In a TEOTWAWKI situation, being able to trap game is a very vital skill. The fresh meat would be a welcome addition to your stored food. But you may not want to alert others to your location by shooting. Trapping is a labor-efficient method of filling this vital need.
It is useful to understand fur trappers so that you don’t end up competing with them. A fur trapper’s goal is to get as much fur as quickly as he or she can. The goal to hit the hot spots hard and fast and beat the competition. Some guys run 2-to-3 dozen traps in the early morning before work. Most fur trappers are hobby trappers who take one or two weeks off work and run hard for that time. They could be running 100 traps or maybe 300 muskrat traps. Normally they operate out of a truck and may cover 100 or more miles a day.
A fur trapper tries to run in a circle around his base. He may run east side for a 100 mile loop for a week, then the next week north, the following week west, and the fourth week South. Or he may run a 100 mile loop of only the hottest spots in mind. There are several ways trap lines are run and there is no hard and fast rules. People are different and have different ways of doing things. But one thing to keep in mind a fur trapper hates to back track. Dead end roads that ends miles from a turn might be skipped. Most trappers are within 50 to 100 yards off the road. Remember “hard and fast” means the trapper doesn’t have time to be walking all day. Presently, fur prices are down and gas prices are up. This equals less miles on the commercial trap lines and many more opportunities for the food trapper.
In contrast to a fur trapper, a survival or food trapper wants to catch animals based on palatability rather than fur value. This will solve a lot of problems because the better tasting animals are easier to trap than fox or coyotes. A real advantage is that a food trapper can set up his area for long term use. Meaning harvesting enough to eat but not wipe out the animals so that each year there are animals to harvest for food. A easy example with beaver trapping is taking two per hunt. This can turn into a yearly guarantee of food and fur.
As survival trapper you want to harvest the animals quietly in out of the way places. With rising living expenses this a truly practical skill, although regulations vary widely from state to state. Buy a trapping license and get out there. Every pound of meat you bring home is more dollars in your pocket. Experience is the best teacher. I have taught thousands and thousands of students personally and through my videos. Most make catches in their first night. You name the top survival instructors and I can guarantee I have taught some of his students how to trap and snare with professional grade self locking snares.
Proviso: Don’t go out and try illegal trapping methods before TEOTWAWKI or you will risk heavy fines and jail time. In a real emergency what can a dozen cam lock snares do for you? Pre-Y2K, I sold one dozen cam locks and a survival snaring video to a fellow in Mexico. In June of 2000 he contacted me and said, “Thank you for your snares and snaring video.” I asked why he made the expense of calling me long distance with a thank you. He said, “Well, you have to understand that for the last three years I was at my deer camp and never shot a deer. This year getting ready for Y2K I took your snares and gave them a try in less then a week I took 11 deer.” You name anything else that can catch you an estimated 1,650 pounds of venison without firing a shot for under $50 (for the dozen the cam locks and DVD.) No other product can do this. Silent, deadly, working “24/7”. I call that a deal. 1,650 pounds of venison for under $50 works out to a little more then .03 cent a pound live weight. Now please read this carefully: Snaring deer is illegal everywhere in The United States. If you get caught you will be subjected to heavy fines and maybe jail time. Do not do this unless it is a true emergency. Don’t go out and try it beforehand or you will risk heavy fines and jail time. (But once TEOTWAWKI happens there are no laws its the collapse of society and you will need to take care of your family.)
Squirrels, rabbits, ducks, pheasants, grouse and quail, can all be easily taken with a #110 conibear trap. Geese and turkeys can be taken with a #220 conibear trap. The conibear traps are awesome. They are well built and last for years. I used one last fall to trap a mink and muskrats that I originally bought when I was a teenager, back in 1975. Yes, 30 years ago. Now please read this carefully: Trapping game birds is illegal everywhere in The United States. For Rabbits and squirrels check your state game laws.
Another advantage to trapping/snaring is there are no gun shot wounds contaminating the meat. That will equal more meat in the pot. Learn to trap/snare now (if legal) in your state. Practice on raccoon, beaver, groundhogs, etc. The experience you learn now may will save your life when TEOWAWKI happens. Trapping and snaring teaches more then how to obtain food it also teaches you skills that may save your life. In the Viet Nam war one trapper wrote that because of his trapping skills he was able to spot booby traps set for his patrol. His trapping skills saved his life and the men around him. Another valuable plus in a uncertain world.
In closing, you should understand that a properly trained survivalist equipped with real snares and traps will out-produce any hunter alive. – “Buckshot”
JWR’s Comment: I have been doing business with “Buckshot” Bruce for many years. His videos contain a wealth of knowledge that would take decades to re-create by trial and error. He also sells traps, snares, and scents at very reasonable prices. When you are allocating your retreat provisioning budget, you should seriously consider trapping. Trapping is far more efficient and much more covert than hunting. There are literally tons of protein on fours legs out there that can be harvested for your family and for charity, but only if you have the right tools and knowledge. For more information, see Buckshot’s site: https://www.snare-trap-survive.com