necessary equipment needed by a new trapper

[rgw]

You can use you wife's or girlfriends hair brush instead of buying a fur brush, just remember to return it when you are done

[Zipper]

Raccoon dinner!

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/predator-hunting/forgotten-delicacy-raccoon

[Silver Belly62]

For someone just starting out you need to figure what animals your going to start trapping for, pick one and concentrate in getting the basics down and make quality sets before going on to another. A lot of new trappers start out wanting to trap everything they can, but get frustrated after their first season or two and end up stopping. There's a learning curve with everything new and you will definitely find this out with trapping. Start out small and work your way up and pick up additional equipment as you go when you need it. 

 Other then the traps themselves your biggest investment will be good fur handling equipment. Quality skinning knife, fleshing beam, fleshing knife, and a few wire stretchers in different sizes for whichever animals your looking to start with will get you started. I use a mix of wire and board stretchers now but when I first started out I used all wire which was fine. 

As a few others have already stated time and space is what you need to figure out ahead of time for storing and handling the fur. If your starting out small you can get away with less until you start to understand what works best for you. 

Never too late to learn something new, get out now and  do some scouting and set a few traps while you can before the season ends. You will be that much more ahead of the game before next season, good luck

[Nomad]

You didn’t  know it’s illegal to trap with real traps in New Jersey? LOL

Edited February 13, 2020 by Nomad

[Big Blue]

Lol.... Jersey definitely has some crazy rules I can't even keep up with the deer hunting seasons/zones/regulations yet....thoroughly enjoy and appreciate all the input and insight from the members on this website.... Thank you...BB

[Lunatic]

3 hours ago, Zipper said:

Raccoon dinner!

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/predator-hunting/forgotten-delicacy-raccoon

Too late for me, why couldn’t you post it yesterday?

i found this guy on my deck yesterday 

[Lunatic]

12 hours ago, Bucndoe said:

If you are going to waste the resources, don't do it

would you discourage people hunting yotes if they have no intention of harvesting the fur?

[Bucndoe]

1 hour ago, Lunatic said:

would you discourage people hunting yotes if they have no intention of harvesting the fur?

I'm not discouraging the taking of the resources or the manner, I'm discouraging waste of it

[Bucndoe]

4 hours ago, Big Blue said:

Lol.... Jersey definitely has some crazy rules I can't even keep up with the deer hunting seasons/zones/regulations yet....thoroughly enjoy and appreciate all the input and insight from the members on this website.... Thank you...BB

Here is crazy:

Foothold traps are illegal in NJ, legal in NY. Snares are legal in NJ, illegal in NY. Body grip traps on land is legal in NY, illegal in NJ. Buckshot for deer is legal in NJ, illegal in NY. Center-fire rifles for deer are legal in NY, illegal in NJ. And the real crazy part is that these are neighboring states.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Bucndoe

[ub1243]

Quote

Here is crazy:

Foothold traps are illegal in NJ, legal in NY. Snares are legal in NJ, illegal in NY. Body grip traps on land is legal in NY, illegal in NJ.

i was asked to speak on trapping, at the Syracuse Outdoor Expo. i declined because of so many differences in the regulations. When i talk snares to those guys, they act like i am a poacher from Africa snaring animals. 

 

Start with coon. get some DPs and a cage or two. Learn to bait them. Get a dozen snares and learn to snare them. Basics, cable cutter, good pliers-dykes, beam, fleshing knife, tail stripper, tail zipper, boards, belly wedges and pins. Go catch a few and learn the whole process. Don't invest a ton yet. 

[trapoholic]

Before you can purchase a trapping license in almost every state, you will need to take the required trapper training class offered by the game department. If you have not already taken the class, you will have to wait until the fall. The other thing is that the fur will quickly become unprime within the next few weeks. The permit beaver/otter season is closed for this season. Muskrats will be breeding very shortly and the males will be full of cuts and bites from fighting. Coon necks and backs  will be rubbed from the constant in and out of their den holes.  Visit the fur sale sponsered by the NJ trappers association in March. You will be amazed at all of the beautiful fur that is caught in NJ.

[mazzgolf]

I did take the trapping course in the fall of 2018... I was thinking I wanted to trap the yotes that had infiltrated my friend's property that I was hunting:

After I took the course and bought supplies for a dozen snares, I come to find out a neighbor or somebody apparently took care of "the problem" soon after I took the course! Rarely see or hear them anymore in this spot. So I never did any trapping.

Edited February 15, 2020 by mazzgolf

[Bucndoe]

Be careful what you wish for. This is just a sample of what I pulled out and USED this season. There's a whole other lot of stuff not even touched this season. And, this is just some traps.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Bucndoe

[trapoholic]

Most equipment can be slowly aquired over time. Keep an eye on Craigs-list or run a wanted to buy ad and buy out a retired trappers gear.