Fur Trapping Techniques

Beavers are common animals for trappers to target.

People have different reasons for trapping animals. Some do it for the sport and to sell the fur. Others do it to remove animals that have become pests or otherwise problematic. Whatever the motivation, there are a variety of trapping techniques that trappers use to catch their quarry.

Trapping History

Trapping animals has a long history. Some people do it out of necessity--to catch animals to eat, or to catch them and sell their fur to make some money. Others trap for the sport of it, while still others set traps to catch animals, like raccoons and beavers, that have become nuisances. In addition, some trappers use traps that kill animals immediately, while others prefer to live-trap animals so they can release them somewhere else.

Trap Types

There are generally two types of traps--those designed to kill animals immediately and those designed to catch them and keep them alive until the trapper checks his traps next. Examples of traps that kill animals immediately are conibear traps and leghold traps that are set in water and cause animals to drown. Leghold traps set on land hold the animals but do not kill them, and live traps keep animals contained within the trap until the trapper releases or shoots them.

Beaver Trapping

To trap beavers, find spots where beaver dams are present. Road authorities are constantly trying to prevent beavers from building dams in places that back up water and cause road flooding, so a call to your local road authority is a good place to start. The best traps for beavers are No. 330 conibear traps, which are designed to kill the animals immediately. Two thick sticks hold the trap in place. Find the spots where beavers make trails across their dams and set the trap on that trail so half of it is in the water and half is out of the water. Insert the sticks through the circles on the sides of the conibear trap, and then stake them into the ground at 45-degree angles. Attach one end of a 6-foot wire to the trap, the other end to something sturdy.

Rodent Trapping

Use No. 1, 1.5 or 2 leghold traps to catch rodents or other animals, including foxes. Locate trails the animals are using, or spots where scat is evident. Use a shovel to dig a hole that is sufficiently deep and wide so that when you place the leghold trap in the hole, the pan is just below the level of the ground. Cover it with a thin layer of dirt or brush. Dig another small hole just behind the first hole and fill it with a commercially made bait that is designed to attract furbearers. Your goal is to get the animal to step on the pan, thus springing the trap, as it sniffs the bait.

Live Trapping

Live traps are especially common among people who trap raccoons. Set the trap in areas where there is a combination of timber and water, and where animal trails are evident. Put a live trap in the location, and open the door and attach it to the trap top by the metal piece on the door. Place a sweet bait like marshmallows just behind the pan of the trap--when the animal steps on the pan, the door will close.

References

• Fleming Outdoors: Beaver Trapping Tips: How to Trap a Beaver
• Buckshot's Trappers Tales: Bagging Beaver With the Conibear #330