Trapping / Small Game Mentor

Good afternoon,

I am looking for a mentor when it comes to small game hunting and trapping. Really a mentor for the outdoors. I grew up in a family that did some limited hunting of rabbits and squirrel growing up but I’ve always had a big interest in the outdoors. I am the type of person that can read it 100 times and not really understand until I get out and do it. I think I would really benefit by learning from someone in person where I could observe and work on some skills in the woods. I’m currently stationed in Jacksonville, NC but I’m willing to travel if anyone would be willing to teach me with running a trap line or learning how to read sign/ track! I would be more than happy to help with the labor involved in it so that I could learn and gain some experience. One of the big reasons I’m looking for a mentor is because I want to be that mentor to my son when he gets old enough to start hunting and trapping. If anyone can help me out or has any tips please let me know! Thank y’all.
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
You came to a good place. There are some great hunting and trapping mentors here. I'm still very new at hunting and trapping, but I can recommend a few things mentors have mentioned to me:

Stokes Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior by Donald and Lillian Stokes is one of the best books I've ever bought. I use it all the time to help me with learning tracks and other animal sign. They cover most of the small game and furbearers you would encounter in North Carolina. Muskrats, mink, beaver, otter, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, etc, etc.

I don't know what animals you'd like to target for trapping, but the Muskrat Trapper's Guide by Mitchell S. Ricketts is great! The DVD Beaver Sites and Sets by Paul S. Dobbins is excellent for beaver.

The North Carolina Trappers' Association (NCTA) has some great people in it and several of them have been amazing trapping mentors. Here is the website: https://www.nctrapper.org/

And here is the NCTA forum where you can chat with other trappers: https://www.nctrapper.org/talk-forum

If I think of anything else, I'll post it. Welcome to the board!
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
For the learning by doing, I would recommend just get out there on game land if there is a game land near you and look for tracks in mud or sand or small game trails through the high grass and try to identify them with that Stokes guide. That is the first thing I did when I got started, along with taking a hunter safety class and a basic trapping class to get my first hunting and trapping licenses. And I asked a bunch of questions on the NCHuntndFish forums.

Here is the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) website:


You can find a lot of things on there, like signing up to take a hunter safety class and a basic trapping class, if you need them, how to get your licenses, a map of game lands to help you find some public land near you, unless you'll be hunting and trapping on your own land or someone else's with permission.

Hope this is not too basic for you. I know you said you grew up in a family that did some rabbit and squirrel hunting, but since you mentioned being stationed in Jacksonville, I'm assuming you're not from NC. Hope this helps! Good luck!
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
since the NCTA convention was cancelled, I'd urge you to attend the 3 day convention in Bland Va Oct 16-18 to attend the hourly demos given by pro's. BRING A NOTEBOOK....its class.
Buying gear without paying shipping is a bonus AND camping is FREE.
Friday night buffet will put you in a food coma!
Wish we were closer to ya.
 
You came to a good place. There are some great hunting and trapping mentors here. I'm still very new at hunting and trapping, but I can recommend a few things mentors have mentioned to me:

Stokes Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior by Donald and Lillian Stokes is one of the best books I've ever bought. I use it all the time to help me with learning tracks and other animal sign. They cover most of the small game and furbearers you would encounter in North Carolina. Muskrats, mink, beaver, otter, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, etc, etc.

I don't know what animals you'd like to target for trapping, but the Muskrat Trapper's Guide by Mitchell S. Ricketts is great! The DVD Beaver Sites and Sets by Paul S. Dobbins is excellent for beaver.

The North Carolina Trappers' Association (NCTA) has some great people in it and several of them have been amazing trapping mentors. Here is the website: https://www.nctrapper.org/

And here is the NCTA forum where you can chat with other trappers: https://www.nctrapper.org/talk-forum

If I think of anything else, I'll post it. Welcome to the board!

