Trappers....

[CritterGitter]

How many people here are trappers? I have never done this, but I have always been interested. Is it a lot of work? What are the rules and regs? Do you need a fur-bearers permit?

CG

[Bowjo]

I sared my first red fox today!!!!You do need a fur takers permit.You also need the time to check them everyday.

[Bowjo]

I meant to write snared not sared!!!!!

[razor]

i've been trappin for 20 years now, all land trapping , fox, coyote
and coon. i haven't set the first trap yet this year due to not enough time. it takes alot of work to trap fox and coyotes, weather is the biggest factor, i remember sellin fox (reds) for 75$
a piece when i first started, then when live sellin used to be legal i made real good money then but the state stopped that i guess fearing the spread of diseases. anyhow if you ever make it this way for a hunt sometime critter, i'll show you my photo albums and show you a basic dirt hole set and the proper procedures for preppin traps and tools, that way if you get time and wanna give it a whirl you'll have some ideas where to start.
razor

[Thunderflight]

How much do racoon and fox pelts go for? Do people still trap muskrats?

I used to trap when I was a kid, but I was never any good at it.:)

I've got a buncha traps I'll sell if anyone wants them, but you gotta wait until this Summer before I'll be home to Ohio.

Actually I've been debaiting coming up to do some Spring turkey hunting though.

TF

[Bowjo]

I've caught a few more red fox since I posted last.The time issue is real important.I found out it doesn't take long for dogs or coyotes to find a fox in a snare.I just pulled most of mine until I get more time.I also need to find a fur buyer in the Athens area..........Joe

[Minker]

bowjo, there is a furbuyer in athens county , near albany . james dailey, 1504 pearlwood rd. 740-592-4097 . critter getter , i trap from the day season opens to the last day . it does take alot of time, but there are ways to cut down on some of it . you need to take a trappers training course , which you can take off the odnr website or order a homestudy course from them. the rules and reg's for it are in the hunting laws . i enjoy trapping more than fishing and hunting put together and i enjoy both of those alot. you can learn alot about trapping in ohio from the ohio state trappers associations website and forum , as well as there magazine they publish , the buckeye trapper. www.ohiostatetrapper.org . check it out. thunderflight, put up coons are averaging around 8-9 dollars, good red fox 20-25, muskrats, about 2.50-3.00 . i ask guys all the time that used to trap when prices were high, how much money you ever made deer hunting ? bass fishing ? if you decide to sell those traps, let me know. i'm always looking for used traps to give to kids just getting started . mark

[WLB]

I used to trap a 350 acre marsh for muskrat and mink, 1 year I sold muskrats for $10 a piece and I took over a 1000 rats that year, I was unemployed then but made pretty good money that year. I still have most of my traps but not enough ambition, it takes alot work, not just the trapline but also handling the fur.
Now I just go bass fishing,made a little money off tournaments, but it's a whole lot easier:)

[CatDaddy]

MINKER,
I could be wrong but I dont believe that you HAVE to take a trappers course. I have been trapping since I was 13 and have never had a problem buying a fur taker permit.

[Minker]

all first time trappers must successfully complete a trappers training course to obtain a fur takers permit , which you need inaddition to your hunting license to trap . alot of people that have never hunted or trapped and or have never taken a hunters ed course or a trappers training course have gotten those lisences because when getting them, if your over 21 there is the out that allows you to state that you have previously held those lisences and they will sell them to you . i've taught trappers training course's since the program began in 1979 , besides the ethic's , responsability's and laws of trapping it explains , the info on trapping, snaring and skinning and putting up the pelts is invaluable to a beginner. many older experianced trappers have told instructors that they learned from taking the course . mark

[CritterGitter]

Thanks for the info Minker! You have posted a LOT of helpful information here.

I hunt and fish a LOT. I am considering taking up either trapping or coyote hunting as a winter past-time as I am not real crazy about ice-fishing and rabbit hunting usually starts to slow down about this time.

I work 2nd shift so for the most part I have mornings available all week. I don't want to try to do it all as that is not very practical. I don't think I am ready for trapping so I might consider getting a rifle and doing a little yote huntin. These are tentative plans anyway, but the information you have posted has certainly got me interested in the trapping as well.

Thanks again!

Kyle

[Minker]

give trapping a try . go to a fur auction or the trappers meet. get the homestudy trappers course and take it and study the manual . there are alot of trappers web sites out there that you can learn from . find a local trapper and learn from them. it doesnt take alot of time to run a few traps before or after work , there are many trappers who do so. if there pressed for enough time to put up there furs, they freeze there catches until they have more time , or sell them as they catch them to a local furbuyer . i find time to hunt alittle during trapping season , and even try a little ice fishing when we have thick enough ice . mark

[Ohhunter]

Minker Where do you ice fish over at the city park ? LOL:D

[Minker]

no, not over there ohhunter , they won't let you . i ice fish on some ponds i trap , plus over at deer creek lake . mark

[CatDaddy]

Anyone know of any fur buyers here in central ohio? I'd like to find one near me. I live just south of GroveCity.

[Minker]

there are 2 in licking county, scott boyer, hebron, 740-928-1104. john hughes,newark,740-345-5290. 1 in ross county, stacy thompson, bainbridge ,740-634-2103 . 1 in clark county, ed shell , sprinfield , 937-324-0442 . 2 in greene county , lester ison , xenia , 937-372-6540 . doug parrett , cedarville , 937-766-5834 . there used to be some in franklin county . the list i have is only made of furbuyers who are members of the O.S.T.A. , there maybe others close to you . contact your local wildlife officer , if there are any close to you , he should know of them .

[CatDaddy]

thanks for all your help Minker.