How old is the oldest trapper you knew

Somebody that was or still is actively trapping.For me, I knew the fellow that went by the name of Furvor here on Trapperman.. He hung up his traps at about age 87.

When I first started trapping furbearers I had a local trapper from my home town show me his homemade box traps made from wood that he was using on a farm my dad rented. He was trapping until the old age of 93... if I remember right. His son made him give it up after he caught a big beaver water trapping and could not get up the creek bank. Even though he was old and slow... and getting weaker with years he trapped with a smile and a gleen in his eye. Passed away a couple years after giving up trapping.... maybe that's what got him, not doing what he loved... Rest in Peace Fred Chaloupka !!

Lee Hinkle's daughter told me he still trapped a few beaver b4 he passed and he was well into his 80s.

There is a trapper in my district that is 87. He still wins the largest coon competition each year at our winter meeting. 2 years ago at a spring meeting he said it was the first year since he started trapping the he caught less beaver then his age. He turned 85 that day telling us the story and he had only caught 84 beaver for the year. Good ole Dick Wilken is still out there getting them.

White was trapping T-Rex's in his youth.

my dad jr. Woolsey trapped till 93 he passed away last summer at 94 , best mink trapper in nw Missouri but loved trapping .

Trapper Jake- Jake Corell and Bud Hall are probably the oldest trappers I can think of that I knew.
I can't remember how old Mell Hershberger was when he passed.
Been over 30 years since. Ray Milligan has to be getting up there. I don't know if he's still kicking or if he's still trapping . I'm sure Tim Caven would know. Speaking of old trappers. Lol

Shakeyjake is the oldest trapper I know.

I believe Ray Milligan is close to my age in the 70’s. He may still be outfitting in New Mexico. He is originally from my neck of the woods in SW Pennsylvania. I believe he is still kicking.

Just a young then.

Frank Webb West Canada Creek area here in NY was still trapping at 99. He has since passed. Loved talking with him, he was the go-to otter expert in NY.

and using the brown paper poke dispatch

Since we lost Art Scott recently, the oldest one I know now is 91. He worked he gate at the last NTA in Lima.

We have a guy in our FTA chapter now that is still trapping beaver in his late 80s...still hammerin' the fur. Unfortunately I can't think of his name right now. Irv Schirmer was 87 and still trapping when he passed.

His 88th birth day is about a week away. He has slowed down a lot but his heart is still in it! Hope I'm half that passionate when I'm his age!

Mike, I got to go with Frank on his line one day on the West Canada. We cut logs in that country for years, Frank was nice man.

In 2001, I bought some #220's from a guy living just west of Pine River, he was 100 years old and said he just couldn't do it any more. He had some great stories of the old days in Northern Minnesota.

I just hope to BE his age some day .

I wonder if that was old John Knutson.. He lived to be 100+ and still trapped with his son in law, Larry Buschmann. He trapped in the Pequot/Pine River area.

Jonny, who taught me yo trap muskrats in 1978 died at 80 in 2016. He trapped into his mid 70s and rode with me a lot after he quit trapping on his own. I was glad to be able to take him trapping, like he took me all those years before.

My father, Fred, trapped until 2 weeks before he died in January 2021 at age 92. Would not go in the ambulance until he was driven around his snares, called me to get and skin a red fox he had in a snare. That's when he told me he was on the way to the hospital.

I'll bet it was him. The name rings a bell now that you say it.

Giant Sage wasn’t Jake Korell 93 when he passed? I still have a baby food jar of his homemade lure all he would ever tell me about it was horse after birth was one of the ingredients The Last of the Breed the Story of Trapper Jake Korell as told to Kit Collings is a good book about him

He was such an amazing man and is sorely missed.

Pete

That's great! I would have loved to run the trapline with him.

I know a 60 year old that is nearing 1000 beaver this year working alone. Not real old but has always been a numbers trapper. Shows no sign of slowing down.

That's amazing. More power to him.

guy from s central KS. he's in his 80s an caught 34 cats this yr. keep trucking ol Jim!

I know an older guy in Nevada still chasing bobcats into his 90's.

Leo Hoeft died a couple years ago at age 93. When he was either 89 he did a clean skinning beaver demo at our fall rondy. Don't know the last year he ran a line. He was in a nursing home the last year or so.

Bryce

He had some good lures when he made them years ago.

I miss Leo and his lures...good man. Tough old trapper.

I believe Leo was oldest trapper. I visited Leo in hospice and his room had view of the river in Ladysmith , Wi.. As i was talking to Leo i saw some otters come out on the ice and said to Leo otters on the ice. Leo said ( Yes ive skinned alot of them). The last time i saw Leo the same fall (Leo went into hospice) i bought lure from him he was had splitting wood by hand. One of the lures i bought from Leo was something he called Tree Lure.... he said its for yotes, i bought a pint from him. It definetly is for yotes or canines. Why Leo named it Tree Lure, dont know. Dont believe he had it on the market yet. RIP Leo