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Post by Lucky&Bugs on Mar 27, 2013 15:05:56 GMT -6
Now that Missouri trapping season is winding down I thought I would post this in the joke of the day section. I was thinking it would be fun to post some of the dumbest or most embarrassing things we have ever done on the trap line. I hope some of the very veteran trappers join this post. I will start with the story of my first time trapping beaver.
A couple of seasons ago my wife’s uncle gave me a number of a man who managed some grounds for the city who was having a beaver problem on city property. The city would not allow him to hire in a pro trapper saying he was paid by the city so it was up to him to fix the problem. I was eager to call him because I knew this was a prime trapping area and I thought if I could trap the beavers I could see about trapping this area each year. I call the gentleman and not wanting to lie to him I told him I was a fairly new trapper but I would do my best. He invited me to come out and give it a shot. I quickly went to the country store and bought 5 330s. Then spent the next night watching youtube and looking up sites trying to learn how to trap a beaver in one night. I drove out to the area the next day and met the man and he showed me where the beavers have been doing the most damage and how he had already removed the lodge (he had permission to do so). So I told him no problem I will get right on it and grabbed my traps and headed down to the creek (ditch) to look for sign. The water was very muddy and deep in places. I was trying very hard to look like I knew what I was doing knowing I was benign watched (picking up chewed branches and looking closely at them ect.) I finally found a bank den that looked promising. As I began to walk though this creek to the den the water got pretty deep so it was just about 2 inches from “the family jewels.” I was getting ready to take another step when something caught my eye and I looked down. Something very menacing swam right between my legs, stopped and looked up at me. Well needles to say all my cool manner went out the window. I screamed like a 10 year old school girl, jumped strait up in the air, dropped my traps and did my best walking on water trick. As I set on the bank clutching my chest I watched the very dangerous muskrat that I scared silly swim a little more down the creek and dive into some cattails. Then I heard the laughing. As I looked up not only was the manager of the grounds but his entire crew was double over with laughter. I gathered what little dignity I had left and found my traps and set them.
Just to let you know that year I did trap two beavers, made a really good friend and got exclusive rights to trap this area for beavers, coons foxes and MUSKRATS.
Lucky
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Post by silverfox on Mar 27, 2013 15:49:00 GMT -6
Great post, Lucky! I have had similar incidents. You were unfortunate to have an audience but at least that added a lot of humor to your story.
Back in the seventies when in high school, my trapping buddy and I trapped rats, mink, and coons in ponds, creeks and river bridges in southeast IA
Our greatest embarrassments were when we would get our old two wheel drive pickup stuck on an muddy dirt road at 3:45 - 5:30 in the morning and have to knock on the nearest farmer's door and ask for a pull. They never argued or acted mad cause they knew our dads and thought we were great kids, I guess. One morning I was driving my dads new 72 Chevrolet pickup and did a U turn on a gravel road and got a little too far to the right and the truck was almost in the ditch at about a 46 degree angle. It was so precarious, my partner came out through the drivers side and held down on the open door cause he thought is was gonna roll over. I ran anout a mile in my hip boots to Mr. Fredricks house and knocked on his door for about 10minutes. Fortunately, one of my hearthrobs, Brenda, his 16 year old daughter answered the door and that made both our our days! Finally dad came out in his underwear, drank a cup of coffee and put on his big overalls. He took forever to go out and start the tractor and kept his eye on me cause I was sorta eyeing Brenda in that cute outfit she wore to bed! He made me stay really close to him and not talk to his daughter any longer!
Finally about 30 minutes later we arrived on his old Farmall down where my Dad's truck was precariously perched on the side of the ditch wanting to roll over. I had forgotten about my trapping buddy and best friend who was still hanging on the door. He was bleep, bleep bleeping up a storm when we arrive. He was mad but glad to see us!!
