Introduce Yourself

[daho45]

Hi folks my name is Dale Hinson . I live in Rosebud MO. Iam 49 yrs. old . I have been married to my wonderful second wife for 14 yrs. Her name is Justine .W e both work for the same steel worker com. For 10 yrs. Ive done alot of other jobs to many to mention . Ive been trapping since I was about 10 yrs. old. My wife is just getting started . Ive got 3 sons 1daughter .MY daughter is 10 and spends alot of time with dad on the line . She is not scared to grab hold of a 40 or 50 lb. beaver . Drag it to the truck . She helps me alot carring traps and carring animals .Justine is going to start her own line this year .The first traps i got i got gave to me by afarmer i worked for .

It was a pair of #1one half Victor long springs after many smashed fingers .I finally figured out how to set them without having my fingers in between the jaws .I might be a slow learner and after manny sore fingers .I caught many grinners that first year , sold them to alocal fur buyer and took the money gave half the money to the farmer , and the other half i bought more traps with it .So Iguess thats my story ,ive loved every minute of it.

[beaver6]

my name is scott barrett. i'm 38 yrs old been trapping since i was ten yrs old. learned how to trap from my father. got married april 7 of last year for the first time to my wife Christine, i moved her here from hollywood, ca. bit of a change for her but she likes fur cks. WAS a vet assitant in high school, hired man on a cattle ranch. played college and semi pro baseball, worked at a ski lodge in Mankato, mn , sold farm chemicals, drove dump trucks, have been a bartender in osage beach for 16yrs / 12yrs at woodys. also mow fairways in the summer at local golf course. one of my best trapping spots are fish farms. golf courses and resturant dumpstrers. all of these locations i acuired while bartending at woodys. i work 4 nites a week and think about trapping the rest. my life as a trapper and bartender have gone hand and hand. all day off and the fun of going out 4 nites a week and getting paid. work for an excavator when i can. i have loved trapping since my father gave me his last 3 victor 1 1/2 long springs. this forum has helped to ease the pain of waiting for next years season. see you at the FTA your friend in trapping, beaver6

[barclay58]

my name is seth barclay. i'm 21 years old from camdenton, missouri. i'm just a farm boy that loves to hunt and trap. in the summer i play 300+ games of softball. i trap all my dads land around the lake and love to go out of state to trap. if i'm not hunting or trapping or playing ball i'm either preparing for one of the 3 or at least thinking about it..... barclay58

[stryker777]

I'm Brian. Raised in St. Louis, then moved deeper and deeper into the woods over the years. For a living, I do contract programming and networking. Yep, boring job but it keeps me home with my family most of the week. Much better than the days of doing AM radio. I have a wife and two daughters. Great kids!!!!!!! For fun I bow hunt, play guitar, fish, hike, trail run, and learn new things. We like to be self sufficient, thus the decision to learn trapping and pass it on to our children. We now grow, can, hunt, and butcher everything our self. Next we will be trapping and tanning also. Hopefully some day we will have the funds to build our earth sheltered home!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
Brian

[benbibler]

Hey All,
I am a 28 yr old married man. I have been married for almost 7 years and just had our first baby in april. I am also in the Bricklayers Local 15 out of Kansas City, I just finished up my second year as an apprentice. Last season was my first season trapping ended up with 10 coon 1 possum 2 skunks and one coyote. Cleaned out a population of feral cats in a stand of trees/ junk dump at my fathers. And if you can believe it a new covey of quail moved in. Some say predator control doesn't work but I am now a firm believer

[rd]

Hi, My name is Richard Duncan. I am 72 yrs old. Married for 51 yrs have two sons and a daughter, three granddaughters, and one grandson Mike who goes by shooter6 on this forum.
I have lived in Owensville, Mo all my life. Retired from Chrysler Corp in 91 and opened Traders Exchange Flea Market in Owensville in 93. I have been an outdoorsman all my life. I was a coon hunter for years but never really got into trapping (well I did set about a half dozen traps for about two weeks one year, caught a couple coon but thats it.) Now my only grandson Mike starts trapping and gets me all excited. I ask him if I could tag along and I have enjoyed it a bunch. I tell him I am his cheerleader. With a gold mine of information on this forum from good seasoned trappers young trappers can feel blessed. I won`t be of much help on here but I sure enjoy the forum. God Bless and may this season be a great season for everyone.

