Read as much as you can.

THe main thing is learning WHERE to put your sets. To do this you must KNOW your target species and their habits and habitats.

Read all you can on trapping, books, magazines, websites, and NEVER think you know enough or all there is about trapping.

Many of the best trappers in the world will tell you they are still learning things every year that make them better!

Get permission. Nobody likes trespassers, not the owner, and not the guy that has permission and didn't know someone already trapped it on the sly.

make sure you have your I.D. on your traps and check your tag after a catch. coons can really tear a tag up. for some reason the dnr officer likes to see a clean tag.

Never under estimate the power of a possum, and always assume there's one lying in ambush if you have one in a trap! The travel in packs!

Understand the mechanics of how a specific set is supposed to work. Then it can be adapted to any situation.

Tied in with Wright Bros. comment:

Get yourself a platt book or platt map of the county (s) you'll be trapping. Then you'll know who EVERYBODY is in the county that owns land. Then start knocking on doors to get those permissions.

Platts are also great for laying out road lines for culvert trapping. You'll see where the creeks cross under roads, ect. Plan a good rout and you're golden. Just make sure culvert trapping is legal inthe areas you'll be trapping. Oftentimes ajacent landowneres will have legal rights to the middle of the road (including under it!). If that's the case you'll again know who to talk too.

-Skunkly-