Thank you for the advice! I found and picked up the stokes guide to animal tracking and behavior used for $4. I'm gonna dive into it some this weekend. I also got out on some of the local gamelands and located a groundhog on the coast of NC. I didn't even think they would venture this far into sandy terrain but I found one.IMG_5056.jpg
 
since the NCTA convention was cancelled, I'd urge you to attend the 3 day convention in Bland Va Oct 16-18 to attend the hourly demos given by pro's. BRING A NOTEBOOK....its class.
Buying gear without paying shipping is a bonus AND camping is FREE.
Friday night buffet will put you in a food coma!
Wish we were closer to ya.
Sounds like a pretty awesome event! I would love to attend but due to travel restrictions and my career I won't make it out this year. I have been researching and soaking up all the knowledge I can but I will definitely make it out to next years convention.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
@Gamechaser96 welcome to the forum. Lots of good people here with a wealth of knowledge. This is my 3rd year trapping and I owe a lot of my successes to folks on here who were strangers when I joined. Now some are close friends. I’ll try not to dump too much info on ya at once . But here’s a few things that might help.
decide on one species to focus on in the beginning. It’ll be a lot more manageable than trying to figure out the habits of multiple critters at once...let alone getting them into your traps.
Do some research to figure out what species are prevalent in your area and how landowners feel about them. For example: I live in western NC and know a lot of farmers. Most of them have rivers n creeks running thru their property. We’ve got good beaver populations here. Lots of beavers+lots of damaged farm lands = lots of opportunities for me to get permission to trap while helping someone in my community. Doesn’t have to be beavers...do some digging n see what’s up in your area.
Spend time in the woods as much as you can prior to your first season. It’s no fun loading up the truck with traps and taking a long ride to a spot you think is gonna be loaded with sign, just to find out it’s not and ya shoulda done some scouting (you can imagine how I know).
Get a realistic idea of how much time you can truly devote to trapping before buying a ton of gear and offering to help a buncha landowners. The trapping regulations don’t give a crap about our busy lives lol. We’ve gotta legally check them traps in the time frame dictated. I’ve had some longgggg nights and early mornings trapping on days it would’ve felt good to be asleep.
Welcome to the addiction. I’m not in your area and I’m super busy with tech school, work, and it’ll only get busier as different seasons start coming in. That being said , stick around and ask questions n let folks get to know ya. Maybe you can take a ride this year and I’ll show ya some stuff. Beaver trapping is currently my favorite and I’ve got places to do it. Let us get to know ya and maybe we can work something out
 
@Gamechaser96 welcome to the forum. Lots of good people here with a wealth of knowledge. This is my 3rd year trapping and I owe a lot of my successes to folks on here who were strangers when I joined. Now some are close friends. I’ll try not to dump too much info on ya at once . But here’s a few things that might help.
decide on one species to focus on in the beginning. It’ll be a lot more manageable than trying to figure out the habits of multiple critters at once...let alone getting them into your traps.
Do some research to figure out what species are prevalent in your area and how landowners feel about them. For example: I live in western NC and know a lot of farmers. Most of them have rivers n creeks running thru their property. We’ve got good beaver populations here. Lots of beavers+lots of damaged farm lands = lots of opportunities for me to get permission to trap while helping someone in my community. Doesn’t have to be beavers...do some digging n see what’s up in your area.
Spend time in the woods as much as you can prior to your first season. It’s no fun loading up the truck with traps and taking a long ride to a spot you think is gonna be loaded with sign, just to find out it’s not and ya shoulda done some scouting (you can imagine how I know).
Get a realistic idea of how much time you can truly devote to trapping before buying a ton of gear and offering to help a buncha landowners. The trapping regulations don’t give a crap about our busy lives lol. We’ve gotta legally check them traps in the time frame dictated. I’ve had some longgggg nights and early mornings trapping on days it would’ve felt good to be asleep.
Welcome to the addiction. I’m not in your area and I’m super busy with tech school, work, and it’ll only get busier as different seasons start coming in. That being said , stick around and ask questions n let folks get to know ya. Maybe you can take a ride this year and I’ll show ya some stuff. Beaver trapping is currently my favorite and I’ve got places to do it. Let us get to know ya and maybe we can work something out
I appreciate the welcome! I've been pretty dang busy myself with a newborn and work so its been a while since i've been on here. I have managed to get out a few times this year scouting and squirrel hunting today. So far in my neck of the woods I've located a groundhog or two, a pretty good grey fox population and some old beaver sign. I'm reading up on it and getting out to the gamelands as much as possible right now but I would love to come check out the setup you've once I've done my due diligence here on the forum.
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I appreciate the welcome! I've been pretty dang busy myself with a newborn and work so its been a while since i've been on here. I have managed to get out a few times this year scouting and squirrel hunting today. So far in my neck of the woods I've located a groundhog or two, a pretty good grey fox population and some old beaver sign. I'm reading up on it and getting out to the gamelands as much as possible right now but I would love to come check out the setup you've once I've done my due diligence here on the forum.

