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Started out obsessed with canines and still am to some degree but with the bobcat population ruining most of my fox spots I dabbled in mink this past year . Between spending hours talking with Eric space and watching and learning how to make and load minks snares like him I have been bitten by the mink bug. This year I will target coyotes for a few farmers and a select few spots for fox but will be focusing on mink. Such a neat little critter.
 
If we stopped targeting species because we were not going to get paid good enough for it - would we really be the wildlfe managers that we are? Population control through sustainable harvest is one of our primary missions. If you trap for the money you should look for a new job, for the most part.

Also the DPs are pull only as previously stated. Do your research and be responsible. Find where the ***** are and catch em quick. Don't just lay and pray. Know where your target is, get your goal within 5 nights and move on. Stay away from people and places with people. It is extremely important we get this right and that we demonstrate that this very effective tool will help us achieve our overall goal which is, a sustainable harvest while providing the greater community with nuisiance relief and disease vector control.
 
If we stopped targeting species because we were not going to get paid good enough for it - would we really be the wildlfe managers that we are? Population control through sustainable harvest is one of our primary missions. If you trap for the money you should look for a new job, for the most part.

Also the DPs are pull only as previously stated. Do your research and be responsible. Find where the ***** are and catch em quick. Don't just lay and pray. Know where your target is, get your goal within 5 nights and move on. Stay away from people and places with people. It is extremely important we get this right and that we demonstrate that this very effective tool will help us achieve our overall goal which is, a sustainable harvest while providing the greater community with nuisiance relief and disease vector control.
Please..not everyone traps hard, not everyone traps the same way, and not everyone traps the same species. 47 ***** last year, 67 the year before and have sold FOUR of those and it's not because of poor grades. Most are graded SEL and I's. I don't trap for the money but I know that if I have $1.00 I can't spend $1.50. I ain't no wildlife manager, I'm a trapper that ain't targeting **** this year. As long as your are within the regs, trap how you wish
 
the only **** I will be targeting this year will be a couple nusiance spots that I been asked to do some population control on. at least it will give me a chance to try the new dp's out and help some people out at the same time. my normal **** spots I am leaving alone again this year. I think last year I kept 6 or some low number like that and one of those 6 I didnt bring home, a friend checked one of my sets, dispatched it, skinned, fleshed and boarded it then dropped it off at my house. thanks john I will trap with you anytime. [rofl] the rest were released.
 
the only **** I will be targeting this year will be a couple nusiance spots that I been asked to do some population control on. at least it will give me a chance to try the new dp's out and help some people out at the same time. my normal **** spots I am leaving alone again this year. I think last year I kept 6 or some low number like that and one of those 6 I didnt bring home, a friend checked one of my sets, dispatched it, skinned, fleshed and boarded it then dropped it off at my house. thanks john I will trap with you anytime. [rofl] the rest were released.
And I will save you the drive, I be the trap watchman ! Got Fur, Make Call..... LMAO
 
buckndoe - others ..... I was not at all trying to tell people how to trap or what to trap. Not my point at all. Also, "I'm a trapper I ain't no wildlife manager" - my point is - yes you are a wildlife manager by being a trapper and folks need to recognize that. The only thing you have to fall back on as a rationale for trapping is that YOU ARE A WILDLIFE MANAGER. The state doesn't care how much we make the state cares that we manage the population. That is the primary reason we are "allowed" to trap. This is the message that we have to take to the none consumptive users - it is really the only rationale that supports our cause.
We as a community need to realize this and start preaching it. That is my point. Also, to keep the DP we have to use it responsibly and show that it is an invaluable tool. If we harvested 25 k ***** last year with cable restraints and this year we harvest 25k **** or less why would we need the DP. You really have to see the other side (non sportsman and antis - to anticipate their argument.

By all means leave the **** alone if you want but you won't be helping the trapping community by doing that if you would otherwise normally target them. The money is not the reason we have a trapping season. I can't say it any plainer.
 
