# Trappers tools of the trade, carrying afield.



## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

Great knowadge has been gained reading about flat, hole and log or stone set. No one has talked much about how they carry their tools to their trap sets. Drills n augers, catch poles, dirt and scents, tarps, traps, water........ 50lbs later - i'm tired just thinking about it.

O.k, i havent set one trap but the engineer in me and being an avid backpacker, i'm already thinking about how to cut weight and organizational skills for my bucket. I plan to add a bucket caddy for plastic bags, scents and coffee filters and possibly sheeps wool. Inside my bucket is sonething i am having a hard time figuring out though. Dirt, (if needed) traps, steaks and tarp. How do you guys carry your stuff in the field and if you could, please be specific about your organization. It will help me figure out
just how you guys save time and energy. Thank you in advance.


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

I watched the flat set variations cd and Charles did a good job describing
what he carries in hi buckes. I did notice one thing though, he had a pick ax
typ of hammer that he carried. Are these available and what do they normally cost? Thanks, Neal


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## Windnots (Apr 16, 2005)

I used a five gallon bucket set inside of an "Alice" pack for a few years. It worked O.K. until about the third time I tried to sling it over my shoulder and a strap let loose. Then I had to spend ten minutes collecting all the stuff I scattered. Since my sets are close to roads and drivable trails I just carry the bucket now. I still have the 5 gallon bucket inside of the alice pack I just carry it now. When it gets colder I'll carry a second 5 galolon bucket of peat moss. Then when I get to my set I'll walk back to the truck 3 or 4 times to get the stuff I forgot to put in my bucket. Actually I should be the last person to give advice on efficiency and order on the trap line, my trap line resembles a goat rodeo.


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

haha im the same way... i cant give advice on this...im still trying to figure out the best way... i have an old metal frame thing i have been carrying and then i also do a couple buckets... 1 for dirt... and one for supplies with my traps on my back in my pack basket in some type of scent proof thing, garbage bag or plastic bag... or somethin


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

I thought this would be a great thread and i would get a whole bunch of good info, instead i find that you guys are as discombobulated as i am and i haven't even started yet. Neal


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

i made a thread a while back about a pack basket... you could look that up... there was some pictures i think...i think it might have been title pack basket or what pack or something like that.... think it had some info how to carry stuff....

you could also look up those type of threads on trapperman...


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## Fur-minator (Nov 28, 2007)

This is what I use. It fits snuggly into my otter sled for snow trapping. I will try to post a picture of the whole setup.


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Neal,

From one engineer to another, I wear a clean pair of hips boots to make my canine sets. I kneel in front of the set and don't use a pad.

I like a fairly large sized shifter and if I need to transport any dirt away or to the set from a nearby anthill, I put some wax paper in the bottom of the shifter to keep the material in.

There are surprising few items that I need to carry to the set location. Two or three traps and their anchors. A large sized hatchet, to chop up the ground and to drive anchors. A strong hand garden trowel, bent to the size I want to make my dirt hole. I use a mouse sized hole for fox and a ground squirrel sized hole for coyotes.

A roll of wax paper, cut to the length needed to fit just inside the jaws of the traps I am setting.

I like a good sized dirt shifter, 8" x 12" with 2' or 3" sides.

All this goes into a clean five gallon plastic bucket.

On the outside of the bucket I have a lure pouch attached for the lures, scents and baits.

I have never weighed the fully loaded bucket, but it can get fairly heavy with three #3 coilsprings and six 18" rerod stakes! Going with cable anchors will make a big weigh reduction, which I have started to transition to in recent years.


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## BlackCoyote (Sep 11, 2006)

I guess it depends on your line(s)and there set up...

Some of my long farm lines are run from my truck, or my atv. Which i use totes, buckets and other things to organize my stuff. 

If your walking your land line,then a good back pack is handy. I use a surplus army pack. I carry up a few extra traps, my hatchet, cable stake driver, pliers, wire, wax paper cut to fit then flatten the roll to save space. Lures, pee and other things are in the side pouches. Skinning knife and rubber gloves in case I need to field skin an animal. A couple chunks of rope tie up coyotes to make them easier to carry. A bread bag with waxed dirt in freezing conditions usually gets me 4 new sets. 