[kozykitten]

Hey all! I'm Tressa...Strykers wife. I know I met some of you all at the shindig this month. I grew up out in the country, went to Cape Girardeau to go to college and then hotfooted it back to the country as soon as I could. I have two daughters that I homeschool and, thanks to Stryker, I get to be a stay at home mom. Thanks to all those that shared information at the picnic. Stryker and I learned a lot from it and are looking forward to learning even more.

[stickyb]

Hello all my names Chris Hayden. I moved around a bit when I was a kid(13 different states) but somehow found my way back to Missouri. Some of my fondest memories still lie when I was younger and lived in Belle, mo. I have hunted now for 23 years and just recently wanted to get into trapping. I went to High school in Jefferson City and played all four years of football there. Anybody else rember the legendary coach Pete Adkins? We won state 4 years in a row. After high school I went into the Army. I did four years there. I visted lots of great places, and some not so great(did a 6 mth campaign in Bosnia). After I got out I moved to where I now live at in Columbia, mo. I'm gettin ready to have my 5th year of being married to my lovely wife Debbie. We have 2 kids, both daughters Brianna and Shelby age 9. Twins!!!! What an experience. I know I can't wit until bow season this year. Got my eyes on a big ol' 11 point drop.

[murdock911]

hello everyone. i am chris murdock. aka merdy,lol. i am 35 year's old soon to be 36. i am married now going on 7 year's this august 14.my wife's name is martina aka tina. we have threre woinderful children together. emalee 7 , who has already caught her first red fox , and a set of twins born on 9/11..a boy briar and a girl brookyn..they are three..and a big handful,lmao...
i live in rolla,mo. right now but i have been all over the us burring telephone cable up til about 3 year's ago when i got hurt. now i do remodeling jobs,roofs and decks..i work for myself and have been doing pretty good so far. i laid a hole hoiuse today by myself in carpet..man i'm pretty tired tonight,lol.
i got introduced to trapping when i was 15 then didn't pick it back up til about 6 year's ago or so...won't ever go a year not setting some kind of steel til the day i die. i love to hunt deer and turkey's and catch giant flathead catfish , although it's been a while since i even got to go for them,lol. but i stil catch a bunch of channels down here and an occasional blue cat..
i strive to be one of the best at whatever i do and trappings no different. you will find me always listening and learning from more exsperienced indivuals whenever i can. i love to meet new people that i share a common intrest with. i have meet dh and i'm sure a few more on here and hope to meet a great deal more of ya's in the near future.
i'll end with it's great to be here and i wish each and everyone of ya's a great and safe season!!!thanks for your time!!!

[redeagle]

