books on traps and trapping

[sean 0]

Any of you guys and gals recommend a good read on making ,setting traps for different vermin. I know there is plenty of info on this site but was looking for something to read in bed .Married and nothing better to do there

 

Sean

[john b 38]

OK lads - brace yourselves for a Ditch post

 

Although personally I'm waiting for his own book.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Bed time reading for a married man! Classic!

 

Takes a bow to JohnB .....

 

Well, if it's just some enjoyable reading matter ye want, mate? There really is nothing I've found, so far, to beat William Carnegie and his little book, " Practical Trapping ". It's written in an, at times, almost tounge in cheek style and it also covers just about everything you could hope for. Foxes down to mice and birds.

 

As well as trapping, per se, it also gives his rendition of a spot of ferreting, eg. And touches quite well onto Bird Catching with nets, lime and such. It's an entertaining and enjoyable little read. Available from TideLineBooks. or else you may care to look out for any of the old, paper back editions published by the Exchange and Mart Press over the yesteryears. A pleasure of posession in themselves, they are.

 

Then there's James Bateman, " Animal Traps and Trapping ". Bit more of a volume, that one. Always coming up on the Bay, for a song. Be careful though; You'll see some shot of a trap in there and decide you'd about die to have one. Thirty odd years down the line, your life won't be the same!

 

That one tells ye a bit about how to do it. His other, later and far smaller book, " Practical Trapping ", I personally found to be a tremendous let down. Basicly a rehash of what he said in the first one. Not an inspiring read in any way, shape or form.

 

If Rats ring ye bell? Mark Hovell, " Rats and How To Destroy Them " is required reading. Get that, first ed., for about thirty quid, off the Bay. Or Ben Read's just caught up with it and done a cheap paper back. I'd go First Edition, personally. Worth it just to own such a fine old book

 

More and more, these days though, if I want to learn something about trapping a creature, I'm starting to turn to the US market more often. Eg. As an aside to a bigger order, I asked Gerald Schmitt to sling me a copy of his own book. " Megga Mink Methods ". Great little read! I absorbed at least three points out of that one small volume which I'm convinced will make me a better mink catcher, come this winter. He also says things I've heard from Mr G. Waters too. Two guys who definatly know their way around a stream bank. Both echoing the same sentiments? Ye Know it has to be on the right track, and so helping put You there. Right?

 

Granted; Both Carnegie and the US books tend to talk in terms of planting what we'd call 'Gin Traps'. Totally illegal, over here, of course. But why not simply replace Gerald's No. 2 Steel Trap with our own Mk VI Fenn Trap and see what happens? It's all about getting that mink to step on ye pan, after all .....

 

And so on. One thing I can generally say about the American books though; Wether they prove usefull - how many wolves or even racoons are ye really going to be trapping, in UK? - or not. Wether the writer's ever even actually caught so much as his dick in his zip or not; They are generally good little reads.

 

For bed time? Buy up as many and as varied of them as takes ye fancy and just get stuck in. That'd be my advice, anyway. Fuel ye fantasies, mate!

[woodga 170]

WILLIAM CARNEGIE'S PRACTICAL TRAPPING IS WORTH A READ A MAN WHO HAS USED ALL OF THE TRAPPING METHODS HE MENTIONS AND HAS EXPERIANCE TO PASS ON FROM THE PAGES OF THIS ILLISTRATED GOOD READ HIGHLY RECOMENDED

GOOD HUNTING ALL WOODGA :ph34r:

[sean 0]

john b

 

you must know the Ditch very well :11:

 

Ditch and Woodga thanks for the info

 

Woodga ur dvd is on my xmas list just got to drop a few hints to the wife maybe i should do it while i am in bed.

 

Ditch i asume that is the irish flag u got flying , where abouts u from.

 

 

Sean

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Sean; I'm in Co. Leitrim, mate.

[john b 38]

Now while I agree with both of those recommendations, I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed with the trapping books I've found.

 

On the whole they seem to me to be historical in their approach and the role that they fulfil. Perhaps an explanatory catalogue would be a better comparison to use. It's no so true of Carnegie but the bateman book I've kept really as a 'collectors reference' rather than a practical guide.

 

I've found I've had to glean bits from here and there from - sometimes getting a gem of clarity on one specific point, from an otherwise fairly crap book. I must have half a dozen pictures of a 'figure of 4' trap and in only one can you tell how it works well enough to make one.

 

There is a slim book by Dale Martin called 'The Trappers Bible - traps, snares and pathguards'. A very boyscout book mostly containing variation on sprung snares and quite amateurish. A little bit 'armchair' too. But I found it invaluable in getting my head round basic triggers and opening up my ideas.

 

There are a range of books by Guy N. Smith, also a horror writer, that deal with amateur gamekeeping. While he does tend to repeat himself across them all, there are useful pictures of how a tunnel trap would look, animal behaviour etc. But then you do have to be careful 'cause he also reckons you should set rabbits snares at 3 and a half inches

 

I started making box traps because there was a page and a half on them in 'A shoot of your own' by Micheal Kemp, with three good clear photographs - two with the side off showing how it worked. I can make one of those I thought and did.

 

Archie Coates - 'the Amateur Gamekeeper' is another one that deals setting tunnel traps over half a dozen pages.

 

I think it all rather depends what your after. If you want to learn how to trap efficiently and effectively, using modern traps and techniques than you probably won't do better than on here. You'll have seen the things people are doing with body grip traps as well as the snaring expertise that's widely recognised and respected.

 

If you're interested in different types, some of the history and how they were used I think Ditch's reading list will keep you amused for a while.

 

However if you're interested in experimenting or making your own, then all of the above still stands, but you'll have to search for the nuggets and take your inspiration where you find it. And then have a go. There are very few clear 'how to make' instructions gathered together in any one place. Read lots, dig about on the internet and work through your own ideas. And then post them on here so I can crib them :11:

 

Just look at the Ditch's Mink and Idstone threads and you'll follow how ideas get developed and understand far better than anything you'll get in a book. They may not be the most practical solutions - just depends what you're into,