Two trappers

[redneck]

Two new first year trappers were at a fur sale. They were looking at two other trappers standing some 20 feet away talking. As they watched the two trappers talking, one was a middle aged trapper standing there with his large pile of fur, his reputation as a trapper was above many in the area as a great trapper, the other was an older man standing there holding 10 pelts on a hook.

 The newer trappers looked in amazement at the pile of fur the middle aged trapper had, and one said to the other just looking, man he is a great trapper. I can only hope to be like that one day. The other nodded in agreement.

 Leaning on a table corner a few feet away from the 2 new trappers was an experienced trapper of many years, doing what they do best, just watching and listening. He said in a friendly voice to the 2 new trappers, sure is a nice batch of pelts those 2 are holding. One of the new trappers replied yeah that fellow really knows what he is doing, not even acknowledging the old trapper standing there. The friendly trapper looked at the 2 still with the smile on his face and asked, mind if I ask you young men a question? Sure! Who do you think in your opinion would be the better trapper? A trapper that sets many sets all season and catches a lot of fur or a trapper that sets out 10 sets and catches 10 targeted animals?

 The 2 newer trappers looked at each other perplexed for a few seconds and then said I guess it could be the trapper that only set the 10 sets, but no one would know it, they would only have 10 pelts to show.

 The friendly trapper looked at them with a smile and said yep and turned to walk away, took a step or two, stopped, paused, and turned to the 2 and said oh bet you didn’t know that older trapper standing there taught the other how to trap.

[rgw]

all truth right there, wish I had a older trapper to show me the ropes starting out

[rgw]

any old timers know what made this. found a bunch of them last weekend

[Newt]

carcus dump

[NJSOG]

An Otter or Beaver.

 

 

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[Kype]

that was a nice read, thanks for sharing 

[jerseyhunter]

I'm thinking an emergency escape for a muskrat for when the river rises astronomically.

[rgw]

that beaver must of had 10 castor mounds in a 100' stretch and been working hard daming the area up

[redneck]

In the past 5 years we have had 150 to 200 plus folks a year go through the trapping courses.  Some of these folks trapped years ago and want to get back into it and needs a snare cert. But most are new trappers.  And most of these folks these days have no form of trapping background.  As green as green can be.  Back in the late 80's when I became a trapping instructor most folks taking the course had some form of trapping background.  They either grew up with it with a father, Grandfather or family member or they had friends that trapped.   So they had a understanding of what trapping was.  Folks with no background really have no real understanding what is involved and what makes a real trapper but they will soon enough. LOL  It is great to see these folks get into the game, and I will do much to see them become a real trapper.  But they have a disadvantage with no back ground, meaning they have a  view on what makes a trapper successful  based on what they see in the forums and publications on the trapping life style. What they see is folks that post up great numbers or hear of folks that trap large numbers of critters and soon start to think that numbers is the sign of a good trapper.  And lets face it, numbers is a sign of a good and busy trapper for sure, but there are more little things that are not seen that makes the trapper able to catch numbers. I won't bore you with making a list of these little things at this time, but, these things, little things are not seen or even talked about,  and many times are not even viewed as a important factor in the big picture. Just like the pics RGW posted and the statement he made and how many mounds was there have a great importance to make or break a trapper thinking of trapping there. Knowing and being able to see is the starting point of becoming good or staying ok.

Knowing the understanding of a statement like there are a lot of places, a lot of animals will go sometimes, but only a few places that all the animals will go all the time.  or you can't catch was is not there. or let the animal tell you what they want, and last if the critter don't want to be caught you ain't catchin it!!!!!!   I have seen newer folks hear a seasoned trapper talk and they brush them off because they do not show or are not known as a numbers guy, yet listen to a trapper with half the time in the dirt because they have numbers and show. again the numbers are proof of at least knowing what to do and in a good population area just like RGW pics, but is not proof that a fellow that does not show numbers ( they may be there but not seen LOL) is not a good trapper