Trapping manual

[tullfan]

Hi there,
I'd like to challenge the trapping course and need a manual.
If anyone's got one I could use, I'd appreciate it. You'd get it back, or I could buy it from you.
I'm in Airdrie so local would be good.
Thanks,
Jason

[mark-edmonton]

Not sure if this is what you want but I ordered mine from ata in westloc and had it in less than a week for $40

[wwbirds]

Jason mine is old from about 15 years ago when I took the course but you are welcomed to borrow it. have a hunter ed manual put away for you as well as you were looking for a friend last fall.
Rob

[Toe823]

Hey Jason, i have a manual you could borrow, i am from Airdrie, but i work up North. If you want to borrow it i could have it down to you within a couple weeks, let me know

Toe

[sourdough doug]

I might suggest that regardless if you are challenging the exam or already have your license, every trapper should have the ed manual. If you are able to find an older one to supplement the new version, you are very fortunate. It's too bad the courses got so expensive, because the course that used to be offered were very informative, with some very seasoned instructors.. Good luck on your test...

[Shooterincardiff]

Originally Posted by sourdough doug

I might suggest that regardless if you are challenging the exam or already have your license, every trapper should have the ed manual. If you are able to find an older one to supplement the new version, you are very fortunate. It's too bad the courses got so expensive, because the course that used to be offered were very informative, with some very seasoned instructors.. Good luck on your test...

The courses are still very informative and the cost is equal to a few tanks of fuel.....pretty damn cheap for what you get. I recommend spending a couple bucks for a course and follow up with some of the workshops offered at the ATA. It's a great venue to learn new tricks and share some of yours.

[turbo mulcher]

If there is enough interest in a course, I will bring it up at the general meeting of the South Country Trappers on March 31.
All are welcome to attend

[KI-UTE]

I wouldn't waste $600 on the course. Get a manual look at it for a couple hours and go pass your test.

A friend of mine read the regulations, skimmed the old book a little, then passed his test with flying colors. It's easy.

Courses used to be what $45... where on earth did the $600 chrge come from. Beware of Hi-Rollers!!!

[RockyMountainMusic]

Originally Posted by KI-UTE

I wouldn't waste $600 on the course. Get a manual look at it for a couple hours and go pass your test.

A friend of mine read the regulations, skimmed the old book a little, then passed his test with flying colors. It's easy.

Courses used to be what $45... where on earth did the $600 chrge come from. Beware of Hi-Rollers!!!

I don't know who's charging you $600 for the course i paid around $350 which is a bit expensive but like someone has said a couple tanks of gas. Our local here raises funds and we put money to the course so youth that want it dont have to come up with all that much to attend, works good other locals should do the same.

[turbo mulcher]

Sundre just held a course for some locals at about 150$. The manual might be on top of that but it's worth it. Contact the Sundre local and get the facts.
At the South Country general meeting in High River March 31 I will bring the topic up. If anybody wants some input please come.

[outdoorsmen101]

Originally Posted by RockyMountainMusic

I don't know who's charging you $600 for the course i paid around $350 which is a bit expensive but like someone has said a couple tanks of gas. Our local here raises funds and we put money to the course so youth that want it dont have to come up with all that much to attend, works good other locals should do the same.

If you go to the ATA website there are two trappers colleges advertised there you can take your course from. The new one is Bushman Inc. operated by one of the ATA Directors Bill Albercrombie and the other one is Trapper Gord's Wilderness College operated by the ATA President Gordy Klassen. Their fees are in the 600 buck range. The ATA course I believe is advertised on there at 375 or so. It looks like the difference in the courses is at the colleges they supply accomodation and meals and the other one runs evenings. Go on the ATA website as most all the information is on there.

I took the Sundre course which they put on independantly. All kids 16 and under were free and adults were 150 bucks manual included. I think there were about 10 kids there and they sure were gung ho. The course was run with one main instructor and quite a few local volunteers helping. Lots of hands on fur handling, skinning etc.. The field day was fantastic and everyone had a great time. When the field day was winding down you could see everyone's enthusiasm to get out and go trapping.

[Brian Bildson]

I don't support challenging the exam and feel the trapper course should be mandatory. I've taken it three times personally and have learned something every time. As for cost Sundre's example sounds like a good way for a local to help out new trappers. But honestly I think most can afford the ATA's cost.

[outdoorsmen101]

The week long course at Sundre sure gave everyone some great hands on experience and different ideas from the volunteer trappers on how to make sets, different techniques in skinning and there was a real comeraderie between the main instructor, the older trappers volunteering, the kids and the adult students.

The free cost for youths sure got the attendance up. There were some single parents that drove their kids every day and to the field day. They didn't just drop them off either. They stayed during the course and field day. I was very impressed.

Brian I think it's more than just the reduced cost. It was how the course was put on with volunteers that made much of the difference. I think Locals should think about this style of course when holding their next one.

I agree just doing the challenge exam without instruction is not the way to go. But that is the exam we took after the instruction to get our trapper certification and be able to obtain a licence.

[turbo mulcher]

Originally Posted by outdoorsmen101

The week long course at Sundre sure gave everyone some great hands on experience and different ideas from the volunteer trappers on how to make sets, different techniques in skinning and there was a real comeraderie between the main instructor, the older trappers volunteering, the kids and the adult students.

The free cost for youths sure got the attendance up. There were some single parents that drove their kids every day and to the field day. They didn't just drop them off either. They stayed during the course and field day. I was very impressed.