The farmer knew we were gonna be in big trouble so he hooked a super short chain to the left back corner of the truck and began pulling very slowly. As he pulled us back and out of the side of the ditch, my dad's truck began to lift and wanted to roll. My buddy and I were hanging onto the open door for more leverage but our side of the truck was about three feet off the ground and I was thinking, BLEEP! My butt in gonna be in trouble!! Then, miraculously, our side of the truck began to drop and Mr. Fredricks pulled us back onto the road! Whew!!
I offered to pay him and he said no. Thank goodness cause we had no money with us. He told me my dad was a great man and he would do the same for someone if they needed help!
I will see Brenda next summer at our 40 year reunion. Dang, she is still darn cute!!
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Post by Lucky&Bugs on Mar 27, 2013 17:14:34 GMT -6
LOL Great story Silverfox  |
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Post by townsendtaxidermy on Mar 28, 2013 6:39:14 GMT -6
Fortunately, for many of us, our embarrassment was confined to ourselves. I guess my story isn't too bad. I had to check my line right before daylight and I had traps near a cemetery. It spooked me in daylight, but on this particular morning it was dark and foggy and drizzling. I parked my truck but kept it running. I had to walk about 100 yards, over a ridge. I had a flashlight and I was focusing on my steps so I didn't break my neck. All of a sudden I saw a human shadow cross my path. There was nobody in front of me so they had to be behind me. I forgot all about breaking my neck and took off for the ridge and the safety of cover.
I hunkered down, 22 in hand, heart pounding... turns out it was my own shadow from when I crossed in front of the headlights of my truck. Trap was empty too, so there's not even a happy ending.
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Post by silverfox on Mar 28, 2013 9:17:29 GMT -6
Fortunately, for many of us, our embarrassment was confined to ourselves. I guess my story isn't too bad. I had to check my line right before daylight and I had traps near a cemetery. It spooked me in daylight, but on this particular morning it was dark and foggy and drizzling. I parked my truck but kept it running. I had to walk about 100 yards, over a ridge. I had a flashlight and I was focusing on my steps so I didn't break my neck. All of a sudden I saw a human shadow cross my path. There was nobody in front of me so they had to be behind me. I forgot all about breaking my neck and took off for the ridge and the safety of cover. I hunkered down, 22 in hand, heart pounding... turns out it was my own shadow from when I crossed in front of the headlights of my truck. Trap was empty too, so there's not even a happy ending. Experiences like that, especially when young, make a person appreciate great literature! Great story! |
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Post by tcrooks on Mar 28, 2013 11:41:32 GMT -6
Me and a fellow trapper who will forever remain anonymous had a very strong rivalry going on as to who was a better trapper. One morning I was setting a new creek I knew he wanted to set , so I figured I would get up really early and set it before he got there. (as a joke of course)Well I had gotten 2 sets in and started to set a very large muskrat den under a old blown over tree. I had wired attached a 160 Coni to the root wad (Mistake #1)with a very short extension cable (Mistake #2) , undid safeties (Mistake #3)and was just going to slam it in and go. I was in a hurry trying to get out of there before he showed up(Mistake #4). Well let's just say being in a hurry and setting coni's should NEVER be in the same sentence. I was bent over setting this trap (Mistake#5)with bare hands (BIG MISTAKE #6)because of the short cable. I was about to put it in the run when a root hit the trigger , BLAM!!! it had me by both thumbs. Well now here I was bent over , stuck in a attached trap and thumbs begining to swell with every second. I fought and fought that trap trying to get my thumbs free. After about 45 min. I began to come to the realization I was done and they would find me dead and panic set in. In about another 10 min I hear a truck pull in , I knew help was on the way. I could tell whoever it was was coming down the creek , then I heard the whistling and knew it was him the "Other Trapper" I said "No