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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...
Ralph Scherder
Sep 14, 20239 min read
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Sep 14, 20237 min read
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Jun 6, 20237 min read
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Jun 6, 20237 min read
113 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Jun 3, 20237 min read
50 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Apr 18, 20236 min read
1,233 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Apr 12, 20237 min read
36 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 28, 20234 min read
410 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 28, 20234 min read
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 27, 20235 min read
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 25, 20237 min read
37 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 23, 20238 min read
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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....
Ralph Scherder
Mar 21, 20235 min read
232 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 20, 202310 min read
131 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 19, 20237 min read
573 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 18, 20236 min read
20 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 18, 20238 min read
19 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 15, 20238 min read
73 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 15, 20237 min read
47 views
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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...
Ralph Scherder
Mar 15, 20239 min read
13 views
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