Passed my trapping exam

[Sir-diealot]

Congrats on passing exam!

Thank you.

[Sir-diealot]

About the one and only thing I have ever seen in person that I have been against is snag fishing, I see no sport to it whatsoever. But if it is legal then it is your right to do it.

I do agree with everything you said regarding sticking together, but would like to add to the final statement to maybe change your views on it.

To my knowledge, the only fish you can legally and intentionally snag pretty well anywhere in the US is paddlefish. Accidental snags of game species during the act of intentional snagging, typically must be released, just as accidental snags with a crankbait on a bass or crappie are also to be released even though no one does. I don't 100% agree with it, because in the act of intentional snagging if you snag a large catfish and injure it to the point that it will certainly die, you are still to realease it esssentially wasting the animal. Outside of that one negative, snagging is actually a very "sporting" endeavor and is done for the same reasons other species are targeted whether it be with rod and reel, bow and arrow, or a firearm. Paddlefish don't eat anything but Plankton, so it would be extremely rare and accidental to catch them using any other fishing methods outside of snagging. Snagging gets a bad wrap in that it's basically the dove hunting of the fishing world, everyone's sitting on a bucket, drinking beers, and ripping hooks through the water in hopes to hook into a paddlefish. Snagging is also very tightly regulated and done so that snagging season is during the paddlefish "run" so as to control population numbers of Paddlefish, and so happens to be at a time of year that mitigates the amount of other species of fish accidentally snagged.

I can definitely see how it's not everyone's cup of tea, but until you've done it, you don't have any understanding of how much work it actually is to snag all day. I just don't think it's right to not call it "sporting" in that it actually takes a lot of work, and is done for the same reasons people fill baskets of crappie or shoot a trash can full of carp, because like you previously mentioned it's all the same thing just a different method of achieving the same goal for conservation efforts. I'm not saying you're in the wrong for having that particular opinion either, just maybe trying to shed light on why snagging is not only necessary but why it is the way it is too.

Okay the first thing I want to let you know is that I have done it, that is one of the reasons I am against it. It was just to easy to do, not fishing at all. I lived above the dam that is in the video I will share, 2 minute walk down a trail and you were there. It was done for King Salmon there. What I got to see year after year is people doing this, if they caught the males they would just chuck them to the side of the river and leave them to die, they were after the females to get the eggs. (And some would even chuck them to the side)

My father was dead set against it as he did not see it as sporting and I never understood why until I did it myself, it was like shooting fish in a barrel, every third swipe you would get one if not almost every when they were really running. If not them you were getting other fish and scarring them up, nothing like fishing with bait.

We used to stand by and wait for them to chuck one to the side and put them in a 5 gallon bucket and my father would make Salmon patties out of them. The female would also be drained of their eggs and we would either tie them up in the stepmothers old stockings and use them ourselves for fishing or when we got to many to use do the same and sell them to the local bait and tackle shop down the road in Olcott. I seem to remember covering the eggs in Borax as well but don't remember why and then we would sell them by the bucket load.

At least they were not going to waist that way. We would take the ones that we had tied and go down to Headly's* Pier in Olcott and fish all night long into the late morning hours. That is one thing I miss about living in that area, no good fighting fish were I live, I miss the Shnook, Coho and Salmon that were there, that is why I am going to get a ultralight setup by the Spring.

Here is that video, skip to 1:08 to see daylight. I lived up the hill to the right side of the damn where they are filming there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-QaThsPVL4

[HookedonHooks]

I wasn't aware people snagged salmon... Actually baffles me knowing how fragile those fish are, they certainly wouldn't stand a chance after being snagged. Being that Salmon can be caught with more traditional methods of fishing, though they don't feed heavy during the run, that should be part of the challenge and I definitely see where you're coming from.

I will say this though as far paddlefish snagging goes, too easy is one of the last to come to mind. You are typically using three 14/0 treble hooks and a 16-20 oz lead weight at the base ripping them   through the water and at the end of the day is one helluva workout. Being you can't see the paddlefish as you would the salmon, this also presents a different challenge. This is the only way to actually target these particular fish though, so snagging them is a necessity when it comes to the sport of targeting paddlefish.

Comparing the two is like apples and oranges, the only similarity is it's "snagging". Where I'm from snagging is paddlefishing, and where you're from it's sounds like it's a free for all salmon slaughter. Thank you for enlightening me on salmon snagging though, and I can say that is something I will never take part of for similar reasons that you won't, but if that's what a man wants to do, I suppose more power to him.

[Sir-diealot]

I wasn't aware people snagged salmon... Actually baffles me knowing how fragile those fish are, they certainly wouldn't stand a chance after being snagged. Being that Salmon can be caught with more traditional methods of fishing, though they don't feed heavy during the run, that should be part of the challenge and I definitely see where you're coming from.

I will say this though as far paddlefish snagging goes, too easy is one of the last to come to mind. You are typically using three 14/0 treble hooks and a 16-20 oz lead weight at the base ripping them   through the water and at the end of the day is one helluva workout. Being you can't see the paddlefish as you would the salmon, this also presents a different challenge. This is the only way to actually target these particular fish though, so snagging them is a necessity when it comes to the sport of targeting paddlefish.

Comparing the two is like apples and oranges, the only similarity is it's "snagging". Where I'm from snagging is paddlefishing, and where you're from it's sounds like it's a free for all salmon slaughter. Thank you for enlightening me on salmon snagging though, and I can say that is something I will never take part of for similar reasons that you won't, but if that's what a man wants to do, I suppose more power to him.

Sounds like they were both done in much the same way.

