GOOD SEASON

I never grew up trapping, despite doing most everything else outdoors.  However, a few years ago my twin then 8-year-old boys came home from school talking about trapping and the fur trade they were studying in history.  They had lots of questions.  I decided one of the best explanations was to get out and try it.

I've tagged along with a couple friends who trapped and couldn't believe how much work it was to set and check a trap line.  I was also impressed with the attention to detail and how precise sets had to be and like selling a house trapping was all about location, location, location.  Trappers are probably more in tune with their environment than any other outdoorsmen.

Our first few seasons were good and the boys enjoyed themselves.  My daughter always enjoyed going along on checks, too.  My niece and nephew tag along as well when they're in town for the holidays.  We've caught the usual furbearers but never really hit it too hard setting only three or four times each season.

But this year the weather cooperated nicely for trapping expeditions and we made it out a half-dozen times.  I never set more than 20 traps, mostly targeting raccoons, in one location and usually left them for four or five days.  One spot that was extremely productive I trapped for 10 days straight. 

This season was incredibly successful, both in time spent outdoors and furbearers trapped.  I ended up with 46 raccoons, 16 possums, 11 skunks, 8 beavers, two muskrats, two bobcats and a coyote.  The rats and cats were our first-ever.  Diversity was enjoyable this year and I had one check with four raccoons, two possums, a skunk, a coyote and a 53 pound beaver. 

Five of the eight beavers I trapped were nuisance animals trapped for landowner friends.  Three of them came from a pond where they dug bank dens and compromised the integrity of a large watershed dam.  When the mid-winter rains came the dam failed and nearly drained the pond as a result of beaver damage. 

I ended up making $914 off the sale of my furs.  I probably spent a couple hundred bucks on gas and if I added up all the time and work I probably made about .50 cents an hour.  It's not really about the money, but rather the outdoor experience and a remote connection to the way things used to be.

The season ended yesterday and I'm already looking forward to next fall.