It's a Trap!

While everyone is talking about getting trapped into marriage before 23 (and yes, for the record, I am one of those trapped in a marriage because I got married at 22 (which to me isn't really a trap)) or trapped into a never ending something rather… I have a little different kind of trap I want to share with you.

The Trapping Season—like you trap animals.

Hubs and his catch one day.

Hub’s is getting big into the trapping thing these days. I use to just listen to him go on and on about just hunting. Now I get to listen to him talk about both. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy listening to him sometimes. 

And even though, I don’t want to admit this, I like learning new things from him. It is his fault I wear camo now and enjoy going out and about hunting with him.

So what is trapping?

Trapping, according to Dictionary.com,

     a contrivance used for catching game or other animals, as a mechanical device that springs shut suddenly.

Trapping Season (at least in Kansas) runs from middle of November until almost the end of February. In order to participate in trapping you must obtain a Fur Harvester License. Which you can get anywhere you buy deer tags, water fowl stamps, hunting licenses etc. Your state regulations may require you to take a test before you can obtain your permit, though. You can easily find your state's law online or in a sporting good store.

Why do we trap?

For hubs, he has two reasons he traps. One, he does it for sport/enjoyment. Just like hunting, he enjoys the thrill and challenge of hunting his game. Two, he likes to help reduce the pest and varmint population.

Let me explain, what some people call “cute” little raccoon's, skunks and opossums can carry many different types of diseases. Rabies, Opossum Disease, and TGE are just a few to be named. Here is a list to more http://www.wildlifedamage.com/index.html (this is specifically for animals found around Denver, but also in Kansas minus a few, but has some good information)

So, how does that affect us? Well, our cows are currently out on milo stalks in the fields with these little critters, not to mention they like to wander up to the farm, bring their little diseases with them and spread them to our cattle and other animals. They could give it to one of our dogs and then to us. You know the whole chain of disease spreading thing, right? The end result sometimes isn't so pretty. Our animals can get very sick or even die. The reason we trap for coyotes specifically around our farm is because they are predators. They attack our cows and calves for their food source and it is extremely important that we protect our animals. Another reason is that these critters can be damaging to properties. For example, we have a silage pit that the raccoons and other critters like to walk on and tear up. This is not good for many reasons because we need our silage to stay packed in order to ferment, not become spoiled and not blow away with that crazy Kansas wind.

What do we use to trap?

Hubs (and his father) could tell you in what may seem like a million different ways to trap. Here is just a few that I have been out with him to set.

The different traps
(From left to right: The Conibear, The Dog Proof, The Snare,  The Foot Trap)

The Foot Trap

A foot trap is effective for trapping all fur bearers, anything from a raccoon to a coyote. The trap holds the critter by the foot until the trapper can dispatch the animal. This kind of trapping does keep the animal alive until the harvester checks his traps (which have to be done within every 24 hours), then one must put the animal down.

The Conibear

A Conibear trap is also known as a “body grip” trap. These traps are used for most fur bearers, usually more effective for the smaller animals, such as badgers, beavers, bobcats, and etc. This trap is designed to capture the animal around the head region and as humanely as possible dispatch them.

The Snare

A Snare is used for trapping all furbearers. This type of trap is a cable with a locking device attached to it that is designed to take the animal around the head region or foot. The animal is alive in this trap until the harvester must dispatch them.

The Dog Proof Trap

This is a Dog Proof Trap set 

This type of trap is used to catch mainly raccoons. It is a type of a foot trap, see above. This is used mostly for raccoons due to their small double jointed hand being able to reach through a small hole that dogs and other non-target animals cannot reach through. These are good for use around farms and houses, as well as other areas.

Where to trap?

A good trapping spot can be picked by scanning different areas usually in a mostly wooded area and away from livestock and non-targeted species. Foot and Conibear traps are used in the pasture next to the milo stalks our cattle are currently grazing as it is a convenience for Hubs to check as he checks fence in the mornings. Also, it keeps the critters away from our cattle and their newborns. Dog Proof Traps are used around the silage pit because it is close to the farm yard and he does not want to catch the farm dogs or cats, but he wants to keep the raccoons off the pile to keep the milkmaid happy. Because as he states, “If the milkmaid is happy, everybody is happy!” Bucket traps (a Conibear trap placed in a bucket) are placed along creek banks and pastures not being used during the winter months.

Hubs setting traps

How to get the animal to the trap?

After we set the traps we must bait them to attract the targeted specie. Bait can be anything from a store bought mixture to a chicken carcass to a marshmallow. Dog Proof traps are often baited with something sweet, such as a marshmallow or molasses. Conibear traps are often placed in a bucket that has some type of meat source in the back of the bucket in which they stick the head region in the trap to eat and then get captured. Foot hold traps are covered with loose dirt in front of a hole made to look like a rodent hole which has a cotton ball covered with store bought paste or meat source in it. A foot hold traps can also be covered with loose dirt in front of an object that has urine from the targeted specie on it.

Conibear trap set and ready 

Removing the trap

So what happens then?

It is important to know that we take all trapping very seriously. We make sure to position them only where trails for our targeted animals occur. We want to make sure no humans or non-targeted animals get into them and that we handle all targeted animals humanely. Trapping can be a very successful endeavor if you educate yourself with many videos that can be find in stores and online and read many forums and blogs about trapping. At the end of the season, we sell all of the fur to a fur buyer and what is profited goes to next year’s season to help control the pest and varmint populations. As for the fur, it then can go on to make coats, jackets, leg warmers, blankets, pelts, pillows, rugs and clothing.

So for all of you other trappers out there, good luck with the rest of your season, and for others we hoped you learned a little bit about trapping. We want you to know that this is just a slight glimpse of the trapping world and there is much more that can be learned about it through numerous other sites and programs and we encourage you to take some time and learn about the trapping seasons and why we do what we do not to harm animals but to help.

Raccoon

Coyote 

Badger

Happy Trapping to You!

The Milkmaid and The Trapper (Hubs)

Hubs and his Badger.
 (It was the first one he has ever trapped!)