Who getting ready

[trapper9260]

I have got my conibears ready for the coming season .Working on on footholds and snares and other items. Who else is? also who will trap this up coming season , no matter what the price of the fur?

[Teddy (punchie)]

At auction and picked up a few things. Prices on traps were fair but one person got almost all of them. Got a basket and wax, and large stretchers. Don't think I'll have time to go, like to read posts keep up on prices. One day maybe.

[trapper9260]

you got to start some where. I know at some auction the price of traps can go higher then the brand new ones unless they are of collect value. But then need to watch it. Teddy what are you looking or think of trapping?

[472x1B/A]

trapper9260, how many years you been trapping? Folks, now is the time to tackle this task. Take the time to go through each item, trap by trap, stakes, the whole works. Don't wait cause ol man time will catch you snoozing and a mad dash will cost you precious moments on the trap line. You is a wise man trapper9260 starting now to get ready. I would start getting ready for the next trapping season one week after beaver season was over here in Illinois, when I was trapping.

[trapper9260]

I started trapping when I got out of the navy in 83. I did a little before I went in the navy when I was still in school, but did not amount to anything. i was green then . But after out of the navy . I trap till 95 when I move from MA to IA and then started back in again in about 98 till 2008 when I broke my hip and went back into it in 2013 to now.When I move from MA to IA ,I took all my trapping gear with me.

[472x1B/A]

So, I hope all of you have received your trapping supply catalogs, placed your orders and are waiting for the items to show up. We use to place our orders with 7-10 suppliers to kinda 'help' the big ones and the little ones out staying in business. Wait to open any of the boxes till they all arrived then lay everything out to envy our booty.

Then sit down with a plat book and lay out the proposed lines. Always referred to last seasons logs to help with line routes, and then started filling buckets. Dying, waxing, repairs, function test should all be done by now. Course those unexpected auctions and deals that pop up will add some extra details. So hurry, hurry it's just 3 months till the season starts.

[trapper9260]

Been getting some new ground to trap. The beaver is starting with problems and the coon are starting to give problems is some areas.

[DerekP Houston]

trapper9260, how many years you been trapping? Folks, now is the time to tackle this task. Take the time to go through each item, trap by trap, stakes, the whole works. Don't wait cause ol man time will catch you snoozing and a mad dash will cost you precious moments on the trap line. You is a wise man trapper9260 starting now to get ready. I would start getting ready for the next trapping season one week after beaver season was over here in Illinois, when I was trapping.

always been interested in the sport but never had a hand in it. I wish you all well with your trap lines this year and hope to see the fruit of your labor in pictures.

[LakeviewBulldog]

I used to trap with a friend and his Dad when I was younger. Nothing like falling up to your chest through the ice setting beaver traps. Good times.

[trapper9260]

I used to trap with a friend and his Dad when I was younger. Nothing like falling up to your chest through the ice setting beaver traps. Good times.

I know what you mean about those times beside the other times. You never know what will happened when you are out there and also do not know what you see and have wait for you too. Also you are away from all the things in the world also for a time.

[MrWolf]

I know what you mean about those times beside the other times. You never know what will happened when you are out there and also do not know what you see and have wait for you too. Also you are away from all the things in the world also for a time.

Really like reading your posts. Trapping is something you really enjoy and it shows. Good luck.

[trapper9260]

Really like reading your posts. Trapping is something you really enjoy and it shows. Good luck.

Thank you . Yesterday I got more ground . The farmer have a beaver problem and say he has alot of coyotes and other fur I can trap this season coming. it is next to some ground of one other farmer i know and trap on that a beaver only show up about every 2 years.So I think they are coming from maybe this farms land. Time will tell.i know i will be busy this season coming. it is the best time to get some extra land if i want it since fur price are so far down. but my fur buyer told me he will still buy all my furs and alsol i put up my own fur he dose not have to pay anyone to put them up and also I seen him this past Tuesday and he had a buyer from Italy there looking to get some coyote and look like a few coon . hope all work out for him.

[472x1B/A]

^^^ When I first started putting up coyote I would cut starting just above the hind leg elbow. After not getting squat for my hides, I called NAFA and asked what's up. Gave them my account/phone # and the guy said he would call me back the next day. After supper the next day the phone rings and it was explained that to get top lot dollar I would have to #1 skin the hind legs down to the toes, #2 cut out the cartilage from the ears, #3 sew up ALL holes, #4 and wash every hide, needed or not, and rinse with hair conditioner. What a difference, my over all average tripled, with premium for white bellies. Hope you clean up on those yotes trapper.