[wvmntnhick]

Those Duke DP's can be modified to fire as a push/pull system rather than just the single method they come with. Personally, I prefer the Z Trap. Saves me some time and they're not that much more money. Canines aren't hard or I'm the luckiest guy in the world when it comes to catching them. The years I've trapped I've hammered red foxes. Coyotes not so much but if you're catching foxes, your coyote population is generally lower than some would like to admit. Not gonna have high numbers of each in the same area. Not certain about PA regulations but a lot of states won't allow body grip traps to be set on land for reasons ill not discuss openly on this site. I didn't take the time to read all of this so my sincerest apologies if these points have already been discussed. If u need a hand, lemme know. Be glad to help out.


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[Sir-diealot]

Those Duke DP's can be modified to fire as a push/pull system rather than just the single method they come with. Personally, I prefer the Z Trap. Saves me some time and they're not that much more money. Canines aren't hard or I'm the luckiest guy in the world when it comes to catching them. The years I've trapped I've hammered red foxes. Coyotes not so much but if you're catching foxes, your coyote population is generally lower than some would like to admit. Not gonna have high numbers of each in the same area. Not certain about PA regulations but a lot of states won't allow body grip traps to be set on land for reasons ill not discuss openly on this site. I didn't take the time to read all of this so my sincerest apologies if these points have already been discussed. If u need a hand, lemme know. Be glad to help out.


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Thank you much. As far as coyote in my area it is the opposite, we have far more than people want to admit. Body gripping traps are allowed up to 6inches but it is not good around here because to many farm critters, they only want you using them for aquatic animals like beaver and muskrat. We do try to target coyote quite a bit though.

[falltoms]

Congrats on passing the coarse. I love to trap. So much that if they allowed trapping in the spring where I live, I don't know how much Turkey hunting I would do. Seeing a coyote in your trap is like walking up on a dead gobbler. Trapping is a lot of hard work. Lots of good lures and traps out there,  but the biggest thing when trapping is being on the right LOCATION. Good luck

[Sir-diealot]

Congrats on passing the coarse. I love to trap. So much that if they allowed trapping in the spring where I live, I don't know how much Turkey hunting I would do. Seeing a coyote in your trap is like walking up on a dead gobbler. Trapping is a lot of hard work. Lots of good lures and traps out there,  but the biggest thing when trapping is being on the right LOCATION. Good luck

Thank you very much, I am looking forward to getting my first catch.

[Sir-diealot]

Well trapping season has started, found out I have a problem, because of my hand problems I can't seem to set a trap with my hands. I can do it sitting down and putting my foot down on a leaver but not sure about doing it standing with my balance being not quite right. (Much better than it used to be though) When I took the course the instructor had a gadget that would squeeze the thing down for you then you could set the devise that holds the jaw on the one side and then set the other jaw. Does anybody here know what that thing is called? This is the trap I am trying to practice on.

[Chris O]

You should google 1 hand trap setters. I am not sure if he makes anything for long spring traps but he does for coil spring traps. I have a pair for setting MB- 750 beaver traps and a smaller pair for my son to use for 1 1/2 coilsprings. There is also a 1 hand dog proof setter made by someone else I believe. I am not sure where this guy is out of so let me know if you can't find anything on them I can do some digging And get some info for you


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[Sir-diealot]

You should google 1 hand trap setters. I am not sure if he makes anything for long spring traps but he does for coil spring traps. I have a pair for setting MB- 750 beaver traps and a smaller pair for my son to use for 1 1/2 coilsprings. There is also a 1 hand dog proof setter made by someone else I believe. I am not sure where this guy is out of so let me know if you can't find anything on them I can do some digging And get some info for you


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Thanks Chris, after I posted this I found out it was just something he gave me to practice on, we are going to be using Bridger #3 4 Coil traps modified for Canadian Humane Laws (I think that was the last 3 words are correct I know Canadian and Humane are) I did find these but I may have to wait to trap til next year, I don't have the money to get them and I have two people here that I want to get taken care of from when I lost that money, I don't like to break my word and still feel bad about the way that went down and want to make that right. https://www.southernsnares.com/products/one-hand-setters?variant=16626835715

I am guessing you mean the same ones? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oby8-2gbllE

[Chris O]

Yep that's them, it's a great product. Good luck on your trapping.


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[Sir-diealot]

Yep that's them, it's a great product. Good luck on your trapping.


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I have been reading about them in a few places and they have a good reputation. One thing I really like on them that the others I have seen don't have is the little safety hook, I really think it is something they should all have. Thanks bud and tight chains.

[Oconeeguy]

Interesting you would like to catch beaver. I trapped Rockdale County Georgia in the 1970s and caught many. They were among the more difficult animals to skin because the hide adheres tightly to the carcass along the back of the animal. There are two ways to skin one, rough skin and clean skin. Rough  is quicker and easier as it leaves a lot of flesh on the hide. That leaves a lot of work fleshing it later though, and for that bit of work you will need a dual-handle draw knife. I liked one side dull and other side sharp.
Alternatively, clean skinning a beaver with a rounded blade sharp knife (very carefully so you don't nick the hide) will ideally leave all the flesh on the carcass, but it takes a lot more time. No need for fleshing with clean skin method.
After skinning/fleshing I tacked hides out round on big sheet of plywood to dry for a week or so in the shed, but away from mice. Beaver are the round shaped brown pelts in the center of the pic.
Also, Beaver meat is delicious, but tends to be fatty. Good fried.
Watch YouTube videos that show this stuff.

[wvmntnhick]

Beavers are a pile of work with little to no payout. If they're somewhere that they're causing a problem, I'll go after them. If not, it's not worth the hassle. K9's are quick and generally pay better. If you can get enough castor saved up, that's a different story.


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