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Post by robert on Jan 3, 2014 22:01:08 GMT -7
Hello to all, and thank you Rod, Luke and Jim for your help on that other forum. I set out to learn about traps and trapping of the 1830's western fur trade. I got the Gerstell's book on the way. I also picked up a Bridger #4 trap today. This thing isn't real easy to set, is the #5 going to be tougher? |
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luke
Mountaineer
Posts: 66
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Post by luke on Jan 4, 2014 8:15:14 GMT -7
Glad you made it over here! Welcome!
Those #5's are hard to set. You will need to construct a set of setting sticks, or get an actual trap setter.
Im still working on my break over the knee technique. The thing is, you can hurt yourself with a 5, so I do carry a trap setter made of angle iron with me. In the cold, tired from working all day and climbing up and down out of the creek, with my phone in my packbasket, I don't need to catch myself in a trap.....
I have caught beaver in #3's, and I can set them over the knee all day long. I just have to work out more till I have the upper body strength to try and set the 5's that way.
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Post by robert on Jan 4, 2014 17:40:46 GMT -7
The guy from Oklahoma sent me email about setters, he had two ideas. One is a pair of sticks tied together and swivel at one end, but this is wasn't coming from any historical paper. The second idea he said he got from you guys here, and it's historical. It's a string tied around a spring to assist in setting. I haven't read through it all yet to understand it but I want the most historical if possible. I think what I should do is make the all day drive out to visit with this guy. I've got a short window of opportunity here so I think I'll jump on it while I can.
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luke
Mountaineer
Posts: 66
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Post by luke on Jan 4, 2014 19:14:50 GMT -7
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Post by Rod on Jan 7, 2014 20:48:02 GMT -7
Robert, glad you made it here!
As I said in the other thread Luke referenced, I never could set beaver sized longspring traps over my thigh---I kneel on the springs and get them set, put them within easy reach on the bank, then wade in. Just what works for me.
Rod
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isaac
Mountaineer
Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Jan 8, 2014 8:28:36 GMT -7
Robert, glad you made it here! As I said in the other thread Luke referenced, I never could set beaver sized longspring traps over my thigh---I kneel on the springs and get them set, put them within easy reach on the bank, then wade in. Just what works for me. Rod That is how I do the big ones! I have a leafspring/gin trap that Allen made as well that I can set easily by hand when in the water. For info on beaver trapping, there are lot of modern forums that will help guide you with modern trapping as well as basics of sets with footholds for beaver. For more historic info, Shawn Webster's article from the Book of Buckskinning (Vol 8) is really good. Isaac |
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Post by robert on Jan 16, 2014 8:56:14 GMT -7
sorry I m so late getting back to this forum. I made it out to Oklahoma to see the trapper-trap builder last week, a super nice guy. I had other business to do but this visit made the drive worth the while. its much better with hands on learning and this guy was good enough to spend a lot of time with me. my main thought before I got to him was that these traps couldn't possibly be so hard to set so I had to ask right away about this. he showed me several quotes from actual journals first. his rule is to read up on everything first and then we head outside in the freezing rain and he took down some originals off the wall in his shop. its incredible how big and tough these are. he showed me a comparison between the #5 modern trap and a few originals, then he just sets both by putting them over his knee. he's a big guy with a very firm handshake but sets traps everyday and has this down pat. after a few hours of talking we loaded up and went to a pond and I got to see how this works. There was no more beaver but at least I got to learn the idea of make the set. I still don't know how to take the cold water though. this guy was soaking wet and said its not as bad as you think. He sent me home with a folder full of info and I now have the gerstell book. this weekend I plan on reading up some more.
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Post by Rod on Jan 18, 2014 0:39:51 GMT -7
Glad to see you're starting off right---Allen's a great guy, and knows his stuff, you'll learn alot from him. One thing about beaver trapping, it's pretty tough to do without getting wet, just one of those things. Look at it this way, you're gaining insight into the original mountaineers, who had to do that all the time. No wonder they often had rhuematism and joint problems.
Rod
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luke
Mountaineer
Posts: 66
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Post by luke on Jan 18, 2014 14:02:52 GMT -7
You will indeed get wet.
Im checking traps while the oldest Dau is at basketball practice each night. For this reason I wear hip boots and or waders to run the line, as if I get wet I cant just run home and strip.
But due to miscalculations of how much rain we got the night before I have twice filled my hip boots. After the first time I did that I went and got waders, and a week and a half later caught the foot on a beaver staub in the twilight and ended up with one wet foot. Still chasing a complete seal on the repair on those waders, its just down to a trickle now.......
Now I plan on spending a weekend in the spring before the season runs out doing a canoe trip/trap if we get enough rain/snowmelt. Im going to just have to get wet and plan on that. Still deciding if Its take off leggings and just have wet mocs, or go barefoot, or just get wet from the waist down and then head back to camp to dry off.
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Post by robert on Jan 19, 2014 9:18:52 GMT -7
I see why this guy stresses the importance of wool so much. I contacted southern union mills for wool stockings and socks. I think the idea of wool blanket leggings might be my next project too. This does change a lot of things when you trap, I can see that real fast.
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Post by beaudro on Jan 19, 2014 10:36:57 GMT -7
Robert, you are welcome back out anytime. Thanks for the opportunity to show you what I do.
About getting wet, I don't think there is a way to avoid it. There were trappers who used canoes, read the Isaac Williams information. I got that from Nathan Kobuck, Williams set his traps from a canoe, but I don't think the canoe was used to entirely keep from getting wet. A few others would stake their traps to the bank, and this might indicate they never had to wade the water.
In the end, you are going to get at least your feet wet somewhere. Our feet were wet enough just getting down to that pond the other day, and eventually you'll get your feet wet inside a canoe. The best thing is wool socks, or at least wrap your feet in wool cloth. Plus you don't want to be hours away from a campfire.
One year we had our trappers camp during one of the coldest winters ever. I made four sets in icy water and on the last one I slipped in mud and fell backwards, totally soaking all my clothes. Once I caught my breath I managed to finish and climb out, it took maybe 45 minutes to get back to camp but it actually wasn't that bad. I had on wool stockings, woolen cap, wool shirt, and a wool capot. Had it not been for the wool retaining it's insulation properties things would have been much worse.
I don't think I've ever been out hunting, fishing or trapping without getting at least my feet wet. I would expect that in any situation.
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Post by Rod on Jan 19, 2014 14:16:52 GMT -7
That reminds me of trapping several years ago-----I was pounding in the stake with a hatchet, when the handle broke and the head went sailing off into a fairly deep hole in the crick----nothing to do but wade in up to my neck and feel around with my feet until I found it, then duck underwater to reach the blasted theing. Worst part was that I had to push some loose ice out of the way as I was feeling around with the feet. Wasn't pleasant, but it made me walk really fast getting home.
Of course, I'm also reminded of Washington Irving's comments on a trapper he met---his moccs were oddly short, because he had no toes left.
Rod
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