Congrats on the newborn! :D And it sounds like you are doing great with learning and getting out there in the woods! Keep us posted!

This is only my second season hunting and trapping, but it feels like a million miles from my first season. I'll try to share anything that might be helpful to you.

Keep up the great work!
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
If you listen to podcasts, @Gamechaser96, there is a fantastic website called Trapping Today and it has a podcast. Jeremiah Wood runs it and he is excellent! He is a trapper up in Maine, but he always has interesting discussions about various topics and trappers from all over the country listen to his podcast. He answers any questions by email and sometimes even on the podcast. Here is the website:

 
If you listen to podcasts, @Gamechaser96, there is a fantastic website called Trapping Today and it has a podcast. Jeremiah Wood runs it and he is excellent! He is a trapper up in Maine, but he always has interesting discussions about various topics and trappers from all over the country listen to his podcast. He answers any questions by email and sometimes even on the podcast. Here is the website:

Thank you, I do listen to them from time to time! Ill definitely check it out. I'm enjoying the stokes book you recommended too. I will post anything cool I come across.
 

Trappertod

Six Pointer
Gamechaser, go to the NCTA Forum. There will be lots of info there, when I started I began trapping raccoons. There is plenty of them and pretty easy to catch. Dogproof traps will be an easy go to for them, however I recommend getting you some 1.5 footholds and learn dirt holes and pocket sets around water sources. On the NCTA forum you are likely to find someone that can mentor you, may even offer you one on one instruction. Good luck, make sure you check all the regs and also the county regs in the area you will be trapping. They do vary county to county sometimes. The most important thing is to have fun!
 

Bluedogman

Six Pointer
if you’re ever here around East Tennessee holler at me I’d be more then happy to help anyway possible.
Here gathering coming up soon in TN
 

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YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Sounds like you’re doing what you can, when you can. That’s all any of us can do. I’d be happy to hook you up with some traps to start out with if you need some. These dang hounds men have me strung out on bear hunting and I don’t mind helping you get started with some since I’ll have some spares . When you get to the point of wanting to buy some lures or bait, I recommend @41magnum . I’m not saying that Bc I’m hoping I get something out of it. I’m saying that because what started out as me needing supplies turned into a mentor ship and a friendship. Mr. John has spent countless hours of his time on the phone with me helping me learn and I respect what he’s done for me and others on here and otherwise
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Sounds like you’re doing what you can, when you can. That’s all any of us can do. I’d be happy to hook you up with some traps to start out with if you need some. These dang hounds men have me strung out on bear hunting and I don’t mind helping you get started with some since I’ll have some spares . When you get to the point of wanting to buy some lures or bait, I recommend @41magnum . I’m not saying that Bc I’m hoping I get something out of it. I’m saying that because what started out as me needing supplies turned into a mentor ship and a friendship. Mr. John has spent countless hours of his time on the phone with me helping me learn and I respect what he’s done for me and others on here and otherwise

I second this. @41magnum will provide you with trapping supplies at a trapping convention so you don't have to pay shipping, which can make trapping supplies exorbitantly expensive, and he will also provide you with awesome trapping advice and mentorship. He is active on the NCTA forum as well. He also has some cool stuff to offer from his own trapping supply website:

 
if you’re ever here around East Tennessee holler at me I’d be more then happy to help anyway possible.
Here gathering coming up soon in TN
Will do! I head up to Boone a few times a year. I'll let you know when and maybe we can set something up for me to come check out what you've got going on.
 