SJ hit the nail on the head. There are 1300 free wildlife control operators in this state. they start to do their work Nov 15th and stop march 15th. the trapping season is not so we can trap. the state of NJ uses the trapper so we can control a population that most folks don't even think about. 1991 / 1992 the rabies broke out in NJ the raccoon was the main player at first then the skunks and groundhogs joined in. the reason for this is simple we lost the foot trap. the **** are easy to get into a cable restraint but hard to keep there, that is till the trapper understands the mindsets. trappers stopped catching **** because price and hard to deal with. the numbers went sky high. Our **** numbers back in those day was very high. I don't, most of the time give numbers, and will not now except to say I handled almost 4 digit numbers with **** in the year before the outbreak. when the outbreak came we called it the perfect storm. every thing came into play. the human health factors went out of control. pets and livestock had to be put down or monitored after thousands of attacks. the hospitals was full of folks that stepped out their door only to be attacked by *****, skunk, groundhogs , and fox. I am not afraid of too much in the way of critters and many of you have seen me grab a **** by the tail in the trapping courses, but I will tell you getting a call for an aggressive rabit **** will make me not want to go, I have had my fill of that. the population was wiped out. and it took 15 to 18 years for the skunk and **** to rebound. today we are on the edge of that perfect storm again. the Rabies are picking up again. but unlike 92 we have 2 more problems bear and coyote. if the **** numbers take off like I think they are going to. we have hit the plateau where mortality is not matching the recruitment, the population will now increase many times over. the rabies will move fast in the population. a sick **** has no fear and will attack a bear of yote, it will be killed by the bear or yote, but also the bear or yote will get bit. the last thing we need is a crazy 300 pound bear running around with rabies. The trapper is the first line defence for the outbreak of the many disease that affect our furbearers. and to in fact protect the general public. I have the breakdown of ***** that are caught by trappers by years in the field. the new trappers catch less **** that the ole dogs. the the cable restraint is a great tool but the dp will be better. this tool can reduce and stabilize the **** populations so that we can in fact slow down the perfect storm. We need to see the whole picture here. I am all for the money, heck I earn my living from wildlife control. But there is a time in every trappers start where they need to learn how to catch all types of critters. learn how to put them up and yes even how to sell for a profit. but before the profit you have to learn the other 2 first. With these low prices, keep the big **** and turn the little ones loose. yep even from a DP. take the time to really learn baits and lures and how they work. that is a understanding that the NJ trapper has lost for the most part. I will be doing a talk at the convention in the north on scents with cable restraints. learn location and take the low price years to learn how to trap. many years ago Bub Boda said to me at a convention every 5 years go back to basics see where you have picked up bad habits and get rid of them. see how the criiters have changed and I promise you if you do you catch % will increase. He was right!
 
There are so many dp traps... descriptions are vague when trying to purchase..
Some say 2 way trigger (which I think are illigal cause that means push and pull operated)
Some say 1 way trigger, but it doesn't say weather it is push or pull (nj only allows pull, correct? )
Which brands are nj legal?
Dukes are the only ones I know are legal. the only ones ive really played with.
 
New trappers take years like this and use it to learn how to trap. the great thing with the DP traps is if you set them right and catch a little **** you can turn them loose. when I was doing research with them over in pa Half of the ***** was turned loose. also just keep your xx and xxx **** you will still get gas money. plus you will learn to skin and handle fur. when you mess up on a hide you did not lose the money of a few years ago. Every 5 years or so I go back to basics. fur trapping keeps me sharp for my control work job. we all pick up bad habits without knowing it. going back to basics and starting over gets rid of those. also the critters change years like this is years to find new ways of trapping. too many trappers are trapping in a rut. they only do things one way because it works for them. they will only set spot the method they use will work. take this year to find good location and the method that works in that location. figure out the 4 w's and become good trappers. I will say it again there is a fine line between a good trapper and a real good trapper. The Good trapper will do what they have to do when they see they have to do it! The real Good trapper will do what they have to do before they see they have to do it. By the way ask me if I want to trap **** or fox and I will tell you 8 out of ten time I am going for ****. then rats.
 
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