as it sounds. Long hours sitting in a building listening for certain words and phrases, and then trying to block/jam the signal. While in I became very interested in photography. While in I saved every penny I could to use for a college education. When I got out I found that the money was all gone. Never found out who took it, but suspect it was my cousin.

I then worked menial jobs for a few years, joined the ski patrol at both 7 Springs and Hidden Valley resorts. I was working that when I met my future wife. She didn't want to relocate. So I did. Then at the age of 32 I decided to go back to school and took up wildlife management. I worked as a elk information specialist, then moved up to biologist aide. While working that job they decided they wanted people to have a masters, and the college student wasted all her money for her project on stupid stuff, and I just couldn't afford to go on to grad school.

I worked in various plants and even a hunting lodge. Then in 2017 I wrecked my motorcycle. Crushed my tibial plateau and broke the bone in 3 places. Somehow the ortho was able to reassemble my leg. I was in the hospital for 2 months and a knee immobilizer for almost 8 months. My wife is friends with our local ortho's and they all told me if I had come into their hospital for my leg I'd only have half of the leg I broke. They wouldn't even had attempted to repair it. In that time frame I developed a kidney disease, to go along with the cirrhosis heart problems. About 2 years later I found out I had developed smoldering myeloma. Basically it's one step below multiple myeloma. All my doctors got together and decided I wasn't allowed to work anymore. I'm allowed to make so much a month and I do work to supplement. Believe me when I say that SSD doesn't pay diddly.

I still hunt and fish, although I don't walk the streams or the hills anymore. It's all boat and shore fishing, and hunting from a blind not too far off the road. My trapping is basically limited to cage trapping, because I can't bend or squat down to dig beds and holes.

I will play.

I was raised by a single mother in a government subsidized 2 bed room apartment until I was 13.( Rough place lots of fights had my first knife pulled on my when i was under 10/ but the girls were well friendly and I knew nothing else and thought that was normal. )Mom was a hairdresser and worked 2 and 3 jobs untill she built up Her book of clients. Then she just worked those long days at one job. She got established and bought a house we moved and it was a good thing. I dont think a single kid I grew up with there does not have a record . Mom also Took in foster kids eventually adopting 4 of them. I moved out when I was 16 and in with my Dad. ( I didn't adopt the kids and they were not my responsibility mom didn't understand that. Helping out, cooking, cleaning, watching them some times sure. But I was not going to be told I couldn't go on my date I had planed becuse I was expected to watch the kids when one of moms friend called her and she wanted to go out . Nope I'm out of here.

Mom let one of her friends take me squirrel hunting when I was 5. I spent weekend at my grandparents in the country running the fields and ditches. Got my first bow about 7, bb gun at 10, pellet gun, 12 youth bow and first 2 deer I killed with it at 13. Bought my first 12g single shot at a farm auction at 13. Mom does not like guns it didn't go over well so it and my air guns stayed at my grandparents.

I have a cousin my age and they moved to the country when we were about 11. I went up there every weekend I could get a ride. We learned how to hunt every on our own through observation , trial and error, read every book, magazine ,and VHS video I could find. We got proficient.

I cut grass and worked for my uncle when he did tree work starting about 9. By 16 I was doing trees on my own. I also washed dishes and bussed tables at a local restaurant.

After high-school I worked in a factory lots of 12 hr days, did line clearance tree work, and built cell towers. Then I got an apprenticeship in the Ironworkers. I iron worked 7 years but it was not steady and I didn't want to travel. I was offered a very nice job traveling building smoke stacks and was torn. Money or being with my family(same problem today). My daughter was 5 getting ready to start school(before we started homeschooling) and my wife was pregnant with my first son.(the one that was killed in the wreck) . I didn't want to watch my kids grow up in pictures. Or get into the traveling construction worker life of the bar easy women every night preferring to stay married.

I went to buy an English setter pup and was talking about the problem with the bird dog guy. And he told me Alcoa is hiring and about the job. It sounded good and I got hired and have been in this plant 17 years now.