Sounds like you’re doing what you can, when you can. That’s all any of us can do. I’d be happy to hook you up with some traps to start out with if you need some. These dang hounds men have me strung out on bear hunting and I don’t mind helping you get started with some since I’ll have some spares . When you get to the point of wanting to buy some lures or bait, I recommend @41magnum . I’m not saying that Bc I’m hoping I get something out of it. I’m saying that because what started out as me needing supplies turned into a mentor ship and a friendship. Mr. John has spent countless hours of his time on the phone with me helping me learn and I respect what he’s done for me and others on here and otherwise
I appreciate it! I don't have any traps right now but I would pay you a fair price for what you would be willing to spare. I seem to have a raccoon problem on my corn pile now so I'm looking to get them trapped and put down. Are you out in western NC?
 
I second this. @41magnum will provide you with trapping supplies at a trapping convention so you don't have to pay shipping, which can make trapping supplies exorbitantly expensive, and he will also provide you with awesome trapping advice and mentorship. He is active on the NCTA forum as well. He also has some cool stuff to offer from his own trapping supply website:

It seems that @41magnum is a pretty likeable guy. I checked out the site and its got some pretty good stuff I'm interested in. I'm gonna join the NCTA forum tonight and do some research on there.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I appreciate it! I don't have any traps right now but I would pay you a fair price for what you would be willing to spare. I seem to have a raccoon problem on my corn pile now so I'm looking to get them trapped and put down. Are you out in western NC?
Yeah I’m in western N.C. . Yancey County. Dog proof traps would be the way to go for coons especially just starting out. Ironically they’re bout the only type of traps I don’t have right now lol
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I’ve used Duke and Bridger without any issues but these Freedom Brand are basically the same price and look pretty nice too

I'm getting 2 of the Freedom Brand FB1 DPs at the convention in Bland this weekend because they are supposed to be the easiest to set, according to @41magnum. No idea what the 4 I have now are. Got them from an Amish guy who was quitting trapping. I like them, but right now they are very difficult for me to set. Get whatever will be easiest for you, @Gamechaser96. There's so much to learn with trapping, anything that makes something a little easier is worth it, in my opinion, as long as it suits your style.

And different people sometimes prefer certain brands over others. A lot of people love Dukes, which are the cheapest, whereas other people only use Belisles, which are the most expensive traps out there, but they are also made from high-quality stuff. I started out with Duke 110s (body-grip/Connibear traps) for muskrats, but had issues setting them. I switched to Belisle 110s and am much happier with them, but not everyone can afford them. Try different things and see what you like.
 
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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
Thanks for the plug Kris and Yancey!
The problem with FB's are that a setter will not work since the plate is in the way, (for folks who need a setter) BUT, that plate will help some folks set them easier if they have the grip strength. They ARE EASIER to set than Duke's IMO, when not using a setter. Possibly the FB's will set with the plate on the ground, then pushing down for folks with less strength.
 

Trappertod

Six Pointer
One other piece of advice @Gamechaser96 watch your weather. Early trapping coons can yield you some "blue" or thin fur. This will affect the price you get for them. Also, check with you deer hunting friends. Most will have several around their corn feeders feasting on the golden buffet daily. The most important thing is to have fun, I prefer footholds for coons in my area, but DP's have not performed well for me, for some reason they attract possums. 41Magnum has some baits and lures, if you have questions on how to use them just ask. I will PM you a mix I use with Jack Mackeral as a paste type bait. This will work well in wetter areas, also check out PVC pole sets with foot holds also in water. These are coon getters. Reach out if you need help, I have a place at topsail and I am there from time to time.
 
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