[Newt]

Just a old trapper reflecting--
Antlerman made me think of this
Aint it GREAT that a brand New Trapper/SNAREMAN. Can go out and catch Target Animals with in the first week of trapping/snaring.
Years ago we did'nt have the "OLD TIMERS" helping us "New Bee's".
With all the info out there today. HANDS on Trapper training classes.(My hat goes off to those guy who vonteer there knowage and time to teach trapper Ed here in NJ)Most of all THE SNARE. With foot holds you might go a hole season with only catching 1 or 2 target animals like a fox or coyote. Or none at all. (Been There --Did That)But you'll have hundreds of no-target animals (possum and such)
I call "The Snare a License to steal"
Realy I dont think the New Bee's of today. Realy know how hard it was 40-50 years ago to get any "REAL" trapper knolage from the "Old Timers" Even out of books. The books always made SO hard and SO much detail. We were just wasting our time.
Rember the K-I-S-S systom Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[firefighter3158]

[up][up]

 

[randolphray]

It seems to me the predator population has exploded too. Some days I see 3 foxes come thru and the yotes are multiplying with minimal disturbance. I can remember finding leg hold traps in the snow with sardines scattered around hoping something will step in them. We had a local furrier near stanton that was always a great visit to see so many furs and trappers in one spot.

 

[74_Rescue]

Is this another "the new guys don't know how to hunt/trap" threads?

 

[swampdonkey]

I think he's just saying how times changed and for the better. He's enouraging us new guys to use all the info out there. I took the trapper course about 10 years ago and to this day I think it's the best of all the hunter safety courses, it's hands on and very informative. Take your firearm and bow course and pass but never gut a deer. Take your trapping course and set snares and conibears, dispatch your animal & skin it and than watch a demonstration on fleshing. The guys do an awesome job with that class![up]

 

[Newt]

Is this another "the new guys don't know how to hunt/trap" threads?

NO NOT AT ALL

I think he's just saying how times changed and for the better. He's enouraging us new guys to use all the info out there.

Now That's It!!!!!![up][up][up][up]

 

[MilesAway]

I trapped fox in the 70's put out between 8 and 12 dirt hole sets and caught between 20 and 30 fox a season, ver few possum and a handfull of ****, if you trap fields and farm land you catch fox.

 

[redneck]

No he just said the opposite. that the new guys are catch-in fur. but what he said is true. We got nothin from the old timers, it was a living back then. 125.00 fox, **** 45 to 50. rats 10 and 12 for blacks. Many bills and shoes have been paid and bought for the fur checks. the **** has saved my butt many times over. information to help the guy to compete was not allowed out. he also said the snare once it is figured out is a tool that takes critters. you really do not have to understand alot to catch fur. I love the snare. it has made my life so easy both in the fur and wildlife control.

The fox population is down here in the southern part of the state, where not to long ago I could take 20 to 30 fox in a 10 day stretch with out really putting any effort into it. just maintaining 24 snares daily, where you northern boys have a good fox and yote population you can do that now.. our **** numbers are 2 times yours up there.so some of the northern boys may not catch the numbers like we can. but next year it can be just the opposite.

What he is talking about is your learning curve is alot faster now. we did not have that, is all he is saying. I do think that you green horns do not have the understanding that you will have 10 years from now. the snare has made catchin easy. right now I talk to guys that are making great catches but do not really know why. when I talk to them I can see they do not have the for w's yet but it will come. sure they now the trails to set and the loop to set but the why or when is what is lacking and that only comes from time. so when the population drops the catchin stops.

I was not going to bring this up but in the Sept class I had a 500 foot spool of 5/64th 1/19 cable stolen right of the back of my truck during the class. I think 2 years ago Joe had a coyote board taken out of his truck. guys will always be greedy but to take from someone that is trying to help well that just goes to a low, but makes me think more what caliber of trapper are we getting now. johnny sneak um, billy freeload, or lazy tom. No one here that I am thinking about just phrases[rofl]

Newt and I along with a couple more on here trapping and related to trapping is how we make our living. Newt alone gives more know how out now then he ever got back then.

