He left Wisconsin as a young man in 1975 and moved to Alaska, not to be famous or well known, but to live self sufficiently and get away from it all. But over time, Heimo Korth became a legend. Today, Heimo and his wife Edna live more remotely than anyone else in Alaska. They are the only permanent residents of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, having settled there just … [Read more...]
Sam O. White and the Early Alaska Bush Trappers
In episode 68 of the Trapping Today Podcast, we talk about the legendary Sam O. White, a Maine-born hunter and trapper who became an Alaska wildlife agent and bush pilot in the early years wildlife management in Alaska. I read a bunch of excerpts from the book and provide a little bit of personal perspective on what I took away from Sam's story. Enjoy! Click here to find a … [Read more...]
Best Bobcat Trapping Lures
Bobcats are bringing big money these days, especially for trappers in the West who catch those thick furred, clear spotted bellied cats that sometimes bring in excess of $1,000. But for any bobcat trapper, the difference between catching one and not can be a big deal. Bobcats are visual hunters, and a visual attractor placed in prime cat country will bring them in. That's when … [Read more...]
Mink, Mary and Me: Episode 66, Trapping Today Podcast
In this episode I go over one of the great trapping and wilderness adventure books of its time. Mink, Mary and Me was written by Chick Ferguson in 1946. Copies are expensive and tough to find, but I believe it's well worth the cost. Click here to find a copy of Mink, Mary & Me hardcover The book is now available on Kindle! Click here. … [Read more...]
Labrador By Choice
A man takes to the woods to make a living during tough times. It’s a story most of us can relate to on some level, but Depression era Newfoundland was pretty extreme in the tough times department. Ben Powell was born in a small coastal village of Newfoundland in the 1920’s. Everyone was poor and everyone was hungry. There were few jobs, and the ones that existed paid very … [Read more...]
Under Ice Beaver Snaring DVD – John Lee and Harold Linskey
Snaring beaver under the ice is one of those unique subcultures within trapping - only a few have the ice conditions that permit it, and even fewer are willing to put in the work necessary to be successful. It's a challenge, but it's rewarding. Not in terms of pay, mind you, but the satisfaction of hauling a snared beaver through the ice in the dead of winter is pretty … [Read more...]
Skinning and Fur Handling with John Chagnon and Dave Cronk
From his trapline in northern Michigan, John Chagnon of PCS Outdoors takes us to Dave Cronk's fur shed for a skinning and fleshing demonstration. Dave is a professional fur handler and has learned to be quick and proficient putting up fur from a number of different species. He shows how to skin fox, muskrat, mink, beaver, raccoon, badger and more in this 2-hour video. … [Read more...]
Best Marten Trapping Lures
What's the best marten trapping lure out on the market? Some experienced trappers say the best marten lure is no lure at all. That's right, some just use bait. And if you're on the right location, bait alone is usually enough to make great marten catches. But when it comes to calling marten from a distance, or getting a marten that isn't very hungry to investigate a set, … [Read more...]