How to Trap Fur Bearing Animals

How to Trap Fur Bearing Animals
Trapping fur bearing animals such as beavers, fishers, coyotes, foxes, etc., is quite popular in several countries. Fur bearing animals are trapped for their fur, for food, to manage their numbers, to protect livestock, or in some cases survival.

If you want to trap animals in your region for any of the above reasons then you need to ensure you trap them in an effective and humane way. There are wide range of traps and baits available in the market as well as several innovative techniques to ensure your traps catch the optimum number of desired animals.

On the other hand you may end up catching an unwanted animal in your trap, which should be freed to enable you to reset your trap for the intended animal. Fur bearing animals are trapped regularly across North America.

Before you begin trapping beavers or fishers or any other animal of your choice, be sure to read these important tips…

Get the required information on your chosen animal

It is very important to know all about your chosen animal or animals. You need to know about their feeding or hunting habits, their nesting places such as dens, houses, lodges, or beaver dams, their mating patterns, etc., to ensure your traps are placed at ideal locations.

You can easily buy books and DVDs as well as use the internet to garner a lot of information on the animal that you wish to trap. You should also seek out a local trapping association and become a member so as to swap important tips and tricks of the trade.

Get the required permits and licenses

Almost all countries and states require specific hunting and trapping licenses and appropriate permissions before you can begin trapping an animal. There are several restrictions and regulations that need to be followed so that you can legally trap fur bearing animals of your choice.

Select appropriate traps

There are a wide range of traps available for different types of fur bearing animals. You can choose from leg or foot traps, body traps, cages, and snares. However, there are regulations that specify the type of traps that can be used to trap specific animals in a humane manner.

The most common type of traps used to trap a wide range of fur animals is the foothold trap. This trap consists of a trigger pad that is linked to two jaws that shut instantly when the pad is depressed by the foot of an animal. Most foothold designs incorporate a 3/16 offset or gap along with rubber padded jaws to ensure capture in a humane manner. Several trap designs, especially ones for catching beavers also feature weights that drag the trapped animal deep into the water to drown it.

Body-gripping traps include coil-spring traps that can be used to catch skunks, fishers, minks, and bobcats, among others. These traps kill the animal instantly upon triggering without damaging their fur. You can also opt for pole traps to trap tree-climbing animals that are trapped at a height and remain suspended until you come back to collect your catch.

Another option is to use cages made out of metal wire to catch a wide range of fur animals. These cages are available in several sizes and you can choose one depending on the size of your preferred fur animal.

You can also choose from several snare designs to trap fur animals. Again, checking local trapping and hunting laws is mandatory as snares are not allowed in a few states and countries. Snares are made out of strong cables that wind around the neck or body of an animal upon tripping. You should choose a snare with a deer-stop to trap animals without choking them.

Some traps require the use of trap setters to keep your limbs safe while setting up a trap. You should use one to ensure complete safety.

Attract animals to your trap

Most traps also require some form of bait to lure the animal towards them. These baits are available in the form of meat, fish, shrimp, clam, animal glands, etc., as well as several other ingredients including fish oil, urine, and a few others to attract the chosen animals. Curious raccoons, fishers, beavers, and many other animals can easily walk into your set trap once you have the right bait in place.

Get the best accessories and trapping gear

You need the best possible accessories and trapping gear to catch fur bearing animals. You will need high boots, hip boots, chest waders, wool socks, wool felt insoles, hangers, and several other accessories to collect the trapped animals in a safe and professional manner. Other accessories such as baskets and bags will help transport the animals that you have caught.

Get help from experts

Even after watching videos, reading books, and buying the best traps and trapping gear, you will still require the help of experts to make the first few traps without losing a limb. You can assist an expert trapper for a while to observe selection of locations, setting up of traps, tracking, and catching the required animals while letting unwanted ones go free.

You also need to check all sprung traps on a daily basis to find out which ones have trapped animals. You can then remove the dead animal and reset the trap with appropriate bait for the next kill.

You will additionally need to learn about skinning techniques so as to remove the pelt or fur of the animal without damage. You will need a pelt or fur stretcher to hang the pelt for around 2 weeks before you can sell the same to a buyer.

Trapping and hunting fur animals can be an exciting activity that can help eliminate pests that damage livestock, control their population, or just enable you to earn money by processing their fur. However, care should be taken to choose the right form of traps to catch these animals in a humane manner. You should also undertake detailed research on the fur animal and all related factors before you embark on a trapping adventure.