Beaver, mink, raccoon, and muskrat... a very good day's catch while trapping in north Alabama.

Although my first experience with trapping was bringing home a 'possum at around age 12 or 13, I didn't take up the sport again until the mid 1970's. Most of the following photo's were taken from my 1979 and 1980 trapline when I depended upon it for a living, trapping from my log cabin base camp in central Alabama in the winter, then working for a hunting and fishing outfitter in Alaska for the spring, summer, and fall each year.

It was also during this time that I perfected my skills as a professional trapper and was able to make a living from it thanks to the help and guidance from several valued mentors and friends. These were great years which have affected me ever after but most of all trapping introduced me to a life time of adventure and certainly provided the most perfect excuse to be outdoors learning about the wild that I loved so much.

Note: (Many of the pictures are black & white because I was writing a lot of articles for FUR-FISH-GAME Magazine (and others) and that's what they wanted.)

Choose any of the following links to learn more about my Alabama trapline!

My log cabin base camp was located near Montevallo, Alabama and only 3 miles from the geographic center of the state. Here you'll find a photo/journal from some great trapping grounds in that area.

Here's a few photo's that I shot while trapping with Larry Johnston in south Alabama. Larry was the public relations director for the Alabama Fur Taker's Association and he taught me a ton about trapline management.

One year I secured 10,000 acres to trap exclusively for a large paper corporation along the Tombigbee river in west/central Alabama. I was working for a taxidermist at the time and he suggested that I invite an older fellow named Noah for a partner. It was one of the best moves that I ever made because in just two weeks Noah had given me another education in how to trap.

The Alabama Fur Taker's Association sponsored a couple of very good fur auctions each winter where many buyer's would bid on our labor, usually bringing a top dollar price.

Hunting for ginseng gave me another good excuse for being in the wood's prior to the winter trapping season.

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Beside's being involved with our state trapping organization, I kept busy contacting a lot of member's of Congress fighting for the right's of responsible trapper's. As you'll see I learned another valuable lesson for life... that one single person CAN make a difference!