Lord anybody , but him" , He came down the creek whistling when he spotted my first set and the whistling stopped , then he spotted the second set and began to use terms about me I can't write here , about that time he spotted me and gave me a very evil look. I said "Hey Buddy , I'm kinda in a fix. You wouldn't mind giving me a hand would you." He started laughing then started clapping at me. I was beginning to get a little miffed at this point. He walked right past me and began setting traps. My blood was boiling at this point and I used a few of his terms of endearment right back at him. Long story short , he left me standing there bent over , in sever pain and highly PO'ed for another 30 min. while he set traps. When he did arrive back to me he said "Before I get you out of this , who's the better trapper" Therefore he will forever stay nameless from my lips. LOL
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Post by silverfox on Mar 28, 2013 12:35:42 GMT -6
Fortunately, for many of us, our embarrassment was confined to ourselves. I guess my story isn't too bad. I had to check my line right before daylight and I had traps near a cemetery. It spooked me in daylight, but on this particular morning it was dark and foggy and drizzling. I parked my truck but kept it running. I had to walk about 100 yards, over a ridge. I had a flashlight and I was focusing on my steps so I didn't break my neck. All of a sudden I saw a human shadow cross my path. There was nobody in front of me so they had to be behind me. I forgot all about breaking my neck and took off for the ridge and the safety of cover. I hunkered down, 22 in hand, heart pounding... turns out it was my own shadow from when I crossed in front of the headlights of my truck. Trap was empty too, so there's not even a happy ending. Experiences like that, especially when young, make a person appreciate great literature! Great story! That is a bleepin good story!!! haha! |
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Post by Lucky&Bugs on Mar 28, 2013 13:34:03 GMT -6
Kim for some strange reason I find your story Extra funny  tcrooks that is some funny stuff right there.!!! |
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Post by bigjohn on Mar 28, 2013 15:11:07 GMT -6
I've had so many ,that it's hard to say which one was the most embarassing.
We had a varmint killing chickens in the hen house on time,that I was positive was a mink.I set a trap in a hole that it had came thru,right behind the back side of the door.Early the next morning,before it was truely light,I dressed and wenrt to do my chores before school.I rushed to the chicken house to see if I'd caught the "mink",only to be greeted with the back end of a very angry skunk.With no warning,I was hit with a blast as soon as I recognized the danger.Shucking my coat,chocking and gagging,I headed towards the house,only to be met by my mother before I could enter.She had me strip and used most of the tomato juice we had put up during the summer to try and scrub that gosh awefull smell away.I missed a couple of days of school and when I went back,as it warmed in the room,the odor would start being noticed.I tried to play it off,but ended up being petty unpopular for about a week .lol
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Post by silverfox on Mar 28, 2013 17:55:31 GMT -6
Great story, Big Bad John. One of my first catches was when I was in 9th grade with my trapping partner who illegally drove his dad'sold Fordpickup to run our trapline.
We set a trap in a hole in the floor of a barn expecting to to catch a big ole $5 coon. Next morning the trap was deep in the hole and both of us were pulling on it. Then all of a sudden it was too late. I do not mind the smell of skunk but this was different. It was like the smell of burnt rubber bands deeply infiltratedinto your body forever.
We gagged. puked and checked the rest of our trapline but once we got home, both our Moms did what any good loving mom would do!
Fortunately, even though my buddy and I smelled like skunk that day at school, we managed to scrub it off enough in the tub to allow me to sit with my girlfriend at lunch. she mentioned the skunk smell and I blamed it on my trapping partner. My partner and his gal usually sat with me but we did not sit together that day and he blamed the spell on me. Both gsls were content to know it was the other friends fault. Dumb Bleeps but it worked.
