Any Trappers Here?

X-man

X-man

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Just wondering if there are any fellow trappers here on CGN? If so, what species do they target, favorite sets, traps, etc...I'm a relative newbie myself!:dancingbanana:
 
does live trapping cats count? lol

when i was a kid i snared a squirell by placing a snare on a fence and then put a walnut on the opposite side from the tree. i was proud of myself...but then again i was only 9 or 10:D
 
I dont have a registered line but I trap. (there is none available around north bay, and when there is a line available they are either willed to a son or the lineup for them is big)

One of these years I may take on a line up North some where. They are easy to get but the beaver quotas that you must make is what scares me out of it usually.

On my own I'm trapping private land and mostly targeting beavers/rats right now. I like to get them out of the way early and I use the carcasses for bait for mink\marten\weasel\fox\coon\fisher. I wish i was allowed to take a Lynx.

I also act as a line-hand for a local trapper. Helping out whereever I can.

If you want to learn about the bush and the critters in it, spend a season with an old trapper. Everytime he openens his mouth I wish I had a pen and paper to write down what he says.........

The prices look good this year (well, better than a kick in the pants) so go get'em.
 
I've done a little over the last couple years. No registered line though, that's too big for me. I mainly wanted to try something new and teach my boys something new. They're still fairly young (9,7,5) but they're practically running down the trails to check the sets.
 
I ran some snare lines and trap beaver. I co-owned a trapping supply company and bought fur for awhile even. I admire anyone who runs a line today, because with the price of gas , traps etc., etc. you gotta be good to make a profit in todays world.
gth - I have to agree with you. The old trappers knowledge of animals is absolutely amazing and I love picking their brain.
Here's a picture of a pile of coyotes back when we used to buy. I fleshed a lot of coyotes that winter.
2003-2004Brahncoyotepile.jpg
 
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I have trapped since I was old enough to set a 1 1/2 victor. I have a registered line in NW Ontario. I trap beaver, otter, fisher, rats, fox, mink,cats, black bear (foot snares) marten and wolves. I love it but I treat it as a hobby so the losses don't hurt so much. Alot like farming these days....

cheers Darryl
 
Lets here some of your opinions. Is trapping in Canada a dieing way of life? Can the income be enough to make a living on anymore, or is it hard to do in this day and age?

Most trappers do not talk about thier way of life anymore, they are usually pretty quite and I have a darn good idea why.....
 
crazy_davey said:
Lets here some of your opinions. Is trapping in Canada a dieing way of life?
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Not really, I guess if you only experience urban life you would think so because its not like they are on TV or have awarsds shows. But I'm constantly amazed at the young people that trap and it shows by the attendance of the training courses. Come to the trappers convention up here at the end of March. Loads of people.

Can the income be enough to make a living on anymore, or is it hard to do in this day and age?
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I dont think so, probably never will be again. I know a few guys that can make enough replace thier toys (ATV/SLED) every other year, but they are pretty long liners. No kids, understanding wives and flexible schedueles

Most trappers do not talk about thier way of life anymore, they are usually pretty quite and I have a darn good idea why.....
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I'm sure more than once the telling of an old trapping story has been interupted by the lunatic ravings of an eaves dropping anti.........to avoid a scene most likely dont bother anymore.
 
I used to trap with my father for mink, beaver, racoon and muskrat. but after the year we sent over 300 furs away for the two weeks work we did (first 2 weeks) and got a cheque for under 10 dollars, we stopped doing it. just couldn't get the money out of it. That wa in the early 90's.

Have prices come back??
 
Fur is back in a big way. Last year we were getting in the neighbourhood of $250.00 for prime otter, I've gotten more than that for Lynx. $20+ for Mink. Fox & Coyote are both pretty good, plus I can get an additional $25 from the government for turning in a coyote carcass! If all goes well, I'll make enough this Winter to pay for a new Yamaha Grizzly or Polaris Sportsmen. A buddy of mine did the same last year! When we were kids, my Dad and Grandfather taught my brother and I how to set snares, muskrat sets, etc...but never got into it in a big way, because of the bottom falling out of the fur market in the late 80s/90s. Now trapping definitely pays!
 
something to chat about with my father. maybe a good time to spend together again.


X-man said:
Fur is back in a big way. Last year we were getting in the neighbourhood of $250.00 for prime otter, I've gotten more than that for Lynx. $20+ for Mink. Fox & Coyote are both pretty good, plus I can get an additional $25 from the government for turning in a coyote carcass! If all goes well, I'll make enough this Winter to pay for a new Yamaha Grizzly or Polaris Sportsmen. A buddy of mine did the same last year! When we were kids, my Dad and Grandfather taught my brother and I how to set snares, muskrat sets, etc...but never got into it in a big way, because of the bottom falling out of the fur market in the late 80s/90s. Now trapping definitely pays!
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Go to www.furharvesters.com

Check the recent sale prices..........other than coons and red fox, most everything else has been looking good. I got $122 for a huge male Marten I got last year. I also had a beaver over $50, first time I ever got that much for a beaver. Even squirrells sold last year for $2-$3.

If you know how to skin for taxidermy you can make some good money on select skins.
 
In 78 or 79 when I was trapping Mink, I was get 45-65 per mink. Thats a lot for a young kid back then.
The market is sure down from what it used to be..
 
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I doubt there is! But if anyone in southern Ontario has a trap line. And wouldn't mind. I would love to tag along for a couple or three days. I signed up for my course . When I was in college. But there wasn't enough people to run the class. I helped a guy in Wawa do some beaver and martin. But that is the extent of my knowldge.

Dave.
 
Not liscenced yet, but I have been trapping with my father-in-law for almost 10 years. He has a line that we usually take martin and beaver. We also do alot of problem trapping of beaver, otter, coons, martin, etc. Beavers washing out logging roads, otters at spawning creeks and fish farms, martin in the marinas etc.

As far as making $$$, prices are WAY up the last couple of years. Last year we had one otter (super-extra-jumbo-size from a fish farm) that made over $300!! and several martin @ $50+! You can make some money at it, but it is more of a hobby that pays for itself with a little extra here and there. It'd be a tough go to make a living at tho. The good $$$ is in the problem trapping where you are paid for your time AND get the fur money. Big logging outfits will readily pay a couple of grand to clear out beaver in remote areas rather than loose big $$$ if a road gets washed out and halts production.
 
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