# Trapping



## moondancer (Dec 21, 2013)

Kind of a prep update but listing it here . Just got new traps in ready getting ready for next season my first alone . Also new trotlines I've always run but needed to update supplies .


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

Trapping: One of the most important yet underrated survival skills. Makes for a lot less time hunting and wasting the bodies energy and time.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Your comments bring back so many memories. I did a lot of trapping when I was younger, mostly Raccoon and Muskrat. I still have some **** skin stretchers and a few traps.

Trotlines, My Grandfather had 3 x 1 mile long trotlines that I helped him with out on the lake. After all these years I can still taste the Cheddar Cheese and Mustard sandwiches he would bring for lunch. Fond memories.


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## moondancer (Dec 21, 2013)

I do it all for food and skins for own use I don't sell it's


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I've never trapped, but am interested in adding small game traps to my preps, also setting a few in season to learn. Are there any books you would recomend getting, or any good web sites. Also how many traps would you recomend a single prepper get.

What about snares, do you use them? They look like another good way to save energy and get protein.:scratch


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## moondancer (Dec 21, 2013)

In a shtf time use anything but in my state snares are not legal . Also the best way is to find someone to learn from that's what I did this season . There are a lot of tricks to the trade


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

sailaway said:


> I've never trapped, but am interested in adding small game traps to my preps, also setting a few in season to learn. Are there any books you would recomend getting, or any good web sites. Also how many traps would you recomend a single prepper get.
> 
> What about snares, do you use them? They look like another good way to save energy and get protein.:scratch


My best friends brother runs a line about an hour and a half or so from you, I only see him about twice a year at Flint Ridge Knapp In's but next time I do I'll ask him if he minds if someone tags along. So most likely next season but if you want to go I may be able to hook it up for you.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

As Moondancer said nothing beats a good Mentor, but learning from a book is doable, that's how I learned. Go online to Alibris books and find the book Successful Trapping Methods, I don't remember the author and it is an older book but one of the best. You can also go to furfishandgame.com they have lots of books on trapping, using traps, snares, and even dead falls, as well as tools and supplies.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Start here for trapping info:

http://www.nationaltrappers.com/index.html

Also check out your state for trapping associations. Most states have their own and members often receive a trapping magazine as part of their membership. In Montana you get a subscription to the magazine _Trapper and Predator Caller _as part of your membership fee. It's an excellent publication as is _Fur-Fish-Game Magazine_.

http://www.trapperpredatorcaller.com/

http://www.furfishgame.com/


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## moondancer (Dec 21, 2013)

With my limited experience as in only a year and a half and only one season with a trapper I can tell you it's a craft that will take me a life time to get right . A true trapper is an artist


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

Your time and effort is time well spent. You can read every book out there but nothing beats "on the job training". You will not only develop your techniques but also develop a sixth sense as to where great locations to set and a greater knowledge of wildlife movement and habits. Good job and good luck


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

HardCider said:


> Your time and effort is time well spent. You can read every book out there but nothing beats "on the job training". You will not only develop your techniques but also develop a sixth sense as to where great locations to set and a greater knowledge of wildlife movement and habits. Good job and good luck


You know HardCider, I agree with you that there are some things that cannot be properly learned by reading a book, brain surgery is probably one example, trapping is not. It is very easy to take your book out into the back yard and properly learn how to, for example, make a "dirt hole set" for a fox, or you could go down to the creek and practice making a hole set for Raccoon. It's also possible to practice making deadfalls, snare sets and others wile looking at your book in your back yard.
I take exception to your comment, Sir, since it appears to be aimed at me. I can assure you that I was a trapper for a very long time, and that, I first started out with the book mentioned above, practicing in my back yard.


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

I'm very sorry if I've offended you or anyone else. My post wasn't directed at anyone. When I posted what I did, I was actually thinking about all the things I've had to learn by trial and error. Not about your post. Small things not found in a book or picture. For instance, when I started beaver trapping I too had to rely on what I had read. But even though my sets looked the same as what I saw in a book, I couldn't figure out why I had a bunch of fired empty footholds. I finally figured out(i'm just a small town dumb ole country boy so it takes a while) take it was the water depth and not the set per say that was off. The trap it self was a little too shallow so the beavers were riding up on the pan and firing the trap against their chest. They have short front legs so my margin of error was off. When their chest bumps the bank they drop their front legs. I needed to back off or set deeper. Or that you could really corral where you want a grey fox to put his foot but a red fox is a little more wary and they would shy off my sets if I boxed them in too much. I was thinking about the little things like that. Again, I'm sorry you took that the wrong way. Was just trying to encourage a fellow outdoorsman. Maybe I should have said "you can and should read every book out there" because I still buy fur fish and game when ever I see it and still reread all my old books every fall when I get excited about each new season. Was just trying to help


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Hey no problem, I just had a bad day, sorry for taking it out on you.


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