Hi folks. My name is Bob. I am 63 years old. I live here in Salem. I am a Christian. I have been married to my present wife for 5 years as of July 24th. I was gone a few days from this site, because we went on a little trip to Arkansas for our anniversary. We dug for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park for a couple of the days of the trip. That is no way to get rich, let me tell you. Those fields have been combed hundreds of times by hundreds of people per day. Any diamonds that are found are usually about the size of a pin head to a match head. Anyway, back to my profile. I was born and raised in St. Louis County- Shrewsbury, in particular. I got my introduction to trapping via my older brother. I caught my first fox- a grey- when I was in 6th grade, and was hooked on trapping ever since. There used to be a huge tract of land, several hundred acres in size, owned by the Catholic Church, and it was known as Kenrick Seminary, and I used to go in there and trap, hunt, and fish. If I had been an adult, they would have probably run me out, but because I was a kid, they left me alone. I caught my first red fox when I was in the 8th grade. Wow. That was exciting. At the age of 19, I enrolled in the University of Missouri, Columbia, and after that, spent a good deal of my adult life living in Columbia. I spent 4 years in the U.S. Air Force. One of those years was in Vietnam. I was an English Language Instructor, teaching English to Vietnamese Air Force personnel so they could come to the States, learn helicopter mechanics and return to Vietnam to help take over their own war. It was a part of then President Nixon's "Vietnamization" program. After my stint in the A.F., I returned to UMC in Columbia and got my master's. Upon graduation, I got a job teaching Art at Hallsville High School. I was there for 16 years. My wife of that time, who was from Minnesota, talked me into moving to Minnesota. So, we packed up the three kids and moved there. I lived in Southwest Minnesota, where it snows sideways. In Minnesota, I worked in two slaughter houses, a printing factory and a twist tie factory. After 5 years there, I just HAD to get back to Missouri! So, we sold the house and moved to Missouri. We wanted to go back to the Columbia area, but housing by that time was way too expensive. So, we set out exploring somewhere else to move to. We ended up in Salem, and bought a house here. I didn't even have a job, but I didn't care- I was willing to do anything just to be back in Missouri. Anyway, when I went around, applying at schools for some substitute work, I got a full time job, instead. So, I taught there for 12 years. I also got a job teaching art at the local college, one night per week, one semester per year. In essence, I have two jobs. I retired from full time teaching, but still teach part time, two days per week at the grade school. I wish I could afford to retire full time so that I could trap full time, but I need the health insurance, so I am continuing to do this until I reach the age when I am eligible for medicare. This past season was the first time I have strung traps in a serious way in several years. I am a dry land trapper. Bobcats and grey foxes are my primary targets. I plan to continue to trap until I am no longer physically able. I really enjoy visiting this site, and I come here almost every day. I have learned a lot of info about trapping from guys who are genuinely interested in helping others to learn what they know. That is awesome.

[jellison]

My name is Jared Jellison. I was led to this site by Dale Verts. I met him at a local boat dealership and am truly glad to have met a fellow outdoorsman of his caliber.
About me, I grew up in Kansas City but never really could be concidered a city boy. I spent most of my spare time as a kid playing in the woods and waters that were near my childhood home. My senior year of high school I was shipped of to my grandparents farm in western Kansas. I loved it out there in the wide open spaces and still try to get out there on occasion to hunt upland birds.
After high school I attended a vocatioal school in Arizona where I honed my desert skills out in the Sonoran Desert. After that I joined the Navy which led me on a journey that circled the earth visiting several countries along the way. After the Navy I attended college briefly before starting a career in construction.
In May of 2000, I embarked on what would be an 8,000 mile canoe journey that took more than two years to complete. The journey began and finished in Kansas City circling the western United States. It was a tough challenge that taught me alot about alot. I wrote a book documenting the journey called "Fighting the Current: There & Back"
After the journey I guided rivers for awhile in Texas and Colorado. I eventually ended up back in Missouri and started my own construction company here at Lake of the Ozarks.
I've been asked many times over the years, "of all the places you've seen, why the heck do you live in Missouri?" My answer is always the same, "because this state is awesome!" I feel blessed to live here smack dab right in the middle of the state. Within 3 hrs I have a smorgusboard of places to float, fish, hunt, explore and now trap.
In my unquenchable thirst for knowledge of the outdoors (and many other subjects) I can tell, reading thru the who's who, I've come to the right place for learning to trap. I'm currently reading thru past posts and am sure to have some questions. I'm prone to learn alot more by doing things "hands on", so I'm sure I'll see alot of ya at the clinics put on around this part of the state!
My goals in learning to trap are: Learn to trap the animals, properly skin and tan the hides and learn to use the hides; and just maybe, make a couple bucks to help pay for the "hobby". Right now I basicly don't know squat about all this but am not afraid to get my hands dirty.
Well enough rambeling on for now!

Jared

[jeremyinga]

;)oh boy looks like I'm the only one here from Georgia, don't hold that against me. lol I'm married for 8 years got 3 kids 1 girl 7years old and 2 boys 4 and 1 year old. coon huntin runs through my veins like corn liquor in the Tennessee mountains but I'm interested in trapping and I'm fixin to dive off in it. I've got my 4 year old to help me i think he he just likes to do anything outdoors so i think he will take a quick interest in it.

