Ten
Essentials for Predators
Article from Sep
- Oct 2001 Buckeye Trapper
by Corky
Klausing
Did you ever wonder how the "Big Boys" catch hundreds
of predators in one season? Ever wonder what it would take for
you to do the same? In my experience it takes ten essentials to
have the winning combination that produces record catches. Following
is a brief description of these ten vital elements as I see them.
As you read them over, take a little personal inventory of what
might be limiting your catch. At worst they might give you a good
excuse or two the next time you find yourself having to explain
your catch to someone else. Better yet, they might give you some
clues as to what to concentrate on to improve your trapline productivity.
Lots of Good Territory
I'm speaking of prime, fur-producing habitat and plenty of it.
It may seem obvious, but you've got to have lots of critters in
order to make lots of catches. Whether you trap public or private
land, it's essential to line up more good territory than to trap
the same areas year after year. An excess of territory allows
you to select the hot spots from year to year and literally manage
your lines. And speaking of hot sports, I believe that they still
exist in most parts of the country. There are genuine fur pockets
out there for the person who will take the time and effort to
find them. When you do, they will really add a lot of frosting
to the cake.
Accessibility of Habitat
This factor is less obvious than the previous one, but it's
just as important. The finest habitat in the country is of little
value if you can't get to it; especially if you want to get into
a lot of it.
Many of the longliners I know won't set a trap where they can't
check it from their truck seat. It just doesn't pay if you're
playing the numbers game. Of course I'm speaking primarily of
the typical coyote or fox line. When after these critters, walking
is just too time consuming.
On the other hand, when after the high priced cats, inaccessibility
of prime habitat may be what to look for. Few trappers today are
willing to pay the price of 10 to 20 mile lines that require walking,
yet in most western areas of the country large "cat catches"
can't be made any other way. When it comes to "cats"
inaccessibility can be a plus.
The Best Equipment You Can Afford
For understandable reasons, most of us have a natural tendency
to skimp in the area of equipment. We're always looking for a
good deal, a way to economize, and a way to "make do".
This is true of our traps, tools and vehicles.
The trouble is, efficiency is the name of the game and you can't
make record catches with junk. It really pays to get the best
4 X 4 you can afford and to maintain it properly. It really pays
to have tools that are durable and effective. It also pays to
have traps and snares that are properly modified, as it is necessary
for them to be fine-tuned. You want traps that will function under
extreme conditions, catch what steps on the pan, and holds what
they catch. Every penny invested in proper equipment could soon
pay for itself; probably several times over.
Not only should you have good equipment, but also have plenty
of it. More than you think you can really use. That way you'll
always be ready when a problem or opportunity arises.
Good Set Locations
Good territory and equipment are not enough in themselves, of
course. Probably the thing that separates a good trapper from
an average one is the ability to pinpoint those key set locations,
which will catch the majority of the furbearers in the shortest
possible time.
If there's a science to trapping, it has to be determining set
locations. Master it and you're well on your way to being a productive
trapper. Here's where scouting and knowing your territory really
pays off. Take every opportunity you can year round and just watch
your catch improve.
Natural Well-Constructed Sets
Good locations are no guarantee either, unless you can make
sets that attract and catch the critters you are after.
Some very successful trappers consider set construction more
of a science, while others consider it an art. The first wants
to get as many simple sets in the ground as quickly as he can.
The second chooses to make fewer sets and make them perfect. Either
approach will work well enough. Personally my style falls somewhere
in between.
Whatever technique you prefer, try to keep your sets as appealing,
weatherproof, and natural as possible.
Quality Baits, Scents, and Lures
It seems like trappers in general have gone from almost a primitive
approach to luring 20 years ago, to over use and over abundance
today.
Commercial baits and lures should not, and will not, compensate
for poor set location or shoddy set construction, but when property
understood and applied, they will definitely give the edge to
the user.
Yes, lures can be over used and misused. But part of the game
is experimenting, trying something new, and finding what works.
Proper luring will keep you one step ahead of the competition.
Lures not only appeal to such things as hunger, sex, curiosity,
or territory, but they also reduce suspicion and build confidence.
You can't be in "the big time" without them.
Favorable Weather
There are at least two essentials for success over which the
trapper has little control. One of these is the weather. Under
extremely wet, snowy, or cold conditions every trapper's catch
will suffer, and few trappers will do well. It's just a fact of
life that we all have to accept and live with. Record catches
just can't be made under extremely adverse conditions.
However, decent catches can still be made. The fellow who consistently
makes top catches over the years will have learned to minimize
the consequences of bad weather and to "roll with the punches."
Minimal Competition
Another factor over which a trapper may have little control
is the amount of competition in a given area. He may be doing
everything right and have everything else going for him, but stiff
competition is going to cut into his productivity. Catches of
100 fox or coyote and even bobcats were common place 20 to 30
years ago when fur prices were low and trappers were few. Not
so nowadays.
Big catches can be, and are still, made but not nearly as easily
as a few years ago. If you're faced with a lot of good competition
you've got to be realistic and expect your catch to suffer. But
the solution is to get as much exclusive permission behind locked
gates as you can. As I mentioned earlier, untrapped fur pockets
still exist in most areas. You've got to find them, get permission,
and trap them!
Being Prepared
Although the trapper has little control over some of the factors
that affect his catch, there are a couple of things over which
he has almost complete control. I've found that all things being
equal, these things are what separate the men from the boys when
it comes to trapline success. Both have been alluded to already.
The first is to be prepared. But that I mean get permission,
scout your territory, clean and adjust your traps & snares,
service your vehicle, etc. This needs to be done well before the
season. The idea is to do everything you can before the season
so that once you start trapping, not a minute is wasted doing
other things. Time is precious and you can't afford not to be
totally prepared and ready for the season to start.
I find it immensely valuable to not only scout my territory,
but also to pre-make as many sets as possible. I've never regretted
doing this. I only regret it when I don't. Big time trapping is
a year round thing, be prepared!
Hard Work and Long Hours
The other factor totally up to the individual trapper is the
amount of effort they put forth. Most of the big catches you hear
about are the product of raw commitment of time and energy. The
bottom line is that there are no short cuts.
A big point to remember of course is that not everyone can take
off three months to go trapping. I sure can't, but I know of some
guys who can catch as much fur in a week as I can in one month.
Sure better gear, a superior vehicle, and more territory are usually
a part of the explanation. However, the big producers almost always
work at it harder. They either have a very efficient system, work
incredibly long hours, or both. I know of one guy who can put
in 100 dirt holes in a day, another who gets by on 4-5 hours sleep
a night, and many who run several hundred sets at a time. You've
got to pay the price to make the big catches.
So there you have it! If you aren't making the catches you'd
like, perhaps you are missing it in one of the areas I have suggested.
If so, pinpoint it and do something about it. The choice is yours!
Until next time.
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