I know from a post earlier this season that I'm part of a large freshman class of trappers on this site. After our first full season I'm curious what each of you have learned that you can share. Just briefly, maybe an example or two of what you know now or even what you think you know that you might look back on after this next season and shake your head. I'll start with a few and hopefully you enjoy the topic and chime in.

The first thing I've learned is that just because the calendar says it's trapping season, I'm going to wait a little to make more of an attempt to catch prime fur, even if it's at the expense of some numbers. Having seen white hides and blue hides (and seen the price difference) I want more cream colored hides. I'll have to change some tactics, but that's part of the fun.

Lure is not magic. As I've seen in some of Asa Lenon's posts (specifically the recent mink lure post), I can see that I need to approach lure as something to seal the deal. I'd stick some bait in a box, put a stick in the lure jar toss it in and put that box anywhere and expect to catch everything. Other things besides lure are probably equally as important. Eye appeal and other things to arouse curiosity were under-utilized. A lot of things will help the catch, but the most important thing...

Location. I think it's probably difficult for any self-taught rookie trapper to identify location. I don't mean general location, but spot-on-thes-spot location. I'm still learning, but I've got a much better idea. I'm not just going to put a trap where it's convenient for me, bait and lure it and expect to catch something. In this regard, rookies would probably be better off in the long run to spend more time putting in blind sets to concentrate more on learning the habits of the target.

I learned to do as much prep work as I can in my garage. Out on the line fiddle farting around with my gear wastes too much time. Assembling wire drowners at each set sucked hours of time out of my season last year. I intend to not let that happen again. Also I'm learning how not to pack so much crapola' with me down into the ditch. This year I want to drop down into a creek with precicely what I need to make my sets and not an ounce of gear more.

I'm learning which sets are the fastest for me to set and how to rapidly identify where/when to employ them. Blind sets, and bottom edge sets are something I really want to get good at.

One of the most pleasing things I've learned about trapping is that there are a lot of really good guys who are willing to help a newbie out. I'd name the names of the guys who have gone out of their way to help me learn how to put up fur, make sets and so on, but I doubt they'd want too much recognition. I'll simply say thank's and hope each of them knows that I will remember to pay it forward to help keep it alive.

I'm a freshman and this is my third season, and I'm not sure if I am in the same group as you guys, but I have learned quite a bit throughout the past seasons.



*Get some dang trapping stakes, wiring your traps to everything just won't cut it.
*Dye your traps.
*Don't rely on your buddies for rides or for using their boat.
*Make sure that if you are trapping with drags in a thicket that your trap will get swivel action.
*Learn how to make sets before season comes along, and how to bed traps
*Do not be lazy. Don't sit by a fire cooking liver wasting your sweet old time when your friend is pestering you to go set. Trust me, he is right.
*If you have a partner out on the line with you listen to him, you guys WILL learn from each other.
*Make sure if you cross stake that your stakes are crossed well. Not just a slight angle.
*Don't be afraid to gang set.
*If you know animals are traveling through a place set it. Don't wait for fresh sign, just set it.
*Be extremely careful with electronics on the trapline. Double bag them in Ziploc bags if you have to. Doesn't hurt to be to careful.
*Scout scout scout scout. It is better to scout an area before season than to scout it during season.
*Make sure there is a lanyard on your ice chisel.
*Make sure you know where the edge of the hole you just chopped is. Yes I know that sounds very stupid
*If you use a lot of wire, make sure you have an extra roll of it.
*Make sure your traps are ready for the season.
*Learn animal sign.
*Carry everything you need to your set and nothing else, and also don't carry one thing then come back and grab another thing.
*There are better options than wire.
*Don't waste your sweet old time going on little adventures when your out trapping. You are there to trap, not walk 2 miles up a creek and 2 miles back.
*Get enough bait before the season. It is better to end the season with extra bait than to run out half-way through.
*Patch your waders and your gauntlets.
*Set every place you can. Don't be lazy and pass a place up because you do not want to carry extra gear.
*Make a list of stuff to buy at a trapping convention. Don't go in blind, it will overwhelm you.
*Have your vehicle organized a few days before season and double check it every day. Make sure everything has its place.
*Grind the burs off of your rebar stakes, they have the ability to go through your finger nails down to the bone.

I found out the hard way that an extra set of waders isnt a bad thing to have around! This coming season when i get a hole in one pair i can just switch out to the second set while the first pair is being glued at home.

Great Post.

I agree and will look out for most of the above meationed Items. I will add a few I have and continue to learn.