I started dating my wife when we were 16. We married when I was 24 and my daughter was 2. My daughter is now 21 my 2nd my first son was killed my 3rd son is 13 Jun 1st and youngest boy is 10.

We bought our first house on a few acres it is out in the country and dreamed about a farm. We looked for land in 3 states for 5 years. We final got our farm and truly know how blesses we are after seeing what is out there for so many years.

I got an associates in my apprenticeship and I took a Few semesters working on a teaching degree before I realized a few things. 1 lack of money in the job, 2 limited teaching jobs in my area with 2 university's turning out teachers, 3 I'm not into the political correct gay stuff and would be fired fast.

Good bunch of guys / gals on here. I read somewhere recently that less than one percent of the US population ever serves in the military. Seems to be a high percentage on here that have. Thanks for your service each and every one of you.

I was born in California. My grandfather on my dads side was a cowboy and predator control trapper for the state. ( Imagine that...in California ) Anyway my dad was a cowboy. He knew horses and cows as well as anyone. In 1968 when I was 3 he got a job as cow boss for the Gang Ranch in the Chilcotin country of BC Canada, so we moved north. By the time I was in the 3rd grade we had moved to a much smaller ranch in northern BC. Thats where I grew up and learned to trap and hunt.

Dad got prostrate cancer when i was 16 and died a year later. I quit school and went to work. At 18 I joined the National Guard. My MOS was 63B. I was discharged about a month before we went into Iraq the first time.


Met a girl that lived just outside Ft Lenard Wood. We got married and after my military commitment was over we moved back to Canada. I loved the military and would have stayed in, but my wife didnt want that life. It was a good choice. We married young and are still married. Ended up in the Yukon where I have been guiding hunters anglers and trappers ever since. We managed a fishing lodge for 22 years and ended up buying it in 2010 or so. About 20 years ago now I enrolled in the North American School of outdoor writing, and it was one of the best things I've ever done. So if Im not in the bush trapping, hunting, or fishing, chances are Im writing about it for someone.

This is a great thread. We all kind of know how each other think, but it's cool to learn a little more about everyone.

Long story short I grew up and married a show me girl too. Smartest thing I ever did.

Great Thread BC! Interesting story Mr. Dobbins wrote. At least his parents told him where they were moving. When I was in 6th grade, my family moved. Took me 2 weeks to find them.

I dropped out of Mining Engineering School at Penn State in the mid 70s. Went to work underground at Consolidation Coal Company, high coal. In 1983 started working in low coal, 42”. By 1987, I was in a 36” seam. I worked low coal till I retired. Did every hourly job there was underground, had every qualification for electrical work, every Pa. Certification that could be had. I went on to spend my next 8 years as management underground ( section boss, mine foreman, mine superintendent ). For the last 13 years before I retired, I was the General Manager, overseeing 21 underground mines. I guess I travelled the long and twisted road to success, but I managed to self fund retirement at 54.5 years old and can do as I please. So it worked out for me.

I would say my time in solitary was probably the most difficult. Nowadays everything is e-z peasey.

I lost mine when a kid tossed an explosive charge in a tunnel. The Tunnels over there were mostly big huge Culvert Pipes. The concussion left me hearing impaired. After a while you get used to the constant never ending ringing. I brew Corn Liquor as did my Father and Grandfather. I drink very little because it messes up my Blood Sugar with my Diabetes. A couple of drinks and I get the Cotton Dry Mouth and check my sugar and it will be between 300 and 450. Then I have to start injecting in the Humalog and Novalog like Candy. Not worth Trashing a Kidney. Ever notice with bad Hearing how it is so hard to pinpoint a deer walking in the woods?? AGGRAVATING when everyone else is looking and your still looking around trying to figure where it is.

We work in Low Coal. In WV anything under 36 is low. Anything over is high Coal. Right now I am 3rd shift Section Boss and we are Blasting the top after they cut the first seam. Then we Blast 36 inches of Slate and then the Miner comes along and takes the 2nd Seam. Still better than Pillaring though. That starts in August as we pull out.