Water line I use my pack basket for walking which I've divided off into 2 main compartments and added some extra pouches for lure, extra wire, so on. 

Buckets in the canoe, strapped down...

Best of luck.


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

Like i said earlier, i watched Charles Dobbins video and he wen't through the bucket set up. Ir helped out allot to just see what he had and how he handled his equipment and scent control. I think i will be fine now so i'm waiting until the convention to purchase the remainder of my stuff. Then it's off to the races, but i still plan to start out slow and just set 12 to 20 traps. I'm thinking that might be all i can handle with work and all. Neal


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

During the years I've trapped I've sort of come full circle. I started with a pack basket and used them for a long, long time. Then I went to a pail, then to a tool bag, and now I'm back to a backpack of my design.

The tool bag worked pretty well. It had a lot of pockets and kept things organized and uncontaminated for a canine line. The problem with it was I either carried it by the hand straps or shoulder strap meaning you had to use at least one hand regardless. It made life kind of tough carrying a peat pail, the trap bag, AND a coyote across the field to the truck. Sure, I could make multiple trips but that's not my style or desire when trapping canines. The less tramping around the better is my MO. I even used my homemade deer buggy but that was just more stuff to screw with, stack, and keep held down.

So now I'm back to a backpack or a spin-off of a pack basket with better shoulder straps. As you can see it's made of two old milk cases, an ALICE frame hooked up using cable ties. It weighs 11lbs on the nose with the old Cabela fanny pack that holds my lure & urine. I've already given it several test runs with my normal amount of gear I need to haul to my canine set locations including my peat pail which fits very well inside the backpack. I do have to add a chest strap but it's virtually hands-free, meaning I can now carry out a couple of coyote or ****!

The tool bag in the photo is now my water-line tote because it doesn't tip!! I learned long ago that buckets on a water line don't get it at all unless you like to keep watching them tip over so you can feel/hunt for your gear that's now under muddy water. Sure, I may have to make repeated trips to haul out **** but that doesn't give me a concern as it does with coyote.


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## mhodnettjr (Jan 30, 2005)

I keep all of my scent free things in the bucket (trowel, sifter, modified hammer, anchors, tools for onthe line trap adustments), and all of my baits, lures, urines in the pockets on the sides. I have two straps screwed into the top and bottom for backpack like carry.

Mike


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## anon21511 (Jan 13, 2006)

I use the exact setup that Seldom posted a picture of. Made mine of the same frame & crates 8-10 years ago, and haven't had to do anything to it. It's lightweight, doesn't hold water, you can hang tons of stuff on it, and if you ever spill a bottle, just take the pressure washer to it. 
Seldom, thanks for posting that pic. I've wanted to several times when answering this subject, but didn't have the ability.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

> Seldom, thanks for posting that pic. I've wanted to several times when answering this subject, but didn't have the ability.


LOL! Maybe I should be thanking you Birdhunter! I'd heard about this setup somewheres but couldn't remember who, when, or where but it stuck in the back of my mind that it made a lot of sense. It was probably from you!


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## LarryA (Jun 16, 2004)

I keep our traps segregated in different plastic crates in the back of my truck. Canine traps and cable stakes are kept away from all other traps. Years ago I used a pack basket, but now I use a 5 gallon pail that has never seen the inside of anything or have been touched.

I have a pair of gloves that are clipped with a plastic clothes pin to the wire part of the handle. The only thing that gets touched without gloves is the clothes pin. Inside the bucket I have a very old hand axe, trowel, sifter, unbleached aired-out coffee filters. The lures and urine are stored in a outside pouch just like Mr. Duncan. I will put 2-3 traps into the bucket with cable stakes and off we go.

We also use a second bucket for soil during winter trapping.


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## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

Used this set up last year worked real well for me. Used the bag for my new sets and trapping out of the truck. Used the bucket for sets I had to walk to. Next year I'm going to lose the bucket.

Griff


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