I Started Trapping To Help My Family

By Mike

Every once in a while a story is sent in by a young trapper touches my soul.  This article by Mike is one that definitely touched me.  All Young Outdoor Stories are important to me and I find myself reflecting back over the years after reading one and all.  Trapping is very important skill to have in hard times, enjoy.

Buckshot

I started trapping when I was 12, my dad got ill.  Real ill and could not work, things were real tough for us.  One day I was out in the barn and came across some traps my dad had.

I remembered a story he had told how when him and Mom were first married and had just a little money to live on.  He said he use to trap and sell the hides and he would save the beavers for him and Mom to eat so he could save money to buy baby formula for my oldest brother who was a baby.  The next day I took the traps and some meat I had saved from school lunch and went out and set the traps.  Weeks went by and I caught nothing.  One day as I was walking through the woods with the traps over my shoulder a hunter stopped me and asked what I was doing.  I told him, and he said do you know how to make a set young feller?  I told him what I was doing and he kind of laughed then he showed me how to make a dirt hole set and told me to put some by the river so I did.  Well the very next day I had a coon one of the traps.  I was happy.  I brought it home and showed it to my Mom and dad.  I told him how  I was going to save the family as he did.

My Dad was so happy and proud he hugged me hard and Mom's eyes filled with tears.  Dad showed me how to skin and flesh it and told me were to find the stretchers.  Every day I ran my traps and it seemed I got something every day.  I moved my traps around and tried different things.  In a month I sold my furs and got over 150.00 dollars.   I now realized I really did not play a real big part in saving the family.  But my folks made me feel as though I did.   Most important I learned that trapping and being in the woods will always be a big part of my life.  It has been 3 years since I set my first trap and I have learned a lot sense then.

My dad got better and got back to work. And now we trap together.  He tells me he would have forgotten trapping forever if I had not taken an interest in it.  He is glad to share the woods and gods creatures with me and I am glad too.  I found out he is my best friend and see the sacrifices he has made for me and my brothers because now I realize life is not all fun and games.