* trap a new area hard the FIRST time in. That best chance to gettem.
* Get a good otter sled.
* Prep before season.
* Always ask. All land owner can say is yes or no.
* Always keep traps separate from Bait and lures.
* on canines be scent free as possible
* Scout Scout Scout
* Down here always look for snakes
* Always thank your land owner and offer to help him/her at anytime
* Invest in a very good freezer.

Well I am one of these "last year freshmans" so I guess I will chime in.
My biggest mistake was not trapping hard enough. I was disapointed at myself at the end of the season. I did trap hard and caught a good amount of fur, but when I think about it, I couldve gone way harder and caught much more fur. Can't wait till this coming season.

I tried to tell ya..

It happens Mr. "I'd rather play Skyrim than go trap

Nate your biggest mistake is not listening to me

One of your mistakes was when Warren said "The weasel comes right out of that hole in the side of the barn" and you have the bright idea to go set by the brush pile and I set next to that hole like Warren said to. Who caught the weasel? This guy

Last season was my first full season.I was actually going to start one of these posts myself.I think I did above average for a beginner because I was A-willing to research methods and scout,and B-Trapped everywhere I could get my hands on.

Learned things to pass on to other new guys are-
-SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT and oh yeah SCOUT
-Nightlatch and adjust your traps BEFORE season
-If you see a spot that looks good,stop and ask
-If you want to trap otter,find the toilet and set there
-A dozen traps is nothing...two dozen is one
-Set on sign for yotes and fox.Lure and bait aren't magic
-Learn to bed traps before season
-Not all lures are good for your area.I found the ones I like.There was one brand that I'd bought 3 different ones of(Yote,fisher and weasel) because of the rave reviews on here and they all smelled the same. Anybody that knows fisher trapping knows you need skunk as the first ingredient,which there was not a trace of...That's day one stuff...Not buying those again!
-Buy different kinds of traps and try every type of set and animal.You'll quickly find what you like.
-Fisher trappers-don't waste your time on polesets...they take too long.160 box(If legal in your state) is quick and easier,and works.Unless the landowner has pets roaming the property(a few of my areas do) waste of time IMO.
-Beaver trappers-When making castor mounds,find the upwind side of the beaver lodge and make the set there.I made mounds that the beavers swam right by because they never smelled them.
-Learn about bottom edge sets and where they are placed.Killer set for a newbie and very easy to do.
-If you don't have one,TRAIL CAM!
-Don't just assume because it's a conibear the animal will be DOA.Stake down the trap.I always did but had to constantly tell my buds that.
-There's no such thing as over staking or over swiveled.Your rule of thumb should be "If I can't pull it out,it's good"
-Don't waste money on a cheap fleshing knife.Get a good one the first time around.
-Wire for rats/grinner and wood for everything else.I wish I had it to do over because I would never buy wire stretchers again.
-Learn to clean skin beaver.If you put a hole in the pelt oh well life goes on.Fleshing them is insane and sucks badly.

Make sure your canoe dose not float off without you! Trying to swim after it with waders and life vest dose not work well. Then trying to get in when you can't touch bottom and have full waders is another story entirely. After season I learned of using a coyote drag to secure the canoe off in high winds. Opening day is not the time to learn to paddle a canoe either. This summer I am hopping to learn to paddle while standing. I still don't feel comfortable doing it.

Don't test pan tension with your fingers.

Well since J M and Beagleguy were honest and told some of there bad ideas i will too. LOL! Never ever rush into the water to pull traps when it is snowing heavily and very cold out. In January i was moving from one area to the next with little time left in the day. I wasnt paying attention when i stepped off the bank and i face planted when i immediatly found a 2foot hole that i didnt see. So needless to say i was lucky that my truck was only 30 yards away.

always watch where u step dont go out unprepared let some know where you r at all times.

Im not a newbie but Id like to add one thing which I havnt seen on here and that would be tl let somone know where your going to be trapping at just incase somthing happens

Good one for sure kirk.

-As said before preparation is key. A little time in a nice warm fur shed with all your tools could amount to hours of time not in the cold frustrated.

-A properly adjusted/fine tuned trap is very important.

-Vinegar works wonders on yard sale/auction traps.

-If trapping in cold water invest in a good pair of insulated shoulder length gloves. It will make your day much more enjoyable trust me.

-WEAR HUNTER ORANGE. Sometimes you just don't know who might be in the woods with you.

-Take only what you need. You can use the same tool for more that one thing. KISS (keep is simple silly!)