Any past/present/future trappers out there??

[TOX1]

I spend 10 plus years doing it as a kid for pocket change, but have been seriously considering picking it back up next season to supply my outdoors habits.

Sooo.... ???

 

[WPDAWG08]

Do you ever eat the possum you trap? I had a cousin who did.

 

[BF4L]

Most states have watered it down so it near impossible to make any money.

 

[TOX1]

Do you ever eat the possum you trap? I had a cousin who did.

I can't say yes for sure cause I've had tons of different animals and I cannot remember them all but I probably had it once or twice in my day. lol

 

[TOX1]

Most states have watered it down so it near impossible to make any money.

I beg to differ...


2012-13 PENNSYLVANIA FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS:


MINK and MUSKRAT: Nov. 17–Jan. 6. Unlimited.

COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtakers license.

RACCOON and FOXES: Oct. 20–Feb. 16, unlimited.

OPOSSUM, SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays. No limits.

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan. 15-Feb. 5. One bobcat per license year, but all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.


Just in my area alone, I could easily bag 100-150 muskrats a year, so at 5-11 a pelt that's well over 500 just in their pelts alone. Add in Coon & Fox....shit....I could easily make over a grand, fifteen hundred a year. Not too shabby as a hobby to help fund my various outdoor sports.

 

[Team Mookie]

I enjoy trapping very much here in Ohio. It is a real tool for wildlife management despite what the HS and ASPCA say. You may want to attend one of the trapping conventions in your state to get caught up with new techniques and practices. I once had a biology professor who said he paid his way through college by running a trap line.

One word of advice during the off season. Make sure you find a couple of fur buyers in your local area so you can sell your furs. You make also want to ask them if they buy furs in the green if you don’t have the time to process them. Good luck.

Pennsylvania Trappers Association

 

[TOX1]

lol Thanks for looking out TM, but I still have all the local furriers lined up....all of the sets are still very fresh in my mind and I have approx 4 dozen various traps dyed & hanging in the shed just itching for next season to roll around.


Also, I was a member of PTA for about 10 years also, but just like the actual trapping....other things took over and it didn't seem smart to keep paying (25 a year) into something that I didn't have time for.

 

[BF4L]

Wow.

I am shocked by those regs. I never did much of it but have helped a friend in the past. I am going mostly on what he claims has happened in our state.

 

[NEhomer]

I live in MA and the fuckers banned trapping in 1996. I also have serious beaver issues near my log home in the sticks so now I'm a criminal.

I used to trap during the season and keep their numbers down. Now, I set illegally and toss them away at the dump. Of course, we didn't ban mouse traps and poisons so if a small rodent is shitting in your silverware drawer you can snap him on the neck but if it's a large rodent felling fruit trees, it's too cruel.

What a fucked up situation we have in this state.

 

[Team Mookie]

I live in MA and the fuckers banned trapping in 1996. I also have serious beaver issues near my log home in the sticks so now I'm a criminal.

I used to trap during the season and keep their numbers down. Now, I set illegally and toss them away at the dump. Of course, we didn't ban mouse traps and poisons so if a small rodent is shitting in your silverware drawer you can snap him on the neck but if it's a large rodent felling fruit trees, it's too cruel.

What a fucked up situation we have in this state.

The problem in many states, especially in the east is that animal rights groups are able to push for state referendum's on anti-hunting and trapping due to a large sympathetic urban population, that has no knowledge of wildlife management.

This is sad and completely shows how uninformed and uneducated popular opinions can have on our states ability to make sound decisions regarding wildlife management based on peer reviewed research. States would be better off setting up wildlife conversation councils based on a broad group of wildlife biologists and managers.