Trapping isn’t easy. It is both mentally and physically challenging. When I first started trapping, I soon learned that I was unable to set traps with my hands. Between the arthritis in my right hand and just being too weak, I struggled to set traps of any kind. I could barely set a No. 1 foothold, and a No. 2 or No. 3 was out of question. I was sorely annoyed that I had to rely on my husband to set my traps. After all, there is something very satisfying about completing the whole process and being successful at trapping. I wanted to do all of it, and not just spray the urine on the stump.

When I decided I was going to set my own traps, I learned that I could stand on the levers of the trap which allowed the jaws to open so that I could set the dog, the piece of metal that flips over the top of the jaw and under the pan notch. The dog made it more difficult to hold the trap down with my feet while trying to set the trap. I felt like a contortionist trying to get that trap set, and it usually took me more than a couple tries to get everything to fall into place.

I’d do this in my garage, and then I would put ties on my trap to keep it open until I made my set. I’d transport the traps to my spot, and then cut the ties before I covered my trap with dirt. Occasionally, my plan would fail and the trap would trigger, so I’d have to do the process all over again out in the woods, only using a rock or something hard enough to allow the trap to open fully. This method wasn’t particularly kind to my traps and sometimes bent them. I think I spent as much time fixing the dog and trying to get the pan flat as doing my whole set.

As my husband and I watched a Canadian trapping show, we learned about dogless traps, and the slickest foothold trap setters ever. Dogless traps are just what they imply–there’s no dog on the trap. The trap setters are called Maine Trap Setters. I’m still amused that it was Maine ingenuity that came up with these. If you don’t have them, get them. They’re about $30, and in my opinion, they’re worth every penny. They also work with my regular traps, which is nice since I will still use them.

Using my fancy Maine Trap Setters, I can literally set a No. 2 or No. 3 trap anywhere, and then hold the trap with one hand when I do it right.

The dogless traps work in such a way that once they’re open, you simply pull up on the pan to hold the jaws open. Then, making sure your fingers are in the right place and out of the jaws range, you simply press on the pan until you hear a click. You’re done. The trap is ready. The only time I’ve had issues is when I tried to set the trap after waxing them. The excess wax make the trap fire prematurely. I’ll scrape the pan where it meets the trap and then everything works as it should.

This year, I went all out and bought a dozen more dogless traps to go with the four we already had. As I become more proficient in setting my traps, I can focus more on the logistics and planning my sets.

If you’re considering trying trapping, don’t get overwhelmed. Do it for the challenge. Get creative and start small by focusing on ,one or two animals that you want to catch. Find out what works and what doesn’t, and be ready to make adjustments. Most of all, make it fun. There’s nothing more exciting than making your first catch.