Brian I think it's more than just the reduced cost. It was how the course was put on with volunteers that made much of the difference. I think Locals should think about this style of course when holding their next one.

I agree just doing the challenge exam without instruction is not the way to go. But that is the exam we took after the instruction to get our trapper certification and be able to obtain a licence.

2X Well said , I will be promoting this style of a trapping course at our meeting.

[moose maniac]

Originally Posted by Brian Bildson

I don't support challenging the exam and feel the trapper course should be mandatory. I've taken it three times personally and have learned something every time. As for cost Sundre's example sounds like a good way for a local to help out new trappers. But honestly I think most can afford the ATA's cost.

Plus it is a lot of fun,usually lots of interesting people to visit and you always learn something new

[Brian Bildson]

trapping is all about community...I applaud your locals efforts

[tullfan]

Thanks guys, for the response and generosity.

Tullfan

[elkamaholic]

Originally Posted by outdoorsmen101

If you go to the ATA website there are two trappers colleges advertised there you can take your course from. The new one is Bushman Inc. operated by one of the ATA Directors Bill Albercrombie and the other one is Trapper Gord's Wilderness College operated by the ATA President Gordy Klassen. Their fees are in the 600 buck range. The ATA course I believe is advertised on there at 375 or so. It looks like the difference in the courses is at the colleges they supply accomodation and meals and the other one runs evenings. Go on the ATA website as most all the information is on there.

I took the Sundre course which they put on independantly. All kids 16 and under were free and adults were 150 bucks manual included. I think there were about 10 kids there and they sure were gung ho. The course was run with one main instructor and quite a few local volunteers helping. Lots of hands on fur handling, skinning etc.. The field day was fantastic and everyone had a great time. When the field day was winding down you could see everyone's enthusiasm to get out and go trapping.

After taking a four hour session on wolves from Gordy, I think the full trapper's course would be worth every penny. The extra investment of time in the full course likely pays dividends in terms of being a successful trapper, not just a licensed one. The man knows his stuff and his passion shows, he shares a ton of best practices he's picked up over the years...

[TRAPPER92]

Originally Posted by Brian Bildson

I don't support challenging the exam and feel the trapper course should be mandatory. I've taken it three times personally and have learned something every time. As for cost Sundre's example sounds like a good way for a local to help out new trappers. But honestly I think most can afford the ATA's cost.

I think the course is the way to go too. I've also taken it three times years ago and there's things they show you that the book does not! It's very easy to read about setting traps or snaring but the real learning is from seeing and doing!
I thought the 375$ was a little steep too but these instructors can't do it for free much the same way you can't work for for free. I think it's pretty cheap for what you get!

[outdoorsmen101]

If you look at the number of courses taught in a year it doesn't seem like very many. I don't understand why trappers couldn't have a volunteer instructor system. Sundre did it with great success. It is done with the firearms and hunter education courses of which there are thousands of graduates every year from across the Province.

This would cut the cost down by quite a bit and the Local trapping organization would likely be able to fund the whole course and get the Local organization members really involved.

The ATA has a Memorandum of Understanding with SRD Fish and Wildlife Division and get about$125,000.00 per year from their budget for strictly delivering and administrating Trapper Education in Alberta. They also obtain grants from the A.C.A. and other conservation groups. I don't understand why the few courses that are put on would cost so much. I think the volunteer system would work well.

There is always the other option of going to the two private colleges advertised by the ATA on their website if you are able to go both time wise and financial wise.

Just my two cents.

[tullfan]

Once again guys, thanks. I passed my challenge exam, 96%. Looking forward to snaring some coyotes on the newly aquired land when the season rolls around.
Should be a hoot.
Tullfan

[KegRiver]

For those who can't afford the fees, challenging the test might be the only option.

For those who can afford them, I ask you to consider which you would rather do, learn from a pro or learn from you mistakes.

Learning from mistakes can be as expensive or more expensive then learning from a pro. If one considers lost time, lost fur, and lost equipment, what does it really cost.

Learning is never free.

For the record, I have never taken any course or training. It took me many many years to learn what I know about trapping.
I was lucky and had some great mentors. And it was not free. I paid for it with sweat and blood, lost equipment and lost fur. Far more then I could afford to loose today.

[TreeGuy]

Good post, Keg and congrats Tull.

I went through a one day course too many years ago as a 13 year old that wasn't at all hands on. Paid the price dearly learning from my mistakes.

God I miss those days.....

[tullfan]

Hi Keg,
Thanks for the advice.
As a child back in Ontario I had the great fortune to be able to dumpster dive in the Oneida Woodstream factory steel off cut bin.
After many dumpster sessions I had gathered pieces for many long springs in all sizes,conibear (110-330), the old jump traps, the double spring leg hold, Victor power snares. I had piles of traps. I would go out to the local farms and (ahem) help the farmers out. I learned alot and I'm sure I did things the wrong way at first. I gathered experience, and used all those traps in various sets on various animals successfully.
This all happened well over 25 years ago. This year I wanted my license to snare coyotes. I can more than afford the course, money wasn't the issue. I wasn't going to travel all over hells half acre to take a course so I could snare coyotes. Miss my wife, time away from work, no, I'll challenge.I wanted to be legal in Alberta. It's like being a mechanic. I see lots of kids that have read all their manuals and couldn't change a tire. Practice and experience is the key.
As always the wealth of information on this forum in invaluable. Thanks again guys for the help, and Keg for the concern.

Tullfan

[AxiALe]

Is there anyone around the Brooks area that has a manual that i can borrow also !!!!