Dean Wilson autograph copy of AK Trappers Handbook

I don't know if any of y'all are interested, if so, there's a signed copy over on the Auction Forum.

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthr...-handbook-ends-2-19-9-pm-est#Post7492130

Hey Paul,
I have many many letters that Dean and I traded back in the 70's with his signature however I treasure those and would never consider selling them. Perhaps when I die they will be in an auction. You see I contacted Dean when I was still in school and when I got out he took me under his wing and taught me how to trap and live in the Alaskan bush. For that I am forever grateful.

Before going to Alaska, I contacted Dean and asked what I needed to bring to trap there. He wrote me a two page letter explaining what he thought I would need. When there, I would go to Fairbanks when my wife wanted to go shopping, and visit with him at the Klondike Motel. I brought him a possum from Maryland. He hung it on the wall in the motel and would ask the trappers coming in to sell him fur what it was. Most transplants from the lower 48 knew, but some natives didn't. He told me that one guessed it was a high mountain marmot. One time I noticed he had some mangled #9s on the wall. I asked what got in those that caused so much damage. He said nothing, those were the results of stress tests on the traps. In 89 when dad came up for a visit, we stopped at Dean's place for a visit. We were on our way to Chitna to dip salmon. We had a very nice visit. I always enjoyed my visits with him.

Man I would have enjoyed being a fly on the wall listening to Charlie and Dean talk trapping together!

Pete

I met Dean sometime in the 70’s. One day he asked if I had a spare snow machine and “ I’ll show you how I catch wolves”
As we’re going down the trail we came upon a creek that the wolves had came up off the river onto the trail from. “ You have some snares he asked” I handed him some and he proceeded to walk the tracks out and when walking back hung 3 or 4 snares. That was the beginning of snarling wolves for me. He would always say that “ wolves are smart but considerably lucky”. The next day I went to my other line hung snares the Dean way on a kill I had been trying to connect on the wolves on and went back the day after and caught my first snared black wolf.
I spent many hours at the Klondike Motel visiting and meeting many trappers. I miss those days and thankful for his always willingness to help a trapper out!

Great quote about wolves. Pretty much sums it up!

Ada always seemed happy to have another gal to talk to whenever Kathy came with me to the Klondike.

I've got some old photos of visits there. Someday I'll dig them out and start a thread of Dean pictures!

I misquoted Dean, “wolves are smart and incredibly lucky” after I read my post!

Boy I guess we all have Dean Wilson stories. He was sure a gem of a guy to deal with! I'll never forget a couple episodes with Dean.

Once I sent him furs and when I added up his tally he had made with the check he sent the numbers didn't add up. Dean have given me 10 bucks too much.
I wrote him and told him he added wrong and to take it off my next batch of furs. Well I get a letter back and he says " Well I have had a few guys cuss at me because
I didn't pay them enough but you're the first guy that ever said I paid him too much ! Keep the extra " . That was Dean

Another time back in late 70's I sent Dean some furs and in the bunch was what I called a 'funny looking Link'. Again Dean writes a letter back with my check and he tells
me that "funny looking Link" is a rare Blue Link and worth way more money. He gave me three times the price of a going link pelt at the time.

I sure miss his courtesy dealing and his funny correspondence

I was at his shop one day and he was grading out a pile of “link”. He confided in me he was buying and shouldn’t be and was afraid of taking a hit he couldn’t afford to. I said well stop buying then. He said that the trappers depending on him. Yah but they want you here next year I said. He stopped buying and thanked me several times later.

His heart was always with us trappers!