I grew up in a small city in upstate NY, I trapped skunks,coons, and possums as the muskrat trappers were in a thief war. Met my wife in high school worked several jobs mostly laborer, got hired as a grunt on a high line for an electric company, caught my first beaver in 66 or 67 that was pretty kool. The Army hired me for two years 68-69, spent 15 months on a nameless hill in Korea. Came home married my wife, went Beaver trapping for our "honeymoon", got hired as a meter reader by the same company I grunted for, got a lineman job, bought our first Airedale as a present for my wifes birthday, Airedales turned into another addiction as bad as trapping. Had two kids, made syrup, raised Ginseng, sold firewood,raised and sold fish. Started a FurTaker chapter, ran a fur auction. Trapped several years in Dutchess, Putman and Columbia counties with Tom Tyree when he moved to Virginia I trapped with him for several years. Trapped with several people over the years, one of the highlights was trapping with Kurt Beaureguard and working on the KB trap he also developed a modification to get around the trigger regs for 330 connibears., this turned the trap into a 280, the first thing we caught was a little mink!
Moved to New Mexico 16 years ago, got to catch lions when it was legal and got two with my dog also, shot a few Elk, went up to North Dakota and trapped with a good friend. Went to Texas to trap in a school met some great people and learned a lot about coyotes/cats. Spend my summers playing with game cameras, and making and trying new lure I make. If I could go back in time I'd double up on a lot of things!

Its A Good Time To Be A TRAPPER!

I generally don't get involved with topics like this, but I will to a point. I went from rags to riches and worked from sunup to sundown for 40 years in one career. I might have taken three weeks off in those 40 years.

I retired early in life because my time left on earth, has more value, than any paycheck or any amount of money.

My mommy warned me about sharing too much personal information on the internet. So:

• born a boomer
• attended public schools
• helped ol' Uncle Sam
• a bit of higher education
• Married, raised a coup[e boys
• worked
• retired
• worked new career
• retired
• worked new career
• retired
• killing time in fourth or fifth career

Okay, I’ll bite.
I was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska. My father and grandfather spent a good deal of time with me in the outdoors, starting at an early age. I would spend my summers hand trolling on both of their boats and there were many days spent stream fishing for steelhead, trout, and Dolly Varden. I was introduced to shooting at an early age, around 6 years old. I started off with a single shot 22 Springfield Meteor with peep sights. Dad and I would hunt spring grouse, known as hooters around here. At around 8YO I was given my first shotgun and soon after my passion for water fowling began. Next I was able to purchase my first big game rifle with wages earned working on dad and grandpa’s boats as the deckhand. This kicked off my obsession with deer hunting with moose hunting following shortly after
Neither my father or grandpa were trappers. Dad would catch marten under the deer pole, but that was about it. I started trapping at around fourteen. Mink, marten, and ermine first, followed by beaver and otter, then wolverine and wolf. I was somewhat successful, being only self taught and reading all that I could on the subject. I was fortunate to later have my father in law show me much more in trapping methods and helping me develop into a mediocre trapper, at best.
I will leave out all the bad stuff I was involved in from my teens through mid-twenties. I credit my wife with giving me reason to change my ways. We have four beautiful children together with one grandson. My love of hunting, fishing, and trapping never wavered and I have been fortunate to spend time with my wife and children in the outdoors sharing these pursuits.

I wouldn’t change anything in my past. No regrets. There is plenty of love in my life and I have a career that is more than adequate.

Life is good.

.

I took a young guy spring turkey hunting for his first time a couple of weeks ago. We'd be working birds and he'd whisper to me, "I hear walking in the leaves."

I'd look to where he was indicating and sure enough, after a little while there were turkeys coming out of the brush. I never heard them.