[trapper9260]

I clean all my coyotes in just plain cold water and then skin them from cut just above the inside of the side of the hind foot up and and case skin them. I left the cart. in the ear but I skin the ear and then turn after dry out. I use to send my skins to NAFA untill I got back into it in 13 from the reason I stated in the past post for when I was not trapping. But when i did ship to NAFA for the way I was putting up my coyotes I did get top lot for some of them.I also got it from my mink and rats.I also had one for my coon too, but now I sell the a fur buyer in the other county from me. NAFA is going down hill for how they are doing things now.Also the one I deal with give me more for my furs then NAFA .Also I always get high price for my possum. The one I sell to ,wants all my furs he told me that more then once,sure he dose not need to do anything other then finish dry some of the skins and he told me do not worry about it and he told his help that go by the way i put up my otters, he like how I do the tail on them and like how my possum are. He like my skunks also and I did get a good price for them at NAFA also ,but mainly was because of the strips on them.

[472x1B/A]

Yeah, I've heard bout then Iowa stripes. Almost twice as wide as here. What gives? Oh yah, you guys got more pigs than we do. LOL

[Teddy (punchie)]

you got to start some where. I know at some auction the price of traps can go higher then the brand new ones unless they are of collect value. But then need to watch it. Teddy what are you looking or think of trapping?

Sorry for not getting back to you Trapper9260. Still have traps from when I was a kid. Liked trapping muddy rats the best. Coons were okay and foxes so so never had allot of luck with fox. But this was back when prices were good I started right as prices were diving from there hay day. I guess if Musk rats go up in price I may set if we are going out duck hunting.

[trapper9260]

The price on skunk is mainly by the strips anyways. Because of the odd markets that they are sold for.Like hats and nove's .
Teddy talk to a fur buyer near you and see what he might give for what ever you go after and then if you are out in the woods anyways set for it and that way you get something, As for no luck on fox. Just keep work at it and you will maybe get some coyote in your sets also.Because they are move in alot of places.Do some reading on to trap them also if you like there is a site you can get alot of information on trapping every thing .Here is the link to it. I am on there also but under a different user name. but the bottom of my posts on there is the same as here.
http://www.trapperman.com/

[southpaw]

I am making the plunge this year. A friend gave me some traps to take my boy out with. He said with is arthritis he can not set them anymore. I plan on picking up some more gear but need to work some more overtime first. This stuff adds up fast!

I think we will target coon most but will be setting some for fox and coyote. I wouldn't mind setting some for mink and rats but I have a full time job and wife and kids that wouldn't mind seeing me once in awhile. I live in a swamp so have lots of places for everything.

Jerry Jr.

[trapper9260]

Just set what you can deal with and go from there.I remember years ago of the fur buyer I was close friends with told me about some one that was in about the same shape as you for work and family. So he had out about 3 to 4 fox sets and did not bad on it from what I had understand.Coon is not hard and rats.It will not take long to do a job on the rats some times in one area depend on the number of traps can be deal with in about 3 days.Mink take longer at times.Coyote and fox will take some time.Just set a short line to handle and go from there.

[southpaw]

Thanks trapper9260. Our swamp is about 3/4 of a mile long. I can cover it pretty well with the 4 wheeler when the weather is above freezing. When enough frost is in the ground or it isn't real muddy I can use the truck or tractor to check the traps. I have the first 2 days off (ours starts 10-23) so I should be able to get all the traps out. I plan on setting a dozen dp's and a dozen mb550's. I will have to look again at the traps I was given but I am sure that there some in there that I can set for coon and fox. Most will be set somewhat close to each other since there are trails close that I know they use.

It shouldn't take more than an hour to check them even if I have several catches (now that's being optimistic, several catches haha). If it gets to be too much I will pull the south end sets and just deal with the ones on the north end. Most of them will be for coon anyways. I think my buddy is going to run the same lines in the swamp that he did last year so we should have most of the good spots covered.

With all this high ambition I better start getting stuff around so I can take care of anything that is caught. Right now all I have is a knife.

Good luck all.

Jerry Jr.