inyati13
Well-known member
I got my start at the age of 7 trapping mice. I had a trapline of 6 traps that ran from the kitchen all the way up into the attic. My business model failed with the advent of Decon. I suffered my first business failure. It was a valuable lesson to learn at that early age.
A few years later, I took in six victor steel leghold traps on a trade for labor. I started catching rabbits and possums.
By the time I was ten, I had a dozen good traps. I decided Groundhogs was where the money was. Groundhogs dig holes in tobacco barns. That summer I lined up three farmers who would pay me $ .15 for each groundhog I removed from their barns. I did real well at first. But I discovered my business model had flaws. The cost of keeping tires on my bicycle was a headwind and I was trapping myself out of business.
I started reading about mink. I got Fur-Fish-Game magazines and read every single word. I ordered E.J. Dailey’s trapping books with my groundhog money. That winter was a failure. I was going to be 12, I needed to learn fast or life was going to pass me by. I did catch some possums and coons. Dad took me to the fur buyer and I got $57.45 cash money for my possums and coons. I was afraid dad might rob me on the way home. I used some of that money to make a capital investment in a couple coil-spring jump traps and I ordered my first mink gland lure.
I knew a spring where the water ran all winter. I made a set there. I told mom to pray for me. She said I should not pray for things like that. I told her I had told some boys at school that there might not be a God and that maybe God was punishing me. She said she prayed for me every night anyway but for salvation not mink. So I decided I was going to have to get this done without divine intervention.
One day early that winter, I came to my mink set and noticed the chain was pulled back in the hole. When I pulled on the trap chain, a dark chocolate silky haired animal jumped out. It was my first mink. I didn’t want to hurt the pelt. I lightly rapped the buck mink on the head. I grabbed him in my arms and headed back to the house. As I was coming up the hill below the house, dad was standing by the barn. He yelled to ask what I had. I said, I caught one. A mink. Dad said, “I’ll be damed if you didn’t.” About that time, the mink started scratching me. I put my thumbs in his throat and squeezed with all the strength I had. Dad grabbed the mink and popped its head on a big rock. I said don’t knock a hole in the hide dad. He said, “Get in the car, Chuck Cordary will skin this for us.” Chuck lived a mile and a half away and was the best trapper in the county. Chuck skinned it and said it was a good big male. He put it on one of his stretchers and I took it home. After that trapping season, dad took me to the fur buyer and I got over $100 for my furs.
I started reading about EJ Dailey’s dirt-hole set for foxes. I used some of my money to buy fox traps and fox lure. I was catching mink and muskrats all winter but I was having poor luck with foxes. They would come to my sets but were avoiding the trap. I started being extremely careful not to leave scent. I learned you had to get the trap positioned properly. Toward the end of the season, I caught a big prime red fox. As I was coming up the same hill I brought the mink up, again dad saw me coming. This time he saw what it was. This was one time he was really impressed with me. He yelled for mom to come outside quick. He said look what Ronnie caught.
During my high school years I caught 20 or more foxes every season. By the time I was a senior, my trapping business was prosperous and I had over $800. I was the most wealthy trapper in Pendleton County. Dad even had to ask me for loans. I became a family loan shark. When dad refused to pay his interest, I threatened to burn his house but then I realized, I lived there too.
It was in my last two years of high school that dad and I began to show outward dislike for each other. I told him I wanted to go to college. He said no. He tried to tell me I didn’t have money to go to college and that I was sure to fail because I was “too dam dumb.” I told him I was going and I wasn’t asking for money. I knew he didn’t have it. I would use my trapping money and the National Defense Student Loan Program. I said if I fail, I can always fall back on my trapping experience and become a trapper. I look at things from the perspective of what is the worst that could happen. If I failed in college, it would present me with an opportunity to become the next Jim Bridger or Jeremiah Johnson.
I not only made it in college, I excelled. But who knows, I might have been the greatest trapper that ever lived if I had taken the other road.
A few years later, I took in six victor steel leghold traps on a trade for labor. I started catching rabbits and possums.
By the time I was ten, I had a dozen good traps. I decided Groundhogs was where the money was. Groundhogs dig holes in tobacco barns. That summer I lined up three farmers who would pay me $ .15 for each groundhog I removed from their barns. I did real well at first. But I discovered my business model had flaws. The cost of keeping tires on my bicycle was a headwind and I was trapping myself out of business.
I started reading about mink. I got Fur-Fish-Game magazines and read every single word. I ordered E.J. Dailey’s trapping books with my groundhog money. That winter was a failure. I was going to be 12, I needed to learn fast or life was going to pass me by. I did catch some possums and coons. Dad took me to the fur buyer and I got $57.45 cash money for my possums and coons. I was afraid dad might rob me on the way home. I used some of that money to make a capital investment in a couple coil-spring jump traps and I ordered my first mink gland lure.
I knew a spring where the water ran all winter. I made a set there. I told mom to pray for me. She said I should not pray for things like that. I told her I had told some boys at school that there might not be a God and that maybe God was punishing me. She said she prayed for me every night anyway but for salvation not mink. So I decided I was going to have to get this done without divine intervention.
One day early that winter, I came to my mink set and noticed the chain was pulled back in the hole. When I pulled on the trap chain, a dark chocolate silky haired animal jumped out. It was my first mink. I didn’t want to hurt the pelt. I lightly rapped the buck mink on the head. I grabbed him in my arms and headed back to the house. As I was coming up the hill below the house, dad was standing by the barn. He yelled to ask what I had. I said, I caught one. A mink. Dad said, “I’ll be damed if you didn’t.” About that time, the mink started scratching me. I put my thumbs in his throat and squeezed with all the strength I had. Dad grabbed the mink and popped its head on a big rock. I said don’t knock a hole in the hide dad. He said, “Get in the car, Chuck Cordary will skin this for us.” Chuck lived a mile and a half away and was the best trapper in the county. Chuck skinned it and said it was a good big male. He put it on one of his stretchers and I took it home. After that trapping season, dad took me to the fur buyer and I got over $100 for my furs.
I started reading about EJ Dailey’s dirt-hole set for foxes. I used some of my money to buy fox traps and fox lure. I was catching mink and muskrats all winter but I was having poor luck with foxes. They would come to my sets but were avoiding the trap. I started being extremely careful not to leave scent. I learned you had to get the trap positioned properly. Toward the end of the season, I caught a big prime red fox. As I was coming up the same hill I brought the mink up, again dad saw me coming. This time he saw what it was. This was one time he was really impressed with me. He yelled for mom to come outside quick. He said look what Ronnie caught.
During my high school years I caught 20 or more foxes every season. By the time I was a senior, my trapping business was prosperous and I had over $800. I was the most wealthy trapper in Pendleton County. Dad even had to ask me for loans. I became a family loan shark. When dad refused to pay his interest, I threatened to burn his house but then I realized, I lived there too.
It was in my last two years of high school that dad and I began to show outward dislike for each other. I told him I wanted to go to college. He said no. He tried to tell me I didn’t have money to go to college and that I was sure to fail because I was “too dam dumb.” I told him I was going and I wasn’t asking for money. I knew he didn’t have it. I would use my trapping money and the National Defense Student Loan Program. I said if I fail, I can always fall back on my trapping experience and become a trapper. I look at things from the perspective of what is the worst that could happen. If I failed in college, it would present me with an opportunity to become the next Jim Bridger or Jeremiah Johnson.
I not only made it in college, I excelled. But who knows, I might have been the greatest trapper that ever lived if I had taken the other road.
