It was some fifty years ago that I started trapping. The early 1970’s was the beginning of the end of what had long been an era of secrecy in trapping. Old timers for the most part either kept their trapping techniques to themselves or at least pretended they had some secret method.
Trapping Today vs Trapping in the Past
How different it is today. Social media has provided a platform where trapping information is at the beginning trapper’s fingertips. The steep learning curve those of previous generations had to climb included both frustration and adventure. In many ways it was a great way to learn how to trap. However, the plethora of trapping information available today means new trappers enjoy success much sooner and are quick to be using the most humane, modern trapping techniques available. That’s a good thing.
Training New Trappers
The past two weeks I have had the privilege of introducing a father and his twelve-year-old daughter to trapping. In January I was on an out-of-state trap line when I received a call from a friend who’s farm ponds I had trapped briefly in December. He said he had a granddaughter who was interested in trapping and wondered if I might help her, and her dad get started.
When I returned home arrangements were made to meet with Doug and Alexandra. I was skinning and putting up muskrats and beaver when they visited my shop. Miss Alexandra demonstrated a sincere interest in trapping and when offered a chance to skin one of the muskrats jumped on the opportunity.
Doug and Alexandra were making maple syrup at Grandpa’s farm. I knew I had left some fur behind when I trapped there earlier in the season, so we decided to set traps around the ponds and on the creek. When we met to set traps, to my surprise there was beaver and otter sign which had not been there in December. We set three muskrat traps, a DP trap for raccoon, a couple coyote sets, and two snares and three traps for the beaver and otter. Long story short, after a couple major rainstorms, the creek flooding and some patient waiting a muskrat, two raccoons, two beavers and an otter were captured in the traps.
Alexandra is an accomplished shooter for her age and neatly dispatched the raccoons and otter with her revolver. With coaching, she skinned and fleshed the animals she caught. She and her dad plan to attend our state association fur auction this coming weekend and are planning what they need to run their own trap line next season.
Of the fur I caught this season, I can honestly say that none of the catches were more satisfying than those shared with Doug and Alexandra. If you are starting out trapping, find an experienced trapper to help you along your learning curve. If you are an experienced trapper, be that person.
I’m sure with your knowledge it was a fun and rememberable time for them both.