. 
By Walking Beaver
The Arizona Trappers
Association put on two training sessions
in April for the Boy Scouts. The
first one was in Las Vegas, Nevada and
attended by not only Boy Scouts, but also
the Explorer Post, Cub Scouts, and Girl
Scouts-who probably were the most
interested, as their program does not
fully address outdoor activities.
The Scout troops specialize in primitive
skills,
and are very interested in rendezvous
events, trapping and survival skills.
These sessions are very helpful in
presenting wildlife management in a
positive aspect and showing the
participants the different varieties of
fur from the south west. The
Trapper's Handbook is given to troops for
their libraries, and trapping skills are
demonstrated, from the early iron trap ,
weapons, and tools
of
the Mountain Man to what today's modern
trapper is using. The Grand
Canyon Scout Council also has an excellent
Rendezvous Skills Handbook that is used as
a resource by the various Scout troops and
leaders.
The Arizona Scout Rendezvous
was attended by over 2100 scouts and
leaders at the R-C Scout Ranch Boy Scout
Camp located in the pine forest just
outside Payson, Arizona north of Phoenix,
under the
Mogollon
Rim.
The theme was
primitive, with many of the scouts
arriving in capotes, and various theme
attire they had made themselves.
Stations were set up for various events
including blacksmithing, black powder
shooting, archery, tomahawk throwing,
crafts, and trading. Interest and
enthusiasm was high for the attendees.
The first item was to
set up an 1840 period encampment on
Wednesday for the Spring Break Thursday
and Friday sessions. With the help
of two scouts, who had never set up
a canvas tent, all three tents were set
up, and a training area laid out
immediately to the rear of the tents in
the pine trees. Gave the
scouts each a Revolutionary War period
pocket knife and a Rendezvous Guidebook to
thank them for their support. The
encampment had a period pyramid trade tent
with a display of the traps and tools of
the Mountain Man, and a larger lean-to
(Whelan) and a small lean-to. The
trapping instructor in period clothing,
uses all of these tents and tools during
the course of the year, either while
hunting, attending rendezvous events,
scouting primitive wilderness trap lines,
or trapping.
Focusing initially on beaver trapping, tanned beaver pelts are
displayed, and a tanned pelt on a willow hoop used to illustrate the method used by the mountain men to dry the fleshed pelt. Typical scents, including castoreum in a willow stem bottle, Long Distance Call, and gland scent are passed around for the participants to smell. Professionally tanned Raccoon, Fox, Coyote, and Beaver pelts are used as training aids. Reactions are varied, and it is not hard to tell who has the potential to become a beaver trapper...they actually like the smell of the castoreum. Makes you feel warm inside.
The
Arizona Trappers Association was invited
to put on a trapping station, and rather
than do just this, it was integrated into
the 200th year of the American Trapper in
the West. Excellent support was
provided by the Boy Scout Grand Canyon
Council (Mesa District) with meal tickets,
a Rendezvous
medallion and belt buckle, and one of the
more gracious ladies in attendance made
sure lunch was brought down from the
dining hall to the trapping station.
Was even invited to (and accepted) to
attend the Dutch oven cooking contest, as
a judge...pretty good fixings for scouts,
although some of the judges were concerned
about the potential latent laxative
effect.
During the trap station
sessions, it was not unusual to see
several scout leaders standing to the
side, watching and listening to the
presentations. The observation that
there were more wolves on the endangered
species list than trappers brought
interest to the surface that allowed
discussion of why the wolf was eliminated
in the first place to protect livestock,
and the problems related to its
reintroduction. Coyote and mountain
lion game and livestock predation was also
discussed. There is still a feeling
that large bear traps with teeth are used,
and the
snare
used now by animal control was reviewed,
along with its use (where legal) for
predator control.
A standard #3 double long spring, original patent date 1911 and used up through 1990 by most damage control animal agencies is shown and some of the problems related to it are discussed. This is followed by a demonstration of the Montgomery #3 four coil spring with gapped jaws, reinforced jaws and base plate and base swivel adopted in response to the international trap standards. This is demonstrated for both beaver with castoreum lure using a slider on a 10 foot cable connected to a drowning sack filled with gravel and rocks; and, as a dirt hole land set with beaver castor and hamburger with glycerin for bait. This highly efficient trap allows selective trapping with the capability of releasing non-target animals, including ducks. The 330 conibear, developed in Canada, what is referred to as "the largest mouse trap you'll ever see" is demonstrated, and attendees advised it is only used by professional trappers...and even catches them. The smaller 110/120 is also shown, as it has a prominent role in trapping marten and mink.
Attendees, scout leaders,
District council leaders, were all
provided with brochures about modern
traps, an excellent handout developed by
Frank Riggs of the ATA on small animal
(furbearer) tracks that is always well
received, and a copy of the Trappers
Handbook Developed by the NTA and paid for
by FurBearers Unlimited and supplied by
Minnesota Trap Line. NTA
membership applications were given out to
interested parties with a back copy of the
Trapper magazine or the Trapper and
Predator Caller. Several of the
attendees were teachers, and it was
interesting to see their initial antipathy
to trapping turn to genuine interest as it
was placed into context with the history
of the development of the west, and
wildlife management. Probably the
most rewarding aspect of the rendezvous
was knowing that 16 Scout troops, 43 adult
leaders, and 119 scouts walked away with a
positive outlook on trapping and trappers
after the two day April Rendezvous.
When they came to the trapping station,
they arrived all thinking "I thought
trapping was illegal," and left after a
presentation of the Fur Trade Era
(1825-1840),
learning
the fact that the original
Colter's Run
was a naked barefoot event (John
Colter was
also the first American "Streaker"),
mountain men all used flintlocks, and
realizing that today's trapper's are real
people who are more concerned about the
environment than environmentalists profess
to be.
It took a week and a half to recover from all the dust breathed in Payson as the roads were not watered down, and eyes are still sore. The Arizona Trappers Association can say one thing...we got invited back, and that means something. Probably will have more than double the attendance next time from the favorable comments received. Actually enjoyed the rendezvous, even though packing up took all afternoon, and the drive back to Las Vegas that night was a chore. Me and Red Bull made the trip in style and the security on Hoover Dam was very cooperative as the Jeep was loaded so full of equipment there was only room for the driver, and all the tent poles on top was reminiscent of a gypsy caravan. Hell of a good time.
Over night for three nights
in the Panther Primitives "Hunter"
tent with the sheepherder stove, and a hot
coffee pot, made for a good night's sleep,
and the scout's interest fueled the
personal burner. The scout council
leadership was discussing the effects and
distractions of the modern electronic age,
but you quickly find that the 1/2 century
gap between the instructor and the scouts
is quickly bridged by the scent of
castoreum,
a beaver trap in one hand and a pelt in
the other.
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