I lost a good bit of my hearing running a circular saw as the lead carpenter on a framing crew. This was back before we knew anything about hearing loss and protecting your hearing. Now I deal with the constant loud ringing of tinnitus and missing all the subtle sounds of nature.

jet engines are hard on ears also. What I hear 100% of the time sounds like cicadas

What I hear sounds like a jet engine spooling up.

That's why I don't tell people I'm a porno star..

Just kidding!

Ron (lol)

Work hard, don’t expect much in return. Be a good husband and father, learn as much as you can, the usual stuff.
That was pretty much it. Lots of better stories on here than anything I could share, for sure.
Jim

Bad hearing here also couldn’t turkey hunt if it wasn’t for walkers game ears but my direction is bad since my left ear is worse

Hunted and fished almost from day one. Started gopher trappin at age 12. Quarter for pocket gophers and nickel for 13 lined ground squirrels. Went to college and got a degree in wildlife management. Dang near starved while going to school. Got a job with Feds in various jobs of resource management. Retired after 34 years. Also started my own private business in 1988 - research and development of mostly hunting products - still involved with that. Still trap my 400 acres where I now live - predator control. Have a son and a daughter - a Dr and a chemist. Got five grandkids - all girls. Keeping the tradition going - baiting a dog proof.



I just caught a swordfish three days ago. I have now caught eight of the nine world’s billfish. A white marlin and atlantic sailfish in Florida, Atlantic Blue Marlin in Gulf of Mexico, a Pacific Sail in Costa Rica, a pacific blue marlin in Mexico, a Black Marlin in Panama, a Striped Marlin in Mexico, and now the sword in the Florida Keys. That leaves a short billed spearfish - probably going to Hawaii to try for that one. The smallest was the white marlin at 60 lbs and the largest was the black marlin at 800. The sword is the only one I intentionally killed. Good eating. That is me on the right. Have no idea why pics are sideways

I was born on February 21 1965. My dad worked in a factory and mom worked nights at a ice cream shop. I was the only boy out of 5 children. We had a mini farm with cows, horses, and chickens on 6 acres. My dad passed away in 1974 from a heart attack. We sold all of our livestock because my mom couldn’t do it all.

In 1977 I started helping with chores at my neighbors dairy farm. He lost his son in a tractor rollover in 1973. So we began a father-son relationship. He was my best man in my wedding. I started trapping coon in the hay loft and his father taught me about water trapping for coon and muskrats. Another neighbor introduced me to deer hunting. And went to Wyoming with him to mule deer and antelope hunt.

High school years and early 20’s I liked my alcohol. In 1989 I started dating my wife. She changed me in a good way and I gave up the heavy drinking. In 1992 we married. In 1996 we had our first son and 2000 had our second son. My wife and I and both sons deer and turkey hunt. My boys and I coyote hunt together.

I’ve worked as a farm hand, animal feed maker, railroad line worker, factory worker forging aluminum and brass, and my current job as a warehouse manager for farm chemicals.

I was an off and on trapper until the last 8 years. I found Trapperman and went to my first convention in Manchester IA where I met Lee Steinmeyer and Andy Weiser and got into coyote trapping addiction. The last two years I have gotten into beaver trapping also. I have learned so much on Trapperman and want to thank Paul for it.

God has blessed me.

From my perspective, I've led a charmed life. Grew up in west-central Idaho mountains. Started professional wildlife work at age 15. Worked 10 years in Idaho and vicinity on a variety of wildlife research projects. Finished grad school and migrated to Alaska in 1981. Worked Alaska Fish and Game for 27 years, mostly on large predators. Also became a survey pilot for ADF&G. Worked in Russia for private research outfit for a year on Siberian tigers and Far Eastern Leopards. Short stint in Mongolia on wolf work. In retirement, (back in Idaho) have been trapping and helicopter-darting wolves for collaring for Idaho Fish and Game, and also taught wolf-trapping certification classes in Idaho and Montana for a few years. Also, author, knife-maker, and trapper, hunter, fisherman.

