Images From The Trapline

I’ve had an important goal this fall.   First, I wanted to expose my Stepson, Luke, to the wonderful world of trapping.   It was back in the early to mid 70’s when I first discovered this fascinating outdoor activity and truly believe learning to trap has done much to develop the kind of sportsman I am to this day.   Luke is 11 years old, and therefore at a critical age where with just a little guidance and the right experience it could help him develop a lifetime passion focused on the outdoors much in the same manner as his Stepfather did at almost an identical young age.

I’ve had another goal this fall while trapping.   A goal that, perhaps I was unaware of until tromping out in the woods and waters.   Either the darned trapping manufacturers are producing more powerful springs on their equipment…or, and I hate to have to admit this, age is quickly catching up with me.   Dang!   What I used to take for granted is now fast becoming a real chore.

So, while young Luke is opening his eyes to a wonderful facet of new outdoor experiences…the old guy — that be me — is having to begrudgingly deal with the fact the body ain’t what it used to be.   Of course, my friends have been reminding me of this truism for years…but up until now I haven’t been listening.   Trapping is hard work!

So, the Minnesota water trapping season got underway this past Saturday.   Luke is full of energy and intrigue.   I’m full of sore muscles and blisters (from poor fitting hip boots).   Still, seeing the excitement on a child’s face learning about the outdoors quickly wipes away any discomfort a parent might momentarily be feeling.   Take a look for yourself as I share some images from the past weekend.

Luke was having a difficult time understanding why I would buy new traps several weeks ago then throw them into the tall grass to get them all rusty.

Truth is, I still prefer to prepare my traps the old-fashioned way by getting them nice and rusty and then boiling them in logwood dye.

The cauldron looks like some nasty sort of witch’s brew…but it does an effective job of helping to preserve and deodorize the traps.   After they have been dyed, some of my traps (with the exception of the Conibear or “killer” traps) also get waxed for added protection.

Lots of trappers hate the chore of preparing the traps for the season…I actually think it is kind of fun.   But, of course, boiling about three dozen traps is a whole lot different than doing it to several hundred that some long-line trappers must do.

Once the traps have been boiled…all signs of rust are gone and the traps turn a deep brownish/black.

We’re both pretty lucky.   The stream where we trap runs only about 100 yards from our house.   The small trapline we have out can easily be run in 15 to 20 minutes.   Just enough time to do so before school/work.   The riverbank is soft and filled with tangled, exposed roots where many water critters love to explore.

This year I’ve opted to mostly use the Conibear type of trap that quickly performs a death-clutch on unsuspecting prey.   It must be close to 20 years or so ago since I last trapped, and I’ve always had decent success with this type of trap.   My reason for opting for it this year was to simulate drainage pipes like the one shown.   You see, mink, which is my main target species…is a fiend when it comes to a inspecting a hole in a river bank.   This little device which is only a piece of drainage pipe about 1 foot in length stuck into the river bank makes quick, effective sets.

We still use the traditional leg-hold trap which when used properly can be the bread and butter tool in the trapper’s arsenal.

In closing, I just want to remind all the readers just how important it is to involve the young into experiencing these new sports.   Luke has an almost insatiable thirst for discovering new things at this age…and what a shame it would be for me to waste this opportunity.   Still, it’s not just for Luke that together we run our trapline this fall.   Nope, the old guy — that would be me again — has some discovery to do, too.

When I first started trapping I had nobody to teach me as my father had recently died.   Trapping was my much-needed escape from a loss that could easily have gotten me down.   There’s no doubt about it my eyes were once long ago just as full of excitement as you see in young Luke’s above.   The activity of trapping has a way of doing that.

I urge you to discover your passion in the outdoors and pass it on to some youth.   Whether it’s a neighbor, a friends’ kid, or your own child…we all owe it to the children of the next generation to share the many joys of the outdoors.   It can be trapping, squirrel hunting, or even fishing from a dock…the gift of time you provide to the child will pay you back in much bigger dividends.   Don’t just talk about it…get out there and do it!   The future of our sporting traditions and heritage depends on you making it happen.

2007 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Trapping

Comments

[deerPhD]

Good luck to you both this year! I hope to see pics of Luke with some minks!

[Matt]

Great job getting Luke involved in your long-lost passion. Good luck to you both!

[Marc]

I've never run a trap line before, but it seems interesting, I might have to give it a try sometime. There are way too many coyotes where I deer hunt, but they rarely show themselves during shooting hours and I also have a few nice red foxes in my backyard. Maybe I'll get a trapping license one year!