H/T to thoughtfullyprepping

When I wrote the 2 part post about hunting and fishing post SHTF,a commenter pointed out the benefits of using traps.

When hunting for big game animals,luck is still a big part of how successful you are at harvesting a deer,elk,moose,feral hog,etc. Plus you have to sit still or stand still most of the time,usually in cold weather.

Once you set your trapline,you can head back inside where it’s warm,you are out of the cold,snow,rain,sleet etc.

This is a huge plus when you are not eating as much as you normally would,and are under a lot more stress. Rather than sit outside freezing your ass off,set your trapline,go back inside,then go check the traps 24 hours later-or even sooner if you set traps in the afternoon/early evening,then you can check them in the morning.

Trapping does require some knowledge of the game you are trying to catch,plus how and where to set traps. You can trap rabbits,squirrels,game birds,even larger animals like feral hogs,and there are ways to trap deer sized game.

I am familiar with trapping small game,I’ve been told that it is possible to trap big game animals,but I do not know anything about how to do so.

When I was a teenager,I used to run a trapline to earn extra $$ by selling the furs,that was in the days before the animal “rights” zealots started all their bullshit about how wearing fur is bad,trapping is cruel,etc,etc.

I trapped mainly muskrats,raccoons,and mink,not sure about eating any of those-but some people do eat them. I would be more interested in trapping rabbits and game birds like pheasants,grouse,and quail.

I don’t recall all the details about setting traps,other than you place the traps along the trails the animals use,for some animals you use baits,for others,you hide the trap on their trails,and when they travel on the trail,the trap catches them,using a konnibear trap,a body gripping trap,or leg hold traps do not kill the animal,you have to dispatch it when you find it in the trap.

The following are resources for trapping,and contain better and more detailed info than I can write here…

http://www.trappingonline.com/basics.htm

http://www.thefurbearer.com/

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=trapping.main

http://conibeartraps.com/

All U.S. states have trapping info and resources available on the state’s fish and game agency’s websites,these are great resources and provide info specific to the state and species you plan on trapping.

Besides obtaining food,running a trapline will also provide you with fur for gloves,coats,boots,hats,and leather from some species. In an extended SHTF situation,fur will quickly become valuable in the colder climates.

If there are a lot of rabbits in your area,they can provide you with food that takes very little effort to obtain,is a good source of protein, tastes great,and you can use the parts you don’t eat as bait for traps to catch coyotes,raccoons,wolves,lynx,bobcats,etc. The pelts could be used for trade in a long term SHTF situation,as could some of the meat.

Most small game animals can also be smoked to preserve the meat,as can game birds and some waterfowl.

The traps,once set,work 24/7 to catch an animal-all without you having to be out in the cold,while I still plan on hunting,running a trapline  is something everyone should consider-those MRE’s and Mountain House freeze dried foods ain’t gonna last forever,and fresh meat is healthier for you anyhow.

Read.

Learn.

Train.

Do more PT !