Habitat drives populations. One of the first things you learn as a fur trapper is to spend time in the habitat that best supports the species you’re pursuing. Abundant water and young aspen draw in beaver. Cattail marshes are muskrat magnets. Coyotes like open spaces and the forest/field edges. Marten need mature forests. As a marten trapper I learned early on to look for … [Read more...]
Under Ice Beaver Trapping – Jeremiah Wood
This article was previously published in the Northwoods Sporting Journal Maine winters are long and cold, so naturally you’d expect ice fishing to be a popular way for outdoorsmen to pass the long dark days until spring. That’s what I did when I moved back to Maine. Every year I put out at least one fishing cabin on proven smelt water, and spent a lot of hours sitting in the … [Read more...]
Trap Like a Kid: Why Formulas and Traditional Education Don’t Work in the Trapping World
Some of the most effective professional trappers in the world today approach trapping with the mindset of a child. That may sound like a bold statement, but let’s think about it for a minute. Having an open, creative mind, the ability to try new things, and willingness to solve interesting problems can all be considered youthful traits. The most enthusiastic I’ve ever been as a … [Read more...]
Why I Use Coni-Pans for Marten and Fisher Trapping
Traditional body gripping traps have a two-pronged wire trigger that the animal pushes as it moves through the trap, which causes the jaws to fire and make the catch. But this trigger isn't always the most ideal, and a number of modifications and improvements have been made over the years for more effective trigger setups in certain situations. Don't get me wrong - in many … [Read more...]
Lynx Exclusion Devices on the Maine Marten and Fisher Trapline
Sometimes politics get in the way of trapping and wildlife management. It’s just a reality that trappers in some states have to deal with, and such was the case with marten and fisher trapping in northern Maine. After a long battle in the courts over incidental trapping of ‘Endangered’ Canada lynx, Maine trappers were required to use newly approved - and specifically designed … [Read more...]
Pulling the Marten Line
The Fur Shed Fire
Fire can change things pretty quick. It happened while we were sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. I had a fire going in the wood stove in the fur shed, thawing out some critters for a few hours of evening skinning. I'd put a few extra pieces in to keep the fire going during dinner, and that's when things got hot. My wife looked out the window and saw the shed on fire. By … [Read more...]
Trapping Today on Youtube
Hey guys, I started a Youtube channel for Trapping Today this past summer, and have been posting short videos from the trapline lately. Check out some of the videos below to keep up with me on the line: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUe2BgoYXg0XiQv11Cj-MGFw … [Read more...]