Are there any trappers here?

judsoncarroll4

Well, the post on trackers was so popular (and rightly so)… I figured I'd ask about trapping. I hunt, fish and forage, but meat trapping is my mainstay. Fur is good, too.... but just like I fish for food (and am relegated a redneck because I don't "catch and release" as a rule) I also trap for meat! Maybe, one day, fur will be a good income again, but regardless... "free range organic meat" is well worth the effort, and trapping is way more reliable (and useful on the farm) than hunting.

merlin44

What type traps do you make use of? And what do you trap? I've learned a few basic traps but have never made use of the knowledge. I rely on my son-in-law, an avid hunter, for "free-range, organic meat. But if the need ever arises, a valuable skill no doubt.

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/846015#Comment_846015

All sorts. On the farm, rabbit boxes are very useful for rabbits and possums that raid the garden. DP (dog proof) traps are great for catching raccoons... which not only keeps them out of the corn and from killing the chickens, but they also make great sausage! Snares and body grips are good for beavers. We are really covered up with coyotes around here - they are invasive and are decimating native populations. I want to get into trapping them soon. Ditto on wild hogs, but in NC you basically have to use box/cage/corral traps, which are expensive and big. So, until I get moved, all I can do is help a few friends with hogs, in trade for meat.

EarlKelly

Used to do that when I was younger and it was worth it. Now everything is so expensive. The population is so high seeing disease taking its toll on the population and cars hitting the animals everywhere. Domestic animals are being hit hard by them too. Hunters are way down around here so not sure what the answer is. Lot more deer damage than there used to be also. Keep up the posts and good luck.

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/846121#Comment_846121

That is for sure. People don't realize the need to manage wild populations. We are the top predators now. Maybe the wolves and bears were sufficient before, but they don't get along well with suburban real estate. I wish fur prices would come up enough to get people trapping again. But, CA just outlawed both trapping and fur. I understand the motivation, but it is extremely misguided.... they won't understand that until it is too late... and will still probably deny it.

Wayne Johnson

Wow, interesting comment about raccoon sausage!? I’ve been trapping them in my garden and releasing them, but now you make me wonder?? It seems like a “Naked and Afraid” skill that requires some desperation to skin and dress a raccoon. Please tell me /us how to go in this direction. I hear that roasted coon is pretty good eating!! Raccoon sausage is totally radical—- wow, talk about endless SHTF meat supply....

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/846143#Comment_846143

Basically, a coon tastes as good as what it has been eating. If you live on a farm, and they raid your garden and eat crawfish from the creek, it is as good... even better than any meat. If they are trash can raiders... well, you can try to trim off all the fat and hope for the best... But yeah, just bone out and grind up all the meat you can get and follow most any sausage recipe. Basically they are like a cross between red meat and pork.... a little wild tasting, but not gamey if handled right. By handled right, I mean gutted, skinned and cooled down ASAP. Any time anyone says meat tastes gamey, it means it was handled improperly in the field - it got hot or tainted. But no doubt, roasted (like a turkey)... or even better, barbecued/slow smoked over hardwood coals (my favorite).... well, you can't buy a better meal. The fur can be very nice, but in a true survival situation, the fat from a critter like that would be very useful. But, next time you have some, maybe try some jerky and just see if you like the meat. Where I grew up, a lot of folks (especially of a certain ethnic group) liked roasted coon for Thanksgiving... a man used to be able to make some pretty good money "under the table"... back when the fur was $20 per and the meat was another $20.... legal or not, it was honorable work.