A Couple of Nice Stories

Beverly Mohn teaches water trapping methods at the Schuylkill County trapper training school.

I read a couple of nice stories about trappers this weekend. If you have a few minutes, they are worth a read.

Steve Gilliland wrote a piece for The Kansan on the Kansas Fur Harvesters’ annual fall convention that he attended this weekend. He reflected on the experience and on trapping in general:

“Yes, we are trappers; part of a waning breed that once helped shape our
country. We are at the same time sportsmen, conservationists, public
image technicians, innovators and teachers. We trap in the farm country
of the Midwest rather than in Rocky Mountain streams, we drive pickups
rather than ride horses and pack mules, we wear jeans and overalls
rather than buckskin, and we use modern day traps rather than the
antiques of our ancestors, but our spirits remain the same.”

And Connie Mertz of the Daily Item in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, wrote a story about the Mohns, a family of trappers from the Hamburg, Pennsylvania area. Brian Mohn, the father of the three trapping daughters featured in the story, is the District 11 Director of the Pennsylvania Trappers Association. His daughters not only have an interest in trapping and in teaching it to others, but they also work to educate non-trappers on the importance of the sport:

The girls know full well
that not everyone agrees with trapping, and each of them is quick to
defend it. “Trapping is frowned on by people in general,” Beverly said.

Now a student at Lincoln Tech in Allentown,
she refuted a teacher who said it was wrong to trap red foxes because
they were scarce. “She was surprised when I corrected her, saying that
southeast Pennsylvania and Maryland have the largest population of red
fox in the country.”

Carolyn takes time to explain the benefits
associated with trapping. “I tell them how it helps with population
control, and helps to control diseases of rabies or mange. It is also a
tradition that goes deep into American history, and it is great to know
that I am continuing this tradition.”

Judy thinks that people are opposed to it because they have been told horror stories. “They are not educated about it.”

I hope you’re having luck out on your traplines. Send in stories and photos to jared.blohm@fwmedia.com and I’ll post them up on the blog.

Related Posts

  • No Related Posts Found

Leave a Reply