If that statement recue was said back 25 years ago at a trappers get together basically what we have now on here on the forum, you would have alot of %$%^ you coming at ya and got nothing from the old dogs. and I mean nothing from that time on.

I see nothing neg towards new trappers from his post.

 

[cletus]

Follow Trapperman posts for a week or two and you'll find a few of the truly negative, old-timer comments that these guys are talking about.

 

[Bucksnbows]

I was one of those that had to learn thru the school of hard knocks myself back in the 70s. It's good to see those days are over and we can help newbies learn to trap/hunt/fish. The internet makes life much easier as well with these types of things, lots of knowledge and videos are shared for everyone to use.

 

[tinemaster]

todays trapping is way more user friendly the snare made a fox trapper out of plenty of guys try bedding traps in the rain sleet snow floods etc big difference than snaring and technology has brought trapping to the next level 74 RESCUE HE IS SIMPLY SAYING THE NEW GUYS HAVE A VAST ARRAY OF HELP AND INFO OFFERED TO THEM TODAY from guys who enjoy the sport and want to see the sport passed on for generations to come
and yes with the net /books/ videos and cell phones info is much more available to the new guy
newts post shouldnt be taken as slander but as a pat on the back to the new guys who are doing well anyway if your having fun your doing good thats what its all about

 

[ub1243jp]

during the fur boom, nothing was given. no help. so i'm told.

when the markets crash, the money isn't there. who cares about holding onto info. there was no value to that info at that point.

the internet made things change fast. low pelt value and guys just wanting to talk. you can get info from some trapping greats, just by asking. pictures, videos. it's out there.

newt's post was not a negative post in any way.

 

[oldheadhunter]

This was my trapping education in the 1950's along with on-the-job traing. LOL.

 

[gobblergetter]

Newt hit the nail right on the head !

'Back in the day'...Trappers were pretty tight lipped.
Trapping was somewhat profitable and alot more trappers were competeing for the same fur.
I was fortunate that my father and grandfather were both good Fox trappers and they taught me alot.
It still took me awhile to catch my first Fox in a dirthole set.
When they banned the foothold trap I had to learn all over again. But on my first year of snareing I caught a Red Fox in the very first snare I checked, Three snares later I had another! By the end of that season I had 42 Fox and over 50 **** !
Do I miss those days of digger fox and frozen trap beds? YOU BET !

 

[swampdonkey]

oldheadhunter pm sent

 

[NJTrapper]

Boy is this all true. Not only did you have to figure out were and why to set, you had to MAKE the set correctly. Especially land trapping with footholds. I always found water trapping easier.

Back in the day, when I was 10-12 I would try to weasel an answer to some of my questions from the trappers that hung around my fur buyers place. I would only get one shot at getting the questions out, as my father would bring me down once a year with all my muskrats after the season to sell. One of the trappers must have felt sorry for a kid, and finally answered one of my questions.

His answer was..........." Cuz your doin it wrong" and that was it. That's when I knew I was on my own.

 

[Bucksnbows]

I always found water trapping easier.

Me too! We didn't have the big #s of fox in our big woods when I trapped in the 70s and early 80s, so I focused mostly on rats/****/mink along streams and ponds. Hawbaker's Trapping book was like our Bible back then as I recall. I know I still have my copy to this day on my bookshelf.

 

[OneShot1kill]

wheres wanabuck does this thread offend him????[rofl][rofl] call the waaahhhhmbulance [rofl][rofl]

 

[traphound]

These new trappers are the future,without them trapping would cease to exist. I think its real important to get as many people involved in trapping as possible. Its hard to even get the kids from today away from the computer or the games and get outside. It takes a certain kind of person to love what we do and if we can expose more people to the sport,whether they become trappers or not at least they will know the truth.