I will give my response even though it won't raise a hair on the O.P. It seems as though someone picked up a gun for this season and now they are trying to get "approval" from the "team". Why are we trying to compare trapping to gun hunting? To me there is more work involved in trapping than gun hunting deer. There, does that answer your questions?
This may not answer the OPs question, but while ive never trapped I would like to. I suppose once trapped I would use a .22 like many have said. Is this related to gun hunting in anyway? No not at all in my opinion. While I just started hunting this year I have two bow kills and one rifle kill on opening day the season. While I am not against gun hunting in any way, shape, or form I find it much more satisfying to harvest something with my bow. With all this being said and reading some of the post I believe there is a "sport" to it just because you are decieving an animal trap or food plot they are both coming in to investigate
I loved trapping more then I loved bowhunting in the past. Now it is the other way around to the point I haven't set traps for 5 years. With work... I just don't have time to do both. I absolutely won't bait deer for hunting but had no problem using bait to trap. While I love bowhunting... I will rifle hunt but don't love it like bowhunting. If we had more trees here or I had my own land... I wouldn't even pick up a rifle for deer hunting. My daughter will probably rifle hunt before she bowhunts. I can't wait for that day !! I do like shooting coyotes with rifle. Jeff... as you can see there is a lot of contradictions in my post. Why ??? Because it is what I like. You can't lump everything in one group. It never will work that way. What I like in one aspect of my life... I don't care for in another aspect. It is how I am wired and there is no right or wrong. I try not to look down at others who like doing it different... which I suspect is the reason for your post. Granted in the younger years... I did look down at some of it. The older I get... the less I feel that way. My way isn't always the best way for everyone. Nor should it be. I hunt/trapped to make me happy. It should be the same for everyone else. There are you happy ?? :P There is nothing sporting about killing an animal in a trap. You dispatch it. Tim
There are a few I had in mind when I posted this.....not one. I couldn't care less whether Greg answers my question. In fact, I fully expect he WON'T/shouldn't. LOL! Thanks for playing......try again. Rybo...Tim...others....Thanks guys, for your honest answers. That's exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for.
"If you view trapping as sporting.....but view gun hunting as "not"........then I think there's a conflict. If you view neither as sporting, there is none." I read your original post one time and I knew that is what you were asking.... By the way, I haven't hunted with a gun for six years. That being said. I believe gun hunting AND trapping are sporting.
Trapping is a "skill", not a sport. Shooting a "target" is a skill. Finding,setting up on and trapping/dispatching/killing an animal is a "skill". The same goes for any type of hunting. Some just require more, or less, skill. Sporting is making a game of something. Not even close resemblance to being a skilled woodsman.
I'm not a gun hunter (yet). There will be a day I'm sure when I can't draw my bow back so I'll then pick up a ML and not a xbow. Do I think gun hunting Isn't sporting? No but I see It as something that's not as challenging as the weapon I use. Big deal. Even If I didn't think gun hunting was sporting It's still a tool that Is needed for trapping. Trapping Isn't for every body. At times It takes some stones. My brother and dad are really big Into trapping In the fall and spring. They really work their tails off and take pride In what they do. They sell their furs and have gotten many top lots. I know my brother and dad would both do this for a living If the market was good enough. Are they gun hunters? Nope but It's a tool that's sometimes needed. Wrestling around with a live bobcat, coyote, fisher, and sometimes a coon Is no easy task. I'd bet most here would **** their pants If put In the situation. If they have a gun, this Is a place for It.
I shot some of them once. No matter how I cooked them or how long I boiled them they wee still to tough to eat.
The law (in PA) requires checking them every 48 hours, but I check mine once a day. I only have 7 out right now.
I did although we are allowed 48 hours. Well with the exception of really bad weather when it wasn't safe or even possible to get out. I would usually pull my sets if they were predicting a bad 2 - 3 day winter storm. Much easier remaking the sets from scratch after a big snow then trying to find the sets under a foot or 3 of snow and redo them. Tim
Is it legal to use drags in your state?? ND... it is illegal and the trap must be staked. What about snaring?? Snaring on land wasn't allowed when I first started trapping but is now. That season would be opened up in December when they first allowed it and it might be even earlier now. I haven't checked lately. I never did use them. Too set in my ways by then. Tim
Don't know. But, I'm betting there's a few trap shooters who talk **** about skeet shooting. Wouldn't it be fun to know how/where/why they draw their lines in the sand?
