Trapping

[HomesteaderWife]

With trapping season approaching us in two months, the Homesteaders of Alabama are gearing up and gathering more supplies. My husband and have been requested to trap about 300+ acres of private land, and we also have 40+ of our own to trap on. As we are self-employed, this will hopefully be a big booster for our income! We will be removing nuisance animals that are interfering with livestock and ponds. This includes coyote, raccoon, fox, mink, beaver, possum (only fur we won't use) and bobcat. I'm excited to have studied more on it all, and finally be able to set traps with my husband this year!

Does anyone else here trap? If so, what animals do you trap?

(Will update this thread with photos during the season!)

 

[SkyWarrior]

I don't trap, but I do hunt. I'd love to hear about your trapping!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Sky- last year was our starter year, and we managed only to get about 5 raccoons and 1 coyote. We, unfortunately, only had two usable furs out of it all. The coyote had mange, and a few of the raccoons had been attacked by larger predators. We also experienced someone cutting one of our cables and stealing a trap, and two or three that were drug off by an animal. So this year we invested in what we call "earth anchors"/ground stakes that are almost impossible to pull out of the ground. Last year we started with such a small amount, as I was working and my husband was finishing his schooling. Now that we are home full time, we will be working trap lines all season long.

Most of the furs will be sold for the North American Fur Auction (NAFA), but I will be keeping some to craft clothes for us.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Sky- last year was our starter year, and we managed only to get about 5 raccoons and 1 coyote. We, unfortunately, only had two usable furs out of it all. The coyote had mange, and a few of the raccoons had been attacked by larger predators. We also experienced someone cutting one of our cables and stealing a trap, and two or three that were drug off by an animal. So this year we invested in what we call "earth anchors"/ground stakes that are almost impossible to pull out of the ground. Last year we started with such a small amount, as I was working and my husband was finishing his schooling. Now that we are home full time, we will be working trap lines all season long.

Most of the furs will be sold for the North American Fur Auction (NAFA), but I will be keeping some to craft clothes for us.

See now, I had no idea that there was an auction for furs. That's cool. This year I've gotten a deer from a game damage hunt and I'm tanning it. Between all the tanning, canning, drying, and butchering, I've been a busy person. But we do have people around here who trap. I hear you have to boil your traps to get the scent off. Do you do that or something else?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

New traps that we purchase are put straight out to gather rust, then boiled after they get this rust so that it will hold the trap dye/wax better. That's how we do it, at least. But yes, the boiling keeps the traps in good shape, and helps keep your scent off.

I hear you on the canning part! We've been canning a lot from this year's garden. We will be busy soon with bagging some squirrels as well, here starting the 15th, storing the meat up for winter.

 

[SkyWarrior]

New traps that we purchase are put straight out to gather rust, then boiled after they get this rust so that it will hold the trap dye/wax better. That's how we do it, at least. But yes, the boiling keeps the traps in good shape, and helps keep your scent off.

I hear you on the canning part! We've been canning a lot from this year's garden. We will be busy soon with bagging some squirrels as well, here starting the 15th, storing the meat up for winter.

You eat squirrel? I've wondered what it tastes like. We don't eat those, but we have eaten rabbit here. They taste kind of nasty, probably because they eat pine around here. (It's like eating a pine cone) We're in the middle of grouse season, but we haven't seen many. I'm getting ready to tan the doe skin. Suggestions?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

(***CORRECTION**) My husband is going to boil the new traps in water, just to get the packing grease off and help cut scent down!

As for tanning the skin, I am a firm believer in brain-tanning and smoking. Some of my squirrel hides did fine with just salt, but from now on I am going to be brain-tanning anything, even squirrel. So many people waste time and money doing all this fancy stuff...but if you are tanning just for yourself, I recommend the brain tan. You basically boil the brain in water, and stir/mash it up into a heavy, soupy mixture. Then brush it evenly on the hide. Once it's stretched out right and dry, people stitch it into a round, cylindrical shape and suspend it over smoke. The smoke make it able to repel water, and also gives it a beautiful color when done right. There are so many ways to do it...check out a book called "The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning" by Monte Burch for a detailed guide with photos and lots of different methods. I am attaching a photo of the brain-tanning page.

[I apologize, I tried to rotate the photo but it turned out sideways for some reason]

 

[SkyWarrior]

(***CORRECTION**) My husband is going to boil the new traps in water, just to get the packing grease off and help cut scent down!

As for tanning the skin, I am a firm believer in brain-tanning and smoking. Some of my squirrel hides did fine with just salt, but from now on I am going to be brain-tanning anything, even squirrel. So many people waste time and money doing all this fancy stuff...but if you are tanning just for yourself, I recommend the brain tan. You basically boil the brain in water, and stir/mash it up into a heavy, soupy mixture. Then brush it evenly on the hide. Once it's stretched out right and dry, people stitch it into a round, cylindrical shape and suspend it over smoke. The smoke make it able to repel water, and also gives it a beautiful color when done right. There are so many ways to do it...check out a book called "The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning" by Monte Burch for a detailed guide with photos and lots of different methods. I am attaching a photo of the brain-tanning page.

[I apologize, I tried to rotate the photo but it turned out sideways for some reason]

Yes, I'm familiar with brain tanning but never done it. I may actually have that book somewhere....

I just finished butchering the doe and DH got two grouse today! So, I have grouse and venison in the freezer and need to save my money for a proper meat grinder for the scraps to make into hamburger. I have four more goat wethers that need to go into freezer camp, but the deer skin takes precedence now. I was going to do a alum/salt tanning with it. I also have some other skins that have been sitting in the freezer and need tanning....

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Yes, alum and salt are perfect too. The book mentions that it is one of the easiest and most affordable tanning methods, and also makes it impervious to water. It helps to keep hair on your hides, as well. The hide is supposedly a bit stiffer and lighter colored as a finished product, before it's time to work the hide.

Salt Alum Formula
2 gallons water
1 pound alum
2 pounds salt

Slowly stir the alum, then the salt, into warm water to dissolve. Bring to a boil to dissolve the materials, then allow to cool before using. Small, thin hides will usually tan in a couple of days; allow a week for larger hides. Use caution, and protect your skin, as alum is caustic!

I am off to go set up for our squirrel hunting today, since the season just opened. I will post photos if I get any and start working on hides!

 

[norseofcourse]

Do you soak the skins in the alum/salt/water, or can you just apply it to the flesh side of the skin?