This has been great BC. I guess I will pitch in

My story is far from over, or at least I hope so. Just getting started in life

I grew up with a great family that I thank God for each day. I have parents that raised me right, made me work my fingers to the bone, taught me how to kill anything that moves, taught me how to grow my own food. I plan to do the same with my kids one day.

I was lucky enough to have 3 sets of grandparents. My moms side, dads side, and then my grandmothers cousin and her husband, who kept us during the summers when our parents were working. They never took a dime for keeping us, but we earned our keep. We called them granny and Paw and they taught me a lot of what I know today. Paw was a retired machinist and ran a deer processing business. I was skinning deer and cutting/packing meat since I was old enough to physically do so. Granny taught me how to ride a bike and how to tie my shoes. We had some good times, but I have had to go through losing them both now. We also lost another set of grandparents in that same time period. I am still lucky to have one set left, but the last 5 years have been tough with loss. We also lost my Aunt to breast cancer and an uncle to Pancreatic Cancer. I'm thankful for the good memories I have with all of them and for the part they all played in making me who I am today. Losing family is hard.

I went to the same elementary, middle, and high school. It was a fairly rural school with my graduating class being around 150 people. I started trapping rabbits to sell the to the dog guys in middle school and it took off from there. I started trapping coons, foxes, and coyotes when I first got into high school around 2012. I always did well in school without putting in much effort. I had great grades and knew I wanted to go to college to be an Engineer. I had worked all through High School as a brick mason and a cabinet maker. My dad was the masonry teacher at the high school I went to and I won the state masonry competition in 2013 or 2014. Being a school teacher he had me apply for every scholarship under the sun. I applied for a large full ride scholarship at UNC Charlotte as I met the academic requirements. I also applied to NC State and Clemson and was accepted into both with good scholarship offers. I did not think I was anywhere near smart enough to get a full ride scholarship. One day I check the mailbox and there is a letter in there notifying me I am a finalist for the scholarship. Long story short, I went through the extensive finalist weekend interview process and I got the scholarship. It was a huge blessing to me and my family as we had a household income of less than $50,000 at the time.

I enjoyed a great 4 years at UNCC, my scholarship sent me all around the world. I worked on an archeological dig in Jerusalem, did a 150 mile backpacking trip in Wyoming, worked at a pre professional internship in DC, and worked for a local non profit purchasing land for long term habitat conservation. I graduated in 2020 with a Civil Engineering degree concentrated in Geotechnical Engineering. Got a job at a big consulting firm as a Geotechnical Project Manager and started my masters degree at NC State while working full time. I completed that last December. I left the consulting firm in 2021 and currently work as the Engineer for a large municipality here in Central NC. If I stay here I will retire at 52.

I'm getting married in October to a girl I dated on and off in middle and high school. We drifted apart in college and came back together after and there is no doubt in my mind she is the one God made for me. I bought some land last year and paid cash for it. We are going to build a house on that land soon. Life is good, extremely busy, but good.

I have to bring one of my kids so I don't walk in circles when I hear a gobble.

This has been truly a pleasure to read. I learned a lot from these stories. I hope others did too. Thanks again everyone.

Let's keep it going.

Agreed. Interesting group of people from all walks of life.

I was born before television. Reading the encyclopedia and listening to the radio I was drawn to all things outdoors. Sargent Preston of the Royal Mounted Police and things forestry I read about helped form my future. Living in a big city and spending time in a classroom didn't cut it.

I married the love of my life when I was 18 and she was 17. The first 10 years were spent learning a trade 40 hours a week and building a bait and tackle wholesale business nights and weekends. Construction always had slow times so I made up income packing bags of mussels off the rocks and collecting sand crabs selling to the local bait house, pouring sinkers, 2 tons a week and packaging bait and on the road up and down the coast delivering my products.

