Looking for any old time trap ideas r

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Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 12:02 am

Hi I was wondering if anyone might have or know where I could find ideas for some of the old time traps the laws got changed a year or two ago so I am looking for ideas for traps that were used before steel ones the snare and deadfall traps are ok for land trapping so if anyone has a take on them love them for land but what I can't find is water sets for beaver muskrat otter and mink like I said I know snares and deadfalls were pretty much the main land traps water traps are the biggest ones I need also pretty much anything is ok here for water traps and the only thing on land traps is leghold traps can't have jaws bigger than 5 1/2 inches and snares can be spring power long as it not right on the lock
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 12:39 am

If you have the time and creativity, there are lots of possibilities.

First off, snaring beaver is about the easiest thing I have ever done for harvesting fur. I have never tried the other water animals, but the shape and habits of a muskrat tells me they would be just as easy as beaver to snare with fine snare wire.

In both cases make the loop big enough for them to get a front leg through.

Also go on line and learn how to make colony traps for muskrat. They are easy to make, effective, and if you can scrounge the woven or welded wire, they are free. They can make multiple catches.

If you are sure they are legal, a barrel trap is easy for muskrats. Sink a barrel (with rocks and water) low enough so the rats can climb on top when you have a cover on it. Remove enough water so that they can not get out. Cover it with deer skin or any material that will hold them up, but can later be cut (or design a spring loaded door that will give under the weight of the rat and spring back into position). Before season, begin feeding them on top of the barrel with the top secure and immovable. When they are good and prime, cut the skin (or un-block the door) so their weight will cause them to fall inside.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 1:12 am

Thinks man that is some cool ideas for muskrat that I had not heard of our laws are for water trapping if it holds them under water it ok I had read a little bit about trapping beaver with a snare because that what I was thinking about for land trapping to but some of the stuff I read said since a beaver would be snare around the body it would mess up the skins and make them worthy less has that been what you find
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 2:31 am

You are correct. The snare leaves a ring on the beaver that fur buyers don't like. But good beaver traps are very expensive and there are many things a young man can do wrong and miss or loose the beaver when trapping them. On the other hand you could own a hundred snares for very little money. You could learn tons about beaver, still get some money for the hides and have plenty of the best dog food that I know of. And you will experience a lot of success snaring beaver. That will build up your confidence and help you dream bigger. It seems very humane also because they are not afraid of being snared for some reason. You will find them asleep unless they hear you coming. Best to sneak up on them and shoot before they know you are there.

Ten snared beaver will probably fetch you more money than one trapped one that got out of your trap. I guess that is my point about trying snares for awhile. You can move away from them later, but it will get you started with snares and harvesting beaver in a positive way.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:25 am

I know you have expressed interest in the skin of the beaver tail etc. so will mention that some trappers in certain areas do very well selling their own tanned hides to tourists etc.
USA Foxx and Furs in Duluth MN is very reasonable for tanning your fur. A man I know here in ND has them do all his coyote. Even with the cost of tanning he ends up making twice what he could make if he sold them raw to a fur buyer. Lots of people enjoy having beautiful fur hanging around near their trophy mounts or in their hunting room.

If you did up your beaver tied with rawhide on a willow hoop, with some beads and feathers, I know there are cabin owners etc. that would pay very well for a wall hanging like that. If the snare line was obvious, just put an explanation on the tag that this is how wild mountain men catch beaver. If they find one without the snare line it might not be authentic wild man fur. Hahaha
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 2:41 pm

I was thinking about the hop beaver idea also I had a old man that know my grandfather show me how to tan a deer skin with the brains would it be the same way with furbears also if you were going to make say a coyote or fox into a wall hanger do you know if people use a backing and how do they fix them to hang lastly does anyone know any idea if the old foot snares work I remember reading somewhere that people did use them at one point
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 3:19 pm

Tanning your own is something you should try, just so you can say you did it. And yes, you can use the brain method if you want. The size of the skin and the size of the brain go together. Another common way is a salt and alum solution for tanning and then softened with Neets Foot Oil.

Then if you are like me, you will decide your time and body is worth more than the money it costs to have it done professionally. And as hard as I worked at it, I could never get them as soft and beautiful as USA Foxx and Fur.

I grew up wearing deer skin moccasins made by the Yakima women. They were soft, beautiful, and had a wonderful smokey smell. I have never come even close to whatever it was they did.

