Top Five Tips Every New Trapper Should Know

Before getting started, let me say this topic is a little like opening a can of worms. There is a lot of information to cover before a person can legally set their first trap. Trapping laws, seasons, trap types, tagging requirements, landowner permission, and ethics all matter.

For that reason, I am going to assume that any serious first-time trapper will take the time to sign up for a state-sponsored trapper education class. Most states offer some type of trapper education, and a simple call or email to your state’s fish and wildlife agency can point you in the right direction. Many state trapping associations can also help new trappers find available classes and good beginner information.

With that said, let’s get started.

The wild fur market gives trappers a place to sell their animal pelts, but fur prices can change from year to year. A new trapper should have at least a basic idea of which furbearers they want to target before buying traps and equipment.

I know most new trappers are simply excited to make their first catch, and that is completely understandable. But it is still helpful to choose a target animal. By focusing on a specific furbearer, the trapper can select the proper trap size, set style, bait, lure, and equipment needed to successfully and responsibly harvest that animal.

Some new trappers may also want to have their first animal tanned as a keepsake from their early trapping experiences. Whether the goal is to sell the pelt or preserve it for the memories, choosing a target animal helps give the trapline a purpose and direction.

Location is one of the most important parts of successful trapping. A trapper can have the best traps, bait, and lure available, but if those traps are not placed where the animals are traveling, success will be limited.

Pre-season scouting is a vital step. Once you have permission to trap a property, take time to walk it and look for animal sign. Tracks, scat, trails, slides, dens, feed beds, chewings, crossings, and other signs can all help show where your target animal is moving.

Scouting ahead of the season saves time later. Instead of guessing where to place traps, you will already have a better idea of where animals are active and where your sets have the best chance of connecting.

Many trappers target water-loving furbearers such as muskrat, nutria, mink, otter, and beaver, so let’s start there. Water trapping often requires specialized footwear such as hip boots or waders. Once you have found a location where your target animal is traveling, it is time to place your trap or snare.

Whether you are using a foothold trap, body-gripping trap, or snare, one important rule applies: make sure it is rock solid when the set is finished.

A trap or snare that tips, wobbles, or moves can cause problems. It may fire too early and miss the animal. It may also warn the animal that something is not right. In some situations, an unstable set can grab only fur or a non-lethal body part, which may cause that animal to avoid similar sets in the future.

Foothold traps should be bedded solid with no wobble or movement. Body-gripping traps and snares should also be firmly stabilized. This same rule applies whether you are trapping in water or on dry land. A solid set allows the animal to work the area naturally, as if nothing unusual has been placed there.

Once you have selected a location for a dry land set, it is time to get down and dirty. Wind direction can play a role in how well your set works. If the prevailing wind in your area usually comes from the north, then placing your set downwind, or south of the animal’s expected travel route, can help carry the scent of your bait or lure toward the animal.

Of course, wind direction will change from time to time, so this is not a perfect system. But when possible, using the wind to your advantage can increase the odds that your target animal will smell and investigate the set.

Next, look for a natural backing. A clump of grass, weeds, a cow pie, an old stump, a rock, or another solid object can all work well. The purpose of the backing is to guide the animal to approach the set from the front, where your trap is properly positioned.

A good backing helps control the animal’s foot placement and makes the set more effective. Once again, bed the trap solid. No wobble. No movement.

There is an old saying in the trapping world: “If the location is good enough for one set, it is good enough for two.”

That is good advice. If you have found a strong location with fresh sign, setting more than one trap can increase your odds of making a catch. Sometimes more than one animal is using the same trail, crossing, feed area, or travel route. By placing multiple sets at a good location, you give yourself a better chance of catching your target animal, or possibly more than one.

Yes, making extra sets takes more time and effort. But trapping does involve work. Look at it this way: if you are already going to check one trap at that location, why not check two or more?

Put in the effort now, and it can pay off in the long run.

Good luck on the trapline!