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THE BIG WOODS BLOG

Timber! How to Hunt Big Woods Bucks in Clearcuts and Selective Cuts

Sep 14, 20239 min read

Timber! How to Hunt Big Woods Bucks in Clearcuts and Selective Cuts

For years I hunted in Randolph County, WV, on land owned by Mead Westvaco which produced a number of brand name paper products. It was...

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Finding Bucks During the October Transition

Ralph Scherder

Sep 14, 20237 min read

Finding Bucks During the October Transition

I had my eye on a particular 10-point all summer, counting down to opening day. The buck came through this little funnel two or three...

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Learn to Hunt: Advice for New Bowhunters

Ralph Scherder

Jun 6, 20237 min read

Learn to Hunt: Advice for New Bowhunters

My first year of bowhunting was filled with mistakes. Unfortunately, you don’t get many do-overs in the outdoors, but if I only knew then...

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Locating Furbearer Funnels and Dispersal Zones

Ralph Scherder

Jun 6, 20237 min read

Locating Furbearer Funnels and Dispersal Zones

One group of houndsmen in my area runs coyotes all winter long. They’ve been at this game so long that they know all of the crossings in...

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Ralph Scherder

Jun 3, 20237 min read

Raccoon Trapping: Mountain Bandits

I love mountains. I love the dense stands of pine, the wilderness, the trickle of spring water down steep slopes, and the fresh smell of...

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Ralph Scherder

Apr 18, 20236 min read

How to Make Rub Sets for Bobcats

Bobcats rarely work sets the way fox and coyotes do. They’re not known to sit on a dirt pattern and work a hole or a backing to get to...

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Beyond the Bridges: Trapping Where Others Don't

Ralph Scherder

Apr 12, 20237 min read

Beyond the Bridges: Trapping Where Others Don't

It was a long climb in the dark from the river bottom to the top of the hill, especially with two raccoons in my pack basket. The top of...

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How to Use Grapple Drags on the Trapline

Ralph Scherder

Mar 28, 20234 min read

How to Use Grapple Drags on the Trapline

There are many ways to secure a trap. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from wire to rebar stakes to earth anchors. Each method has...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 28, 20234 min read

Where Do Big Bucks Come From?

Big bucks don’t fall out of the sky or sprout up from the ground without reason. They are a product of three elements, all of which...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 27, 20235 min read

Scouting for Spring Turkeys

It’s that time of year again. Slowly the days start getting warmer and the chance of snow in the forecast grows less likely. Sure, we may...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 25, 20237 min read

How to Blend Dirt Hole and Flat Sets

Trappers are taught that eye appeal is everything. Yes, eye appeal at a set can grab the attention of a coyote, but it can also have the...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 23, 20238 min read

Do We Have the Right to Hunt and Trap?

Twenty-two states have enacted legislation or amended their constitutions to protect the right to hunt and fish. Many of these amendments...

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How to Make Homemade Baits and Lures for Trapping

Ralph Scherder

Mar 21, 20235 min read

How to Make Homemade Baits and Lures for Trapping

Every trapper has a little bit of scientist in them, and sooner or later they get the itch to try formulating their own baits and lures....

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Trapper Interview: Alan Probst, from Professional Baseball Player to Professional Trapper

Ralph Scherder

Mar 20, 202310 min read

Trapper Interview: Alan Probst, from Professional Baseball Player to Professional Trapper

Alan Probst was the first to get a national trapping TV show off the ground, and he now hosts North American Trapper. You can view many...

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Raccoon Trapping: How to Use DPs (Dog Proof Traps) to Catch Raccoons

Ralph Scherder

Mar 19, 20237 min read

Raccoon Trapping: How to Use DPs (Dog Proof Traps) to Catch Raccoons

Modern dog-proof traps, known as DPs, have revolutionized raccoon trapping. Their effectiveness and simplicity are hard to match. Their...

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Mink Trapping: Learning by Observing Mink in the Wild

Ralph Scherder

Mar 18, 20236 min read

Mink Trapping: Learning by Observing Mink in the Wild

On a snowy February day, on my way to the Post Office, I pulled up to a stop sign and looked down to the left at a little creek. A thin...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 18, 20238 min read

4 Tips to Catch More Fur

Back in March 2020, I attended Mark June’s Predator Trapping Academy (pictured above) in Kansas. One of the key aspects that students...

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Ralph Scherder

Mar 15, 20238 min read

Trapper Interview: Rich Faler

Rich Faler of Greenville, PA, has been involved in the trapping industry for over 40 years as a writer and editor. He is the author of...

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Pockets Full of Fur: How to Make A Pocket Set on the Trapline

Ralph Scherder

Mar 15, 20237 min read

Pockets Full of Fur: How to Make A Pocket Set on the Trapline

I love water trapping. I love walking the rivers, streams, and creeks in search of raccoons, mink, and muskrat. Maybe that’s because it...

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Beyond Trappers: How Do We Teach the General Public About Trapping?

Ralph Scherder

Mar 15, 20239 min read

Beyond Trappers: How Do We Teach the General Public About Trapping?

In this age of information, it’s now easier than ever for trappers to connect with non-trappers and educate them about our heritage, our...

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