Trapping

[jpo183]

Anyone do any trapping? Im thinking about giving it a go.

If so what are you trapping?

Why do you trap?

What do you do with the furbearer?

 

[DaveP]

Yes, but since prices are in toilet this year, won't go at it as hard.
Running a trapline, EVERY morning feels like Christmas morning!

Usually put them up and sell via NAFA auctions.

What area are you in?
MD Fur Trappers has some pretty active districts : go to a meeting or two, meet some folks, and someone local will help you out.

 

[jpo183]

Frederick Cnty.

Interested to give it a whirl. I like to hunt but dont have the hours to dedicate nor do I want to do it on public land. Thought this might be neat.

What are you trapping for (racoon, fox, mink, etc?) Do you do it to sell the fur?

Be honest have you eaten a racoon yet =)

 

[DaveP]

Mostly target fox these days, some beaver, muskrats when I have a marsh, but have caught coyotes, coon, fisher, otter, etc


Some years I turn a profit, but still do it when I lose money, so guess I just like it.
LOL, I always say I lose LESS money trapping than hunting and fishing.

Stopped eating coon when I saw one LOADED with those little worms....

 

[madmantrapper]

You are probably in District 4 for the Md Fur Trappers. Contact trapnfox@gmail.com he will let you know what day and time the meetings are for that district.

 

[foxtrapper]

Yes I do! What else would someone with my user name do? LOL

I have trapped all MD furbearers except weasel, nutria, and fisher. My fav are...fox! Followed by mink and otter. I have been doing it since 2000, with 2013 and 2014 excluded. But I am back at it. I also trapped in PA for maybe 4 years. Diff regs there, but I had fun there too. I felt dirty trapping mink in late nov, when my area of MD is dec 15-march 15. But I had this very minky spot and could not resist it. PA also has a longer fox season, and back then MD was till mid jan or something west of the bay. So I was trapping fox in feb.

BTW anyone know why the fox seasons are a 2 week difference east vs west of the bay?

Here's my best days and memories of trapping:

( last pic is a fox triple- you can see the ears sticking up both to the left and right in the background)

 

[jpo183]

What do you do with the carcas/meat? Do you do it primary to sell the fur or more of a hobby (like hunting)

 

[BossmanPJ]

I currently trap groundhogs. I am using a live trap. Just a simple drop door trap from Tractor Supply.

I live in a crowded area and have a crazy groundhog problem. Currently I have caught 18 of them in the course of the summer. Pretty simple really... Just put lettuce and apples in the trap, put it in the line of travel and they go right in.

I did have one badass groundhog chew through the bottom of my metal trap and tunnel out... But I eventually got him.

 

[jtb81100]

What do you do with the carcas/meat? Do you do it primary to sell the fur or more of a hobby (like hunting)

For me its a hobby, exercise, and population control on our farms. I'll tan the handful of pelts I get to sell since the market is weak. Carcasses are used for bait or composted.

 

[aquashooter]

I currently trap groundhogs. I am using a live trap. Just a simple drop door trap from Tractor Supply.

I live in a crowded area and have a crazy groundhog problem. Currently I have caught 18 of them in the course of the summer. Pretty simple really... Just put lettuce and apples in the trap, put it in the line of travel and they go right in.

I did have one badass groundhog chew through the bottom of my metal trap and tunnel out... But I eventually got him.

I have a large Hav-A-Heart live trap that my wife uses for groundhogs in her backyard in CT. If a groundhog could chew through it, I would address him as SIR.

 

[BossmanPJ]

I have a large Hav-A-Heart live trap that my wife uses for groundhogs in her backyard in CT. If a groundhog could chew through it, I would address him as SIR.

Seriously. It chewed a hole through the bottom big enough for it to tunnel out. Took me an hour to repair it with a few sections of tomato plant fencing.

That trap is not exactly made of thin wire.

 

[jtb81100]

I've had squirrels chew out of the small ones, but never had a larger cage damaged like that

 

[foxtrapper]

Must be Mighty Chuck. I once had a raccoon at a blind set though a fence, bend the trap all up, popping the springs- a heavy duty old Montgomery 1.5 round jaw, a trap that can hold a big coyote if you catch it right. Must have been a hell of a coon, and used leverage on the fence post. My coyote above was in a #2 modified Bridger with MB chain stake. He wasn't going anywhere.

 

[jpo183]

Not sure if anyone knows the answer but I figured Id ask.

MD states it has a reciprocal agreement for education. So I found that IL has an online trapper education course which will generate the certificate of completion.

Will this work? I dont even remember being asked when I got my hunters license if I took education..

 

[foxtrapper]

really nice red from today