Dad's Garage - Keeps on giving...

[Onator]

First and Foremost - someone please respond to this message. After this experience, I'm not entirely sure I'm even still alive?!?

This was in Dad's garage attic in an old Teflon barrel. The attic was too short to open the barrel up there and weighed so much that I could barely move it. I ruined by back dragging it inch by slow inch - then down the stairs all while attempting to prevent it from crushing me under its immense weight. But what a cool find!

A bear trap (I'm awfully glad this thing wasn't set!) and some 30 additional/various traps.

I said it before, I'd trade all of this stuff he's left for me for just 5 - more min's with him and Mom...

 

[FMB4]

Very sorry to hear about your Mom and Dad Onator. That said, as a kid living in Flagstaff AZ in the late '60s I found a half doz or so very old (?) animal traps of various sizes in the woods (some were still set). I wish I still had these traps today, but it just didn't work out the way.

 

[jives]

So, you had no idea of this part of your dad's life of either trapping or collecting traps? Any stories to share? It helps. . . .

 

[pb57]

Very cool Onator. I believe the big one is a bear trap. They are very sought after and expensive especially if its an original and not repo. Trapping was very popular and your dad must have been in good shape as it required good physical condition. Paul

 

[gunguy]

Know what you mean about your Mom & Pop. Hopefully every time you see the traps it will envoke warm memories.

Jim

 

[Onator]

So, you had no idea of this part of your dad's life of either trapping or collecting traps? Any stories to share? It helps. . . .

Yeah, he actually worked for Woodstream Corp, which owned the Animal Trap Co. They were his salesman samples. I had forgotten all about them - well, until they tested every ounce of my strength. In addition to these, I have thousands of Old Pal Lures - many tackle boxes, fishing rods, reels, rod cases, pistol cases etc... Cool stuff.

 

[Onator]

Very cool Onator. I believe the big one is a bear trap. They are very sought after and expensive especially if its an original and not repo. Trapping was very popular and your dad must have been in good shape as it required good physical condition. Paul

Yes-its a Oneida (Victor) 6 Bear Trap. Its original. He was a farm-boy and at 92 he could still kick my ....

 

[LeeG]

This brings back memories. I ran a trap line as a kid starting in about 1975 (11 years old) in southern Iowa. I trapped mostly muskrat and racoon, but got the occasional mink. The book "Trapping North American Fur Bearers", by Stanley Hawbaker was one of my most read books.

I am not sure what brand of traps we had, but they may well have been the same ones (they sure look like it). I do remember that I wasn't strong enough to set some of the traps by hand, so I built various devices to help me. Despite having to get up very early on very cold mornings, I really enjoyed trapping.

There was a whole lot of prep work that went into getting the traps ready. The final was to dip them in hot wax to protect them, and then we'd hang them up in some out of the way place to keep them from human smells. My Dad was a big help, and a big part of the fondness is my memories of him helping me (probably more than I realized at the time).

Lee

 

[LOW1]

Cool stuff. I also trapped as a kid with size 1, 1 1/2, and 2 Blake and Lamb and Victor traps. Also 110 Connibear traps. You have lots of coil spring traps in the pictures. That number 6 is HUGE and could crush your leg or arm. Low demand for furs seems to have put a big and perhaps permanent damper on trapping around here. Lots of good memories like setting a Connibear first thing on opening day in front of a den and catching a muskrat 10 seconds after the season opened and stepping in 14 inches of ice cold water while wearing 12 inch boots.

 

[nadogail]

I believe Leg Hold traps have been outlawed in many areas. A lot of them were set and not regularly checked causing complaints about the suffering of the trapped animals.

 

[rburke65]

Wow….what a terrible way to die. I’m not an ‘out door guy’….just saying….

 

[NUTTSGT]

I think I would be hanging those on my wall or around the fireplace if you have that style of fireplace or woodburner.