The Modern Day Trapper: Set-Making Tools of the Trade

Every job, every hobby, every sport, heck, just about every earthly pursuit has its own “tools of the trade.” There is virtually no activity one can think of that doesn’t have some set of “tools” necessary to conduct it successfully. In terms of outdoor sports, some of those tools, such as firearms, game calls and decoys, are shared across disciplines. Trapping is no different, with the possible exception that trappers may employ the most numerous and varied tools of any sportsmen. From tools used to gather set-making materials to tools used to make actual sets to tools used to prepare pelts after the catch, trappers constantly employ different objects that help make the job easier and more efficient…and that’s without mentioning the traps, themselves! There’s virtually no way to highlight all the various items that a trapper uses on their trap lines each season. In fact, I decided not to write about any traps or fur-handling tools, as those subjects are probably two separate articles. However, I’ll attempt to focus on some common and not-so-common set-making tools that will provide a small look into the world of a modern-day trapper and how they ply their trade.

There are many other instruments used throughout the season but focusing on set-making tools provides a decent framework to start the discussion. To make some final cuts on what implements to write about, I decided to poll some current trappers. I asked these trappers what one tool, if any, they find indispensable, as well as asking for a description of several not-so-common tools that they regularly employ.

Kent Weil is a Menard County trapper and prolific writer who sits on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Trappers Association (ITA). He also serves as the National Trappers Association representative for the ITA. I recently visited his farm so we could talk about and view some of the tools he uses.

In terms of set-making, Weil relayed that some of the most important pieces of equipment for him are the various bags, buckets, and baskets that he employs to organize and efficiently transport his small hand tools, lures and baits. He showed me that he separates items into specific carriers based on the types of sets he’ll be making (e.g., water vs. land sets). When transporting larger and heavier items, five-gallon buckets and traditional pack baskets are more likely to be employed, while pack baskets are the “go-to” when making water sets.

Weil made note of the fact that he carries several digging tools for making various types of sets. One is a typical spade used for digging out both water-based pocket sets, as well as land-based dirt hole sets. Another is a more specialized digging tool that has a shovel head on one end and a hoe-type head on the other. Though used for some of the same reasons, it is smaller and more maneuverable than the spade and is mainly used to make sets for smaller traps. Finally, he showed me an 18-inch long, open-ended steel tube that can be hammered into the ground to make a pocket or dirt hole set, depending on the situation.

When asked if he has one tool he finds indispensable, Weil responded that he really doesn’t believe that any one piece of equipment falls into a “can’t live without it” category…though he did say that an extendable pole with a metal hook on the end is one of his most oft-used items and that a catch pole used to control captured animals is also very valuable. As he opined, and I paraphrase, “If I’m making a water set, I can’t really do it without a roll of wire. If I’m making a dirt hole set, I can’t do it without some sort of digging tool. So, I need a variety of tools and one really isn’t more indispensable than another depending on the specific situation.”

Dean Corgiat is an Adams County resident, lifelong trapper, and Site Superintendent for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In a recent interview, we discussed the devices he finds useful on his trap line.

Like Kent Weil, Corgiat relates that he finds a pole with a hook on the end to be a useful tool. He said he can use such an item to retrieve traps that are set on drowning wires, maneuver animals into position to be dispatched or released and even help him climb up and down steep ditch banks, among other uses. Whereas Weil’s hook tool is a commercially available piece of equipment, Corgiat’s hook is self-constructed using an old hockey stick. Corgiat suggested that out of all the tools he employs, he might characterize this hook as his “indispensable” item. He agrees that it is difficult to assign that kind of value to any one piece of equipment and finds tools like catch poles to be commonly necessary. Corgiat, like Weil, also uses a variety of digging tools on his trap line and stated that he, too, employs a combination hoe/shovel digging tool on a nearly constant basis. He also modified a standard spade by cutting off half of the blade. He says this allows him to dig long, yet narrower, holes than would a standard spade blade, which are useful for pocket sets and bait holes.

In terms of not-so-common tools Corgiat employs, he related the importance of the use of various trap stabilizers. Especially for water trappers, trap stabilizers are an absolute necessity, as the traps employed in water sets are often set in soft mud or water. Without stabilizers, it is nearly impossible to keep the trap oriented in the proper fashion to make an efficient catch. Corgiat, who lives and traps areas between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, uses stabilizers on much of his trap line and finds them to greatly increase his efficiency, making them a “must have” for him.

The final interview I contacted was with Kyle Kaatz. Kaatz is a northwestern Illinois trapper who makes his living from trapping; he and his brother own and operate an Illinois-based trapping supply company. I felt Kaatz’s viewpoint would be useful for this article, as it would not only provide his personal opinion on some of the tools he finds important but, because of his business interests, could also speak to what other trappers purchase most for use on their trap lines.

As for himself, Kaatz stated that his most-used tool is likely his dual-purpose shovel/hoe. I noted that this type of tool was also mentioned as a favorite of Weil and Corgiat. He commented that he always carries this tool, regardless of what type of set he’s making and characterized this digger as, “irreplaceable for set construction,” further stating that, “I use it for making everything from dirt holes to castor mounds for beaver.”

Other items that Kaatz believes essential include dirt sifters, wire pan covers and cable stakes. He finds sifters essential for predator trapping because, “there isn’t another reliable and simple means to blend predator sets.” Without effective pan covers, which keep dirt and other debris from preventing the trap from firing, Kaatz submits that predator trapping can be very difficult. He says he uses cable stakes, as opposed to traditional metal stakes, for most of his trapping needs. He claims that some of the widely available cable stake ends can be used with nearly any type of trap and are useful in about “90 percent of situations.”

Kaatz informed me that two of the best-selling items from his company are small dirt augers that can be used with a power drill, as they make quick work of creating dirt hole sets. In his opinion, this item is probably #1 in terms of sales. Coming in second place are cable stake drivers. He said that, because most trappers use cable stakes nowadays, they need some means of setting the cables, making these drivers an absolute necessity.

As I conclude this writing, I’d like to offer my personal perspective on one tool that may qualify as “indispensable” for most trappers. As a kid who grew up carrying traps, stakes and other set-making items along the creek with my Dad, I can fully attest to the seismic change that four-wheelers (ATVs/UTVs) made to modern trapping. In many cases, the ATV greatly lessened or eliminated the need to carry pack baskets loaded with traps and other gear. When checking traps, ATVs allow trappers to potentially carry a whole line’s catch without heading back to the truck. This machine saves enormous amounts of time and energy, allowing modern trappers to run longer lines and cover more ground than ever imagined before their advent or widespread use. Fact is, most modern trappers wouldn’t think of entering the season without a well-running four-wheeler.

As you can see, trappers in the modern world employ a wide variety of tools to pursue their craft. Based on my interviews, it’s clear that some tools, such as the shovel/hoe combo, are widely used across the trapping community. Other implements may not be as common or even commercially available, but each trapper seems to have numerous types of tools in their arsenal, as well. Because of the sheer volume of tools trappers have at their disposal and use on a consistent basis, this article focused on a very small subset of the many implements trappers employ. Knowing that the average trapper uses far more items than discussed here makes me more confident than ever in my belief that trapping is the most tool-intensive outdoor sport of them all.

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Tim Kelley is a wildlife biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. He is based out of the Havana Field Office and his district covers all or parts of five counties in west-central Illinois.