I know it can be done. And I hope you are better at it than I was. I could not even give mine away, let alone sell them. Never tried paying some one to take it off my hands. That might have worked.

I have seen several homes with hides hanging from a hook or nail just limp like a coat from a coat hook. No backing at all, just as it comes from the tanner. They are attractive and magnetic in a rustic decor.
I like it better that way than a felt backed rug. It invites people to handle them and discover/experience the beauty of fur and animal skin that mankind always loved and craved before we went crazy.


I don't know about foot snares except that modern government trappers use spring loaded foot snares for bear.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:03 pm

If you like the hoop idea for selling beaver, try this sometime: skin a muskrat exactly the way you would skin a beaver, and tan it and try selling it hoop stretched and decorated the same as the beaver.

I have never done it or seen it done, but I bet you could get five or ten times the money for it over selling it raw to a fur buyer.

I might be wrong, but always thought of trying that and never did.

If you do it, let me know how it goes.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:47 pm

I don't know if you have pheasants. But if you do and you find a market for your muskrat hoops, the following are easy to sell, and I made and sold dozens of them:

Chop off the wings at the body with a hatchet. Cut down the back, including the back of the neck, and carefully skin the rooster. You can leave the tail on, or cut it off. Shape the skin round or oval. Put your finger at the top of the neck and push it down toward the middle of the skin. It will still be toward the top, but the ring around his neck will form a perfect circle, (surrounded by breast feathers) toward the top of your display. When you get a good looking round shape, carefully, without disturbing the shape, flip it over and cover the skin with borax and let it dry.

Weave a circular grape vine wreath the size of the outside perimeter of the skin

Cut a round peice of cardboard big enough to back the skin and wreath. Wire the wreath to the cardboard, and use hot glue to attach the skin inside the wreath. Actually, I probably glued the skin on first, then attached the wreath.

If you leave the tail on, don't use a wreath, just cut the cardboard to perfectly cover the skin and use hot glue to attach it. The cardboard will not be visible at all from the front.

Attach a loop or grommet (picture hanger device) on the back of the cardboard.

We sold these like hot cakes at a sport show.
The colors of a bright pheasant are quite striking.

If hens are legal, like from a hunt club, people like to buy a hen and a rooster done the same way. (with or without tails/ with or without wreath).
Last edited by david on Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
hillbilly boy
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:09 pm

Well we don't have those but I think I have heard of that being done with bobwhites grous and know that I think about it I am wondering if it could be done with starlings they are getting to be a big problem around here so they can be shot all year with no limits and maybe turkey to or would you think they might be to big
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:19 pm

You could try any of them. If you came up with an attractive way to preserve and display turkey skins with the tail fanned out, you might really develop a good business with turkey hunters who want to remember their hunt but don't want a full mount.

I would start out trying it the same way as the pheasant method. I think that would put the beard just above the center of the display.

Tails are a bit of a problem because they are really hard to dry out and they hold fat.

You might have to find out how taxidermists preserve the tails.

These probably are not going to last a life time. But I know the pheasants lasted a few years at least.

Part of the attraction with pheasants is the amazing array of colors and patterns in their feathers. So I don't know about the other birds, but you could sure try it.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:39 pm

Well the first two I said was because of a trapping book I read at one time the guy said his boy did pretty good when he got one that was not to bad shot up but he did not say anything about the vines like yours but the starlings are just about as pretty as the one you have
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby hillbilly boy » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:54 pm

Find one set for the foot snare it for coyote and Fox's it a jar with bait in it and holes in the lid with the snare laid over it to catch them by the foot when they dig for the bait what do you all think it sound like it could work
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:55 pm

Well it sounds like you have a year round supply of starlings. They do have an irredescent sheen. I would sure try it. To skin a starling and prepair it would probably be less than an hour of your hands-on time. I would not do a lot of them until I tried one and got some feed back from people. A lot of people see starlings in a negative light, so you might have to change the name to something exotic sounding.
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Re: Looking for any old time trap ideas r

Postby david » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:58 pm

On the foot snare, no, it does not sound like it would work to me. (Unless maybe it is spring loaded and triggered). For a few different reasons. But if it works for someone else, well you will learn more by trying it than by not trying it.

I would have to see it to believe it for coyote.

Hopefully some one else will know more about it.

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