5 Trapping Mistakes & 5 Tips:

5 Trappin Mistakes

1. Not being knowledgeable on bait, lure, and urine. This is multi layered with application, buying quality products, what to use and when to use during different parts of the season, getting caught up with how much to use or how little to use.

2. Not having an intimate understanding of the properties you have permission to trap on. Make sure you are doing what it takes to capitalize on the time you have during season to maximize your ROI.

3. Not being proficient as well as efficient at making your sets. This also piggybacks on not getting caught up on making multiple different types of set. Become a master at putting in a dirt hole and a flat set and then you can eventually build upon those.

4. Not being familiar with the predominant wind in your area, also consider barometric pressure, and how thermal air currents can affect your set locations.

5. Setting on sign is not the same as setting on location/stall out areas/high traffic areas where every target animal is coming through. Just because you see a track in the corner of a field, does not mean that’s the key location you should be setting at on the property. Now I understand some of the factors one might be facing such as you being new to trapping and only having your families 27 acre property available to trap on, and maybe it isn’t a very good producing location, but for me… I have focused over the years finding high production properties because I only have a few weeks to hit it hard. Therefore I am setting the primo spots and moving on to fresh places.

Bonus: all time #1 tip/recommendation for upcoming trappers: Become financially stable and take your efforts you have for catching your target animal and apply that towards your career so you can eventually be independent

5 trapping Tips

1. Use the best quality equipment and products you can afford. This umbrella statement refers to the bests traps, the best bait, urine, and lures, and the best equipment you choose to take out with you on your trapline.

2. Go scout your properties in the early months of the year while the vegetation is still off and if you can as a bonus tip for this section… take a dog with you.

3. Keep a journal or notebook on your properties and set locations, as well as the products you are using and make note of what is working for you on those properties.

4. Don’t just set one trap. If you are out fishing for a catch in the corner of a field then that might be a sign to move on… granted I know there can be limiting factors to everyone’s circumstance. If you are in a good spot and can afford to set the traps, then set a minimum of 3.

5. Make sure you have a back up or spare of the necessary things you will need on your trapline. It will save you time and a headache.

There are so many other tips we could talk about, but these are some of the ones I wanted to touch base on at this time.

Bonus tips, when getting permission… make sure you get written permission and not just verbal. I’ve been down that road before. So take my word for it.

My Most Valuable piece of advice for new trappers that want to make the most of their situation - Become Financially stable and independent.