It was march 1970 I was making my run north making deliveries as the road out of Malibu California climbed a hill and being a clear day I could see Santa Barbara Island on the horizon I decided that it was time to move on. The previous spring my wife's cousins family visited on their way to Mexico City from Anchorage to spend a year on his masters degree I treated them to a fresh lobster dinner from my catch from the previous day as they headed out the next morning. When they left my wife said that's where you belong ALASKA. I have a business I can't just leave. You'll find a way she said. Well that comment sparked the rest of the story.

53 years later and looking back we will have been married 63 years in September. Raised 2 great kids. They are 57 and 61. 4 grand kids. We have built a construction specialty business that has taken us all over the state of Alaska, California and New York. The whole family has benefitted from the business.

To the real story. I don't have a bucket list. I lived it. The spark that brought me to the frozen north started with my ear pressed to the radio as a young boy listening to Sergent Preston. As soon as I arrived in Alaska I ran into a guy in Soldotna that owned a lodge, (too long ago to remember his name and the lodge name) and he said come back down here and I'll teach you to trap. I never went back there but that's what I am going to do. I started a snow shoe line in 1971 and caught some marten and a lynx. I graduated to a snow machine and cut lines prospecting all over the place and focused on marten. I have poles tied to trees all over the interior. I finally was given a line 60 miles from my house and trapped it until 5 years ago and passed it onto a friend due to having health issues. That line produced marten, wolverine, wolves. Trapped 2 rivers for beaver. Frozen rivers are a lot of work but managed to catch many beaver every year.

My childhood was fairly normal. I was destined to be my own person. My parents weren't happy with my choices in life. Adversity started at a young age so I guess looking back it was the reason for living my bucket list. Thanks Mom and Dad... lol. Most of all Thanks to my wonderful wife for letting me be me! ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS!

I've enjoyed reading them also.
I'll chime in and try yo ceep it short.

I was born in Kansas. My family moved back and forth between Kansas and Iowa for my dad's work. We were city dwellers but my mind was alway out doors. We always lived near some sort of wooded agricultural land with a creek near by. Daniel Boon was my hero and I played the role of his caricature until I was about 9 or 10. I found some used traps at a sporting good store near our home in Desmoins Iowa at age 10 and to cut to the chase a trapper was born.

My youth was spent in Iowa and then Kansas then to AZ for couple of years. Trapping each winter then seasonal sumer work. At the age of 29 I moved to Wyoming 1994. I partnerd with a friend and his family rendezvousing. We had left AZ because of the rendezvous were in Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Also prop 200 AZ rolled and banned conventional trapping as we know it.


In Wyoming we Did the live market and started a trade store along with the rendezvous for about 15 years. In the midst of it we raod tripped to Mississippi for several years for live coyote market and fur for our rendezvous and trade store.Then I maried my practice wife lol and (struck out )on my own.(No pun intended) after the first one didn't take. trapped the furmarket and control work and killed mosquitoes for about 7 years till I met my soul mate.


Now we have a small farm in Wyoming. Still trapping and living the dream of being as self sustainable as we can on our little farm. And enjoying grandkids as often as me can.

You have lived a great life! 63 years of marriage says a lot about both of you! I expect we know some of the same people. Ever hear of a company called Rent A Can ? It truly is a small world, I've never met mad-mike but we both know a family thats in the construction business down in southeast AK as well.

Hi Dave

Mad Mike is the reason I did my story. I know the original owner of Sani Can not sure of Rent a Can. I am sure during the early years of the Yukon Quest we crossed paths since I was one of the original trail breakers between Fairbanks and 101 mile. I along with several people opened an old trail over Rosebud for the first running of the race. I lasted 5 or 6 winters opening that section of trail. Deep snows and lack of help and the responsibility of marking the trail became job and passed that responsibility on to others. One trip one of the members on here rode along over Rosebud and it had to be colder than -50 at the bottom of Rosebud. The track felt like you were riding on 2X4's...LOL

We have worked in Juneau and one time we were cutting up the concrete floor in the federal building and our saw wouldn't run because of the lack of power when everyone got home and started cooking. They called it brown power.

