Jan 27, 2018 5 min read

PINE GROVE – Fur-taker David Mease, Jr. grew up during the heyday of Pennsylvania trapping seasons. Being raised on a farm in the Pine Grove area where his family kept chickens, and learning from his older cousins with whom he often tagged along, running a trap line has been part of his life since he was about 7 years old.

“All four of my cousins dabbled in trapping, but Chuck Nagle was the most die-hard and ultimately gave me the itch to try it for myself,” Mease said. “I started out making simple cubby sets for opossums and skunks, but I really wanted to expand into coon and fox, so I picked up a copy of ‘Trapping North American Furbearers’ by the late S. Stanley Hawbaker.

“I read that book and carried it like a bible. My trapping tactics improved, and from that point, I was hooked for good.”

Since then, Mease has enjoyed a long, successful trapping career, catching red fox, gray fox, raccoon, coyote, beaver, opossum, skunk, muskrat and mink. His favorite animal to target is red fox because of its especially elusive nature.

In addition, Mease owns and operates Mountain Trail Trophies, a Pine Grove-based business that specializes in custom skull whitening, antler mounts and turkey displays on hand-built plaques.

“I love the battle of wits it takes to nab a sly old fox,” Mease said.

“Especially when they walk all over my set, but just don’t quite hit the sweet spot, or when they dig me up because I was sloppy and didn’t have my trap bedded tightly or got lure on the trap.

“Adjustments you constantly have to make and the things you do to try to think like your target animal is a real challenge.”

Despite a record-low fur market, Mease finds the challenge fun.

“Low prices actually forced me away from trapping for several years,” Mease said, “I took advantage of that extra time to hunt more and start a family, however, realizing the fur market may never rebound, and really missing the extra time in the woods and the challenge of trying to outwit foxes and an occasional coyote, I decided to resume my passion for trapping once again.

“That passion and challenge is what drives me to continue to trap every year, even though I know all the time, supplies and gas exhausted usually won’t be outweighed by a pocket-full of cash at the end of the season. There is just something about getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning like a kid at Christmas and wondering what will be waiting for me each day that I really love.”

It is good that Mease and others like him continue to keep the tradition of trapping alive in Pennsylvania, even if it is not as financially rewarding as it once was.

Fur takers play a vital role in both society and the ecosystem.

“With the constant loss of habitat due to housing and development, all the animals in the circle of life from mice to coyotes are left with fewer available acres to survive and thrive every year,” Mease said. “Rabbits have enough trouble eluding the aerial attacks of hawks and owls, so the last thing they need is an over-abundance of fox and coyotes.

“That’s where trappers come in – we help control the predator numbers, allowing some of these smaller animals to survive. With mange becoming more and more prevalent every year, and with rabies being an ongoing issue, and the fact that no one wants to let their dog or cat out of the house and have it killed or bitten by a fox or coyote, trappers remain pretty important.

“Farmers benefit the most from trapping, as we assist in controlling the numbers of raccoons that can wreak havoc on a standing crop of corn. Fox and coyotes can destroy silage bails, exposing them to the weather and ultimately costing the farmer a ton of food for their livestock.”

Mease attests that trapping comes with a balance, too. He makes it a point to not over-trap an area and releases non-target animals from modern foothold traps unharmed.

“It is important to keep these numbers in check, and trapping is a perfect way to keep these issues from getting out of hand,” Mease said. “Some people feel that trapping is cruel, but with today’s traps and the regulations we live by here in Pennsylvania it is actually a very humane way to control fur-bearing populations.

“For example, I enjoy a quick 2-3 day trap line for beaver every year, where I try not to take too many each time and I release the smaller ones. This ensures there is a sustainable population for the future, and actually helps reduce their competition for food.”

To Mease, trapping is more than just catching critters, and the intrinsic rewards alone make it all worthwhile.

“The greatest aspect of trapping is the extra time it allows me to enjoy the outdoors,” Mease said. “The things I see along the line, the sunrises and the wildlife can never be replaced, and I also enjoy taking along new trappers and introducing kids to the sport.”