Trapper Poll

[Pete44ru]

Does anybody here actually use a "Trapper" model rifle, while actually Fur Trapping ?

A) Yes
B) No

And, if you trap for fur, what do you carry ?

1 ) Centerfire Trapper (16" bbl)

2 ) Rimfire Trapper (16" bbl)

3 ) CF non-Trapper

4 ) RF non-Trapper

5 ) Shotgun

6 ) Rimfire handgun

7 ) Centerfire handgun

8 ) Knife (Thanks, OS !) or Ax/Hatchet/'Hawk

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As for myself, I've never ran a trapline - but own & enjoy all sorts of "Trappers", and some trapper's gear - including one of those woven pack baskets.

.

[Old Savage]

When I was trapping I carried a Camillus Model 51. The bottom in this pic.

[rjohns94]

As a younger man, when I ran a trap line, I carried a .22 Single action. At one point I went to a .20ga bolt gun, not to dispense with the animals in the trap, but to gather other animals of chance as I walked the trap line. I went to using the back of my belt axe for further dispatching of animals in the traps, and as I got older, shifted to a single shot .22 Stevens favorite as the carry firearm of choice. along the way, other single shots like T/C worked their way into my carry, or even blackpowder rifle depending on the time and season. Currently, either my Freedom Arms .22/.22mag and/or my trapper 39 TDS are with me on my fur bearing efforts (mostly fox).

[foxtrapper]

I carry a NAA mini revolver in 22lr. Just for the odd coon. Fox and such dispatched by blunt instrument

[JReed]

I never ran a trap line but I have used my trapper to bust a few bunnys and a coyote once. I dont recomend using a .45colt Trapper @ 15 yards on bunnies unless you stick to head shots

[lever-4-life]

california says its crule for me to trap animals, and they always know whats best, but years ago when it was still alowed my grandpa and I would go together. I carried a bolt .22 and he carried a colt D.A. .38 spl. during deer season we both carried 30-30's (winchesters) and he had a .22 revolver

[44LVR]

When I trapped (outlawed here in WA state now) it was always a .22 pistol. Early in the season I might carry a rifle it were still deer or elk season, but always a .22 for dispatching anything big enough that a club wasn't enough to handle something big.

44

[3t-]

When I used to run some traps back in high school it was a .22 HR sprotsman revolver of dad's. Man I wish I was doin that again

[CraigC]

Right now I've got some fur trapped I really wish I didn't. The kind that is black with white "SS" stripes. Again.

Most the time I just leave the Trappers (.45 and .30-30) at home and just pack a pistol.

[bigbore442001]

When I go out I use one of two guns. A Ruger Single Six convertable with a 5.5" barrel and the lr cylinder installed. I'll use CB longs . Or I will use my TC Contender with a 16" ss barrel in 22 lr with the same load.

[jeepnik]

As a little aside regarding the silliness in California, sometime back one of the local "natural history" museums lost power. well in some freezers they had animal specimens waiting for either mounting or research. Naturally, they were all damaged. They then ask the public that if they saw a road kill to call them, and if it was in pretty good shape, and they could recover it fast enough, they'd pick it up for future use. Well, me being me, I emailed them and suggested that they just trap some. The responding email all but accused me of being a saddest. Why kill a small furry animal. No way. We'd rather get them after they've been hit by a car, and not damaged much so the critter can die slowly.

[crawdaddyjim]

Sod buster knife and a .22 model 3 winchester pump with leather strap like Junior makes.

Jim

[handirifle]

I used to carry a 22LR, sorry not a lever though. Haven't trapped in 40 years though.

[gamekeeper]

When I checked my traps I nearly always carried a single barrel .410. Dispatched lots of snared foxes (etc) with it. Nath will know what the (etc) is.

[RangerClay]

I would always carry my Ruger 10/22 unless it was deer season.

[t.r.]

I run two lines for coyotes. But I prefer snares to traps.

I carry a cut down baseball bat and 2 blade Camillus Trapper knife.

TR

[Old Ironsights]

I (box) trapped Skunk for a while when I was a kid.

The guns weren't mine, but I carried a Browning Hi Power, a (IIRC) Stevens(?) Trap Door type .22 single shot rifle with a pocket of subsonic solids, and a hypodermic.

The Hi Power was for 'yotes, the .22 for lunging the skunks, and the hypo for extracting musk.

We'd skin the skunks later back at my friend's trailer.

[Birdman]

Years ago I helped a buddy run his line. We carried 22 revolvers.

[Travis Morgan]

I finally got a Trapper's license about the time my back crapped out on me. I mostly "trap" coyotes with my rifle.

[Travis Morgan]

I never ran a trap line but I have used my trapper to bust a few bunnys and a coyote once. I dont recomend using a .45colt Trapper @ 15 yards on bunnies unless you stick to head shots

A .30-30 at ten feet don't leave much meat when the bunny moves to a head-on position just as you pull the trigger. I never did find all of it!

[Paladin]

I started out with my mom’s .22 rifle (bolt action) and when I got enough money purchased a Ruger Single Six used LR and carried MAGs mainly after getting chased back to the house by some feral dogs who were eating a calf when I found them.

[20cows]

Trap and Trapper!

[horsesoldier03]

Somebody is going to be enjoying some good bacon and pork chops!

[Ben_Rumson]

I trapped fer my Pap when I was a youngster...Ran a gopher trap line in the back & front yards... Carried a Fanner 50... Still got it too...

[Grizzly Adams]

When I lived in Alaska, I had the opportunity to accompany a trapper on a number of occasions as he checked his line. He did not own a firearm of any kind. He dispatched foxes and such by whacking them with a garden trowel/spade to stun them, and then standing on them with both feet. Kinda ugly to watch, but they died quickly, and .....no holes in the pelts.

I have also seen Natives run foxes down with snowmobiles. The object is to stop when the animal is under the track, and then wait for it to die. Same as standing on them. By the way, it is NOT easy to catch a fox with a snowmobile!

Taking fur is a way of feeding one's family.

[El Chivo]

I only trapped once, I was about 7 or 8 and got the idea to set a rabbit trap, consisting of a stick propping up one of my mom's pots. The bait was carrot.

The next morning I went out to check the trap, and was very excited to see it had been sprung. Inside was not a rabbit, but the largest garter snake I'd ever seen, clenched into a ball.

I didn't bring anything along to catch it with, but I was pretty good at catching snakes in those days. This one was so strong it was like wrestling a person my size.