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Post by possumlady on Apr 4, 2013 7:23:48 GMT -6
I had forgotten how much I enjoy reading the stories on this forum! I had my first major trapping "embarrassment" this season, though afterwards we all had a good laugh about it around the campfire. The picture below tells the whole story! I was trapping with some folks from our state Trappers Association, on some local public land. It was my first time driving off-road in my red truck, which is the first vehicle I've ever owned. It is 2-wheel drive but I figured it could get through what looked to be a fairly shallow puddle. Boy was I wrong--it sunk up to the bumper! To add to the ordeal, our fur buyer was right nearby at camp so I called him over to help. He tried to drive around the other side of the puddle, but then his (brand new) truck got stuck in the mud too! So we called one of the other guys at camp and he successfully pulled both trucks out. Nevertheless, I felt so bad getting both myself and the fur buyer stuck! I told him he did not have to buy any of my fur during this trip but he is a nice guy and he did. It was definitely one of my most memorable moments of the season!  |
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Post by silverfox on Apr 4, 2013 8:20:13 GMT -6
I had forgotten how much I enjoy reading the stories on this forum! I had my first major trapping "embarrassment" this season, though afterwards we all had a good laugh about it around the campfire. The picture below tells the whole story! I was trapping with some folks from our state Trappers Association, on some local public land. It was my first time driving off-road in my red truck, which is the first vehicle I've ever owned. It is 2-wheel drive but I figured it could get through what looked to be a fairly shallow puddle. Boy was I wrong--it sunk up to the bumper! To add to the ordeal, our fur buyer was right nearby at camp so I called him over to help. He tried to drive around the other side of the puddle, but then his (brand new) truck got stuck in the mud too! So we called one of the other guys at camp and he successfully pulled both trucks out. Nevertheless, I felt so bad getting both myself and the fur buyer stuck! I told him he did not have to buy any of my fur during this trip but he is a nice guy and he did. It was definitely one of my most memorable moments of the season! Great Pic, Ellie! If you are in a two wheel drive, you gotta hit those puddles fast and hope to come out on the other side! Great story! |
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Post by Joshua TRapper Jones on Aug 24, 2014 19:19:28 GMT -6
back when I lived in mo, I had a partner and we trapped down close to where cletis traps...
we had been trappin a river by canoe and one morning we were putting the canoe in at a small ditch that connected to the creek and after the canoe was in I proceeded to step into the water...this was the first time doing in this location and what I perceived as mud below the leaves was really a big pile of leaves underwater...I put all my weight down and instead of stopping at 12" like I expected I went way down to above my hip boot and I lunged forward into a sort of dive into the cold water...the whole time my partner laughing his butt off behind me...I accused him of pushing me in..i know he didn't but gave me an excuse to get him back later that week...
we had a set on a log that stuck up out of the water in the middle of the river...seen muskrat droppings on it and so chopped out a spot on the log to put trap on just under water...well we had a coon that one day and he had about 20" of chain...so since I am the bigger guy I always was in back of the canoe and partner up front...well, he was drawing his .22 out to shoot the coon as we were getting closer and I had an "evil" thought come up and I went for it...I pushed hard with the paddle and the canoe front hit that log and the coon jumped into the canoe in the front and he hit that coon on the 4th or 5th shot right between his legs in the canoe...that was too funny...luckily he didn't shoot a hole in the canoe
then the next year we were trappin spring river and I had put some sets in up river and he was goin to put some sets in down a ways so I told him I would float down past him and set some other spots and he was to walk down to me...well I got down there and realized that there was no where to get out of the canoe safely without getting wet so I just parked the canoe front forward in the bank...the drop off was about 5-6 feet deep right up close to the bank....I know I should have said something to him as he came walking up but something inside of me said to just see if he sees what I do...he didn't...get came over to the canoe...took 2 steps and ended up in water up to his shoulders...HAHAHA...I am laughing just thinkin about this lol
last thing that year was we were trappin coyotes in a couple weeks later after this river trappin for the live market but while still on the river we had a coyote in a coon set in a 1.5...the foot looked good and we had some rope....you all know where I am headed with that thought...in case you don't...we thought we would hit him over the head with the wooden paddle and knock him out long enough to rope his feet and mouth shut so we could load him in the canoe...it was a good plan until I hit him with the paddle...only made him mad and broke the paddle in 2 pieces...HAHAHA...that paddle didn't work so well and we ended up shooting that coyote instead
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Goodbye 2020