Great talk with my uncles about trapping.

Oldcountryboy · #1 11/08/08, 09:41 PM

Had a aunt (by marriage) die the other day and went to her funeral friday where I got to enjoy a good conversation with a couple of Uncles. I got to talking to a couple of my Uncles who are brothers and always done stuff together when growing up and even lived close to each other all these years. Anywho they came up to me and asked me how the hunting was this year. They know I'm the hunter/fisherman of the family. I told them I was getting ready to learn how to trap as I need to thin the chicken/garden theives out around here. Well their eyes lit up and they got to telling me of their trapping experiences when they was growing up.

They was telling me that trapping was something that just about every boy in school done when growing up. Times where hard and everyone was out to make an extra buck or two for the winter. Mentioned they would get 50 cents per possum hide, 2 bucks per coon and a buck for a skunk. Said they would go out every morning before school started and check the traps and when you got to school you could always tell who caught a skunk in their trap.

Oh my! I bet that was something to go to school reaping of skunk. I could set around and talk to these Uncles of mine forever. They've always got something to tell me.

Dodgegal79 · #2 11/08/08, 09:55 PM

Thats always so cool at family meeting. I know with my family all the old timers are dying off and its sad that I cant hear their farming stories anymore.

big rockpile · #3 11/09/08, 08:15 AM

Back when Skunks and Possums were bringing a Quarter apiece.We would go out in the fields,setting on the Fenders of the Pickup,Spotlight,them,run up knock them in the Head.Skunks would spary the something out of us.

Like I tell my wife Skunks smell good to me because it takes me back to my Childhood.

big rockpile

bowdonkey · #4 11/10/08, 05:52 AM

I have quite afew trapline photos from the "old days", 70's-80's. Those were the days, prices were good, expenses wasn't to bad, and most of all I was one of the free as far as society goes at that time.

big rockpile · #5 11/10/08, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowdonkey

I have quite afew trapline photos from the "old days", 70's-80's. Those were the days, prices were good, expenses wasn't to bad, and most of all I was one of the free as far as society goes at that time.

Yea I was making $10K a year trapping and hunting back then.Help buy my first Farm.

big rockpile

MTplainsman · #6 11/10/08, 10:14 PM

I love old trapping and hunting stories too. I must say that some furs still have some pretty fair value to this day. Even skunks have decent value right now. Aside from fur value, theres few outdoor activities that tie us to the past, more than trapping. Round up a little assortment of traps, learn all you can about it, and try to run a line just like your uncles did. Theres no need to just dream about the old trapping days, they can be now. Trapping is in my blood, and to hear the old folks trapping tales sure do make a guy excited.