Find A Pro Trapper With GON’s Statewide List

A creek bottom on a small Morgan County tract produced this in just one night using 16 dog-proof traps. Eight of 16 traps caught a nest raider. How could a turkey nest?

The message in the story “Trapping Works” is testimonial proof that trapping can help grow populations of deer, turkey, quail and rabbits. There are people in this great state who are good at trapping, have the time to do it and are just waiting for you to call them. Those folks are listed in GON’s annual Trappers For Hire list.

When considering a trapping program, it’s not just the headliners—coyotes, foxes and bobcats—that landowners need to think about. Be aware that raccoons and possums have a taste for turkey and quail eggs. Plus, it only takes a few raccoons and one night to gobble up an expensive bag of high-protein deer feed. With a new regulation allowing year-round trapping for these two critters, you may just consider hiring someone for these animals alone. 

What can you expect when hiring a trapper? There’s not a cookie-cutter answer to this. However, there are some generalities for you to know before calling a trapper.

• Many trappers like to run trap lines for 12 to 14 straight days. Even with varmint sign present, that doesn’t mean animals are coming through an area every single night. More nights simply ups the odds.

• With fur prices in the tank, most trappers charge a fee to cover things like gas, baits and equipment expense. You are also paying for their valuable service and all the years they’ve put into learning a meticulous trade.

• Some trappers prefer to trap alone to keep scent down and to help them focus on making sets. Also, many who trap will ask for limited interference on the property when they are working. For many landowners, this means after deer season only, which limits their opportunity to hire one of these guys. 

Consider a call today to make a trapping reservation before these guys get booked up.

If you’d like to be considered for inclusion on the Trappers For Hire list, GON needs the following information before being added: Name, Phone Number, County You Live In, Counties You Will Trap and Months You Will Trap.

Also, we need your Commercial Trappers License Number. Whether you only trap in December-February, or you trap coyotes and beavers year-round, you must have a current Commercial Trappers License and a number through WRD. We are not going to publish this number, but we do want to verify that you have one and that your information is current. Please include your number.

Send all trapping information to [email protected] or call 800.438.4663. This listing will also be updated regularly at GON.com/hunting/trappers-for-hire. 

Listings in GON’s Trappers For Hire list are not an endorsement from GON.