Getting the grandson into trapping?????

[Archeryoutfitters]

 I did a great deal of trapping in the 80's & 90's, even used my share of live traps when i was hound dogging a lot.

But this is new to me, i was thinking of getting back into it with the grandson and giving him the experience of it, and was wondering what a good quality cage trap, that is also priced reasonably is and whats a fair price.
And is there any thing that would help get my grandson through the coarse for the trappers card, I'm sure that they don't have me on record any more so I was figuring on taking it together. Thanks Brian

[Machias]

That would be alot of fun, looking forward to the day I can teach my grandson.  What are you going to trap?  Two great palces to buy traps would be next summer's rondy and you can find some great deals on www.trapperman.com .

[Archeryoutfitters]

That would be alot of fun, looking forward to the day I can teach my grandson.  What are you going to trap?  Two great palces to buy traps would be next summer's rondy and you can find some great deals on www.trapperman.com .

probably only bobcats,But maybe muskrats and mink, has any one used rat traps for them

[Machias]

That would be alot of fun, looking forward to the day I can teach my grandson.  What are you going to trap?  Two great palces to buy traps would be next summer's rondy and you can find some great deals on www.trapperman.com .

probably only bobcats,But maybe muskrats and mink, has any one used rat traps for them

I have seen a few muskrats and mink killed by them, but the catch was the pefect "behind the head" shot, you will loose way more than you'll catch.  Some guys have been having good luck with smaller cage traps for rats and mink.  I'm going to try the PVC pipe traps for mink, I think they would be outstanding since they love to go in and out any little hole or pipe.  They sell them as skunk traps, I've got 4 that I'm going to try for mink.  Go to the rondy this summer, you can buy a truckload of gear at good prices.  Some of it you can even use in this state.   

[rasbo]

to bad ya wasnt closer,i would let ya use some of mine to get an idea on what type you like,good luck have fun

[Humptulips]

That would be alot of fun, looking forward to the day I can teach my grandson.  What are you going to trap?  Two great palces to buy traps would be next summer's rondy and you can find some great deals on www.trapperman.com .

probably only bobcats,But maybe muskrats and mink, has any one used rat traps for them

There is a guy who is a heck of a rat trapper from CA, traps on the Sacramento R.
I've talked to him at several of the NTA Western Rendezvous. He used to come up to the WSTA Rendezvous also.
Anyway he used to catch a lot of rats, like 5000/year. When they banned "bodygripping" traps down there in 96 he started experimenting with rat traps, still legal. They have a similar law to ours.
He told me they will work but he misses a lot, at least half. He uses them on floats and has them rigged so the rats head has to enter a confined space to trip the trap so the strike bar hits them just right. Still like I said he misses at least half.
He told me last year he was frustrated with them but still experimenting.

[Archeryoutfitters]

Thanks for the info, i like the idea of the tube traps should be easy to make and very inexpensive, and mink would love them. can a person modify the rat traps or what are the rule there?

[Humptulips]

can a person modify the rat traps or what are the rule there?

Had this discussion with WDFW. They kind of left the matter up in the air. They actually threatened to take the use of rat traps away if we pushed the matter. This was when Steve Pozangria was the guy we had to go through. He got sent out of Olympia supposedly a promotion but mainly to move him out. He is very sympathetic towards HSUS from what I saw.
Anyway, I think you could do minor modifications and be OK but enlarging the strike bar could get you in trouble if it was obvious.
I kind of hate to get a definitive answer as we might lose some of what we can get away with now.

[Archeryoutfitters]

was just thinking maybe stronger springs somethings they would be OK with? can you make your own or do they need to say victor on them or a certain size limit just want to know what will be ok or not ok would be nice if a person could make them productive for rats or mink 

[dayn]

Archery, I too am getting back into trapping after years away, I'm going to concentrate on muskrats with a little emphasis on mink using the colonies(possibly bottom edge set adaptions), but mostly rats.

I'm hoping to find a partner as well, seems like it would be funner that way.

Check out trapperman.com there is a ton of good info there, but I'm glad to have found this site recently, its good to have contact with folks who are bound by the same restraints.