Born in 1957 in Omaha. Raised there as well. 3 semesters at Colorado state starting in 1975 and went to a trapping course put on by Major Boddiker. That got me started trapping. Ditched college in 77 and worked for a year in Omaha. Jumped on a plane to Alaska in 78. Got a gig with another remote trapper in middle Alaska and spent the next 7 seasons remote bush trapping. Made some decent money too.
1985 I decided I better get an education, hoping to work summers and continue trapping. Got an A&P license but ended up doing mostly full time work. Did a lot of trapping around Nome and 3 years at Unalakleet.
Retired now and trying to get back to remote trapping. I know Oh Snap and have gone on his trapline years ago. Also served on ATA board with him. Best ATA pres. ever!!
At 66 I am hoping my trapping career won't be over for a long time!!

Hey MT
Life sure was a lot simpler back in those days and a lot colder too! Glad to hear from our Alaskan and Yukon friends.

Rosebud brings back some memories! Always thought Eagle was way overrated, but its a long way up or down Rosebud on a dogteam! I ran that section once on a snowmachine too. That would have been back in the 90s somewhere. I remember running into a fellow that was grooming the trail through some sort of park but I also saw marten sets so some lucky trapper had good trails!

Not sure if it made the news up there but I just heard an ice jam formed below 40 mile and it flooded pretty bad. Water to the rooftops apparently.

Long story short.
Born next to the farm in Iowa
I was picked on as a kid because my clothes were not right.
I am adhd and the other one were t can be d when you read.
That year in third grade I started wrestling.
8 grade I was taking boxing lessons
Lost state wrestling championship in high school to my own team member because of my confidence issue.
My boxing coach was a Christian and a martial instructor so I pursued that.




Love working on the farm and making side money trapping gopher in the summer.
Winter time I only new muskrats.
Nebraska had a good bounty on yotes in 70’s
Did as much adc trapping as I could of a old 73? Honda z 50

Then came back the jocks after graduating aka legyage was 18

Collect the respect that is due to every person around you.
Next year I hooked up with an Irish friend after we almost beat the coal out of each other.
We asked each other “ is that big guy kicking on some one smaller “ Never did 2 on one unless it was two one one of us. lol
We always asked the perpetrators what was there intentions. Thanks

I miss them day as I get old.
It was kind of a thing for the lesser
Got cray one night to see a girl that I dated.
Drove Omaha to CA in my beat fo snot dodge W100

Didn’t work out with that girl because she liked drugs and the house party thing

Shortly after I moved into a condo that my wife lived next to.
I meet her fixing the grill in the courtyard so I could cook some meat.

Had three boys
Live in paradise
Had a miracle baby that was given grace
The grace of God is good.

I still work WCO.
If you are good
Don’t charge by the animal.

No shame taking 2nd in Iowa!

I was born in 1964. Grew up in a mill town on the Mississippi River Sartell Mn. I was a stubborn child. At 5 yrs old I new it all. I had wonder lust in my blood. Hunting fishing and trapping was me. I was the kid in school looking out the window wondering if the fish where biting, ducks where flying or what I had in my traps. I was going to be a mountain man. At 19 years old I left for college in Ely Mn. Got a degree in Park and Recreation management. Was an Urban Forester/ Park Manager for 10yrs. Then worked for Mn Trapline Products(Tim and Nancy Caven) for 10 yrs. Charlie Dobbins inspired me to become a trap modification guy. That started a wonderful career from 1994 to 2002. Met my Love of my life on line. When on line dating wasn’t cool yet. Moved to Ohio. Started an Environmental Service Career in Health Care for the past 21yrs. From Addiction, Long Term Care , Now AL/ IL Memory Care Communities. Ready to pull the pin on that. Started my on Recycling/ Antiquities Business. Wouldn’t change nothing. Has been a great journey

No second, it was all muscle and determination.
I still to this day do not like someone who is special being put down.
I don’t like when someone treats someone bad at the counter.
I use my voice to tell them they are better then the,,,

I try to be a encouragement

Focus on what God gives you