[richardmeyer5362]

Hi, My name is Richard Meyer, Missourian by birth, trapper by intention. I started box trapping rabbits in 1960 near Midway in Boone County Mo. I learned to trap coyotes from Trapper Smith of Mo Conservation Dept. in 1976 to get rid of some wild dogs doing livestock damages in Chariton County. Loved the trapping. Been doing it off and on ever since. I drove a big truck over the road from 1994-2005 before getting retired for diabetes. Now I have moved back to Pettis County, Sedalia, MO. and plan to do some coyote trapping again. I also like to pan fish and bowhunt deer. Good Luck everyone and be safe.

[minkmusk88]

hello my name is william may born and raised in a little town could Herrin in southern Illinois my hobbies ar trapping hunting fishing and enjoying life I am a christan every sunday I go to a little country church population about 45 I love to party my favorite animal to trap is th fox and my favorite animal to hunt is duck

[badgerland]

HI EVERYONE, IM GENE PEPLINSKI AND I LIVE IN MARINETTE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. I AM MARRIED TO MY WIFE BUNNY FOR 24 YEARS.WE HAVE 2 SONS AND 2 DAUGHTERS AND 3 GRANDCHILDREN.WE LIVE ON A 118 ACRE FARM 50 OF WHICH ARE WOODED. I AM NEW TO TRAPPING AND HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS THANKS TO THE FINE FOLKS HERE.I DRIVE SEMI FOR WORK AND HAVE BEEN THROUGH MISSOURI MANY TIMES. IT TRULY IS BEAUTIFUL THERE. IN MY SPARE TIME I FISH , BOWHUNT,GARDEN, AND SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY.

[RedOneFive]

I guess it's about time i do this.. I'm Joe Niemeier,I live Near Ash Grove I was born in Mansfield (in a bank). I'm 22 I still live at home for now, I recently got engaged to my wonderful girlfriend Kasandra whos put up with me for over 5 years now. We have a piece of property that were workin on gettin' ...it's a slower process than we would like.
My grandma and grandpa(he's passed) raised me and instilled some good lessons.

I work at Unique Metal Turning, I'm the low man on the totem pole there.

I love being outside, i love learning, and i love food... that's all folks!

[trapperjohn]

I'm John McLennan from Holden, MO. 37 years old and married with three kids. One boy 14, one 13, and a six year old girl.I am a carpenter by trade, but I have been a Pressman at the K.C. Star, and a Combat Engineer in the Army back in the early 90's. We love to bowfish,trap,hunt just about everything,and run our walker coon dogs when we get the chance. Learned to trap when I was a kid but for some reason got away from it. Thankfully, my boys got the bug and now I,ve got it again.

[sigpros]

Hi my name is Chris. Born and raised in Kansas. moved to Missouri my senior year of high school. Went to college for a year wasn't my thing. I used to do ALOT of turkey hunting, and a guy I hunted with worked at Ford. They were hiring and I went to work there at 19. Just turned 29 last Monday. I am married to a wonderful woman named Andrea. We just built a house on our 50 acres by Cameron in Davisses county. She was a major city girl that I turned country. We raise hogs and beef for the freezer. We have a 15 month old son Connal and another little one on the way. I have deer hunted all my life, down by Collins. I want to go antelope hunting and have been elk hunting 5 times. Score elk 5 me 0. My grandpa and I go on public ground. Would also like to hunt squirrels with a dog. I like to pheasant hunt probably the most. New to trapping but loving every minute of it. Grumpy is teaching me the ropes. Well I guess thats all about me.

[jriddle]

Hello My name is Jim Riddle and I live in Daviess County Missouri. I was born and raised on the east side of the state but now live on the west side. Sounds like I need to get together with Chris. Looks like we're neighbors. I trapped Beaver when I was 15 but only a couple times with a "buckskinner" friend. I know practically nothing about trapping, but I'm looking forward to my new hobby. Any Info I can gather from you guys would be much appreciated!

[yotecatcher]

I am Chris Norris born and raised in laclede county. Love to hunt, just getting back into trapping after aout a ten year break, I also am addicted tournament Bass fishing. I am a mechanic for the local electric cooperative. I've been married to my beautiful wife Kristy for 8 years and have 2 kids, Son (5), daughter (2 1/2)