Gas prices affecting you?

[Thumper]

Hey, I've heard a lot of rumbling from some trappers that they may limit or not trap at all this fall due to the price of gas.  Some places it has doubled from one year ago. I want your opinions, will it affect you and your line? Do any of you plan on limiting your lines, have a shorter season or not trap at all?

 :shock:

Thumper

[jim-NE]

For a number of years I trapped out of the trunk of a 1995 Toyota Tercel car. It had a 4 speed manual transmission, and I got nearly 40 miles to the gallon out of it with some adjustments to the setup.
Then the Mrs. traded it in on a 2003 Dodge Dakota 4x4 quad cab for me, and I've used that the last 2 seasons. It was a nice truck, and the 4-wheel drive feature was really nice to have, but it was a pig on fuel. Best I ever got out of it was 15 miles to the gallon, and it had a 6 cylinder magnum engine.
Just traded that truck back in on a 2002 Saturn SL1 series (small car-4 door) with a 4 cylinder. Now I am back in the 35 mph game.
Economically speaking, this just made sense. I commute to work about a 40 mile round trip, 5 days per week. The forward futures curve on fuel will put gasoline at around $4.00 near December (around trapping time) and will hold there for some time, or fall back but not back below $3.00 per gallon. It is presently at $3.20 in my small town. The switch to the car will save me nearly $2,000 in gasoline per year alone. I am also saving nearly $200 per month in payments, taxes, and adjusted insurance premiums. Yes, the truck for me was an ideal way to haul critters and equipment. But when it comes to saving myself over $4,000 a year in straight operating costs, I'm back to driving a small car and hoofing it back into the sections to trap. I'll be parking along the road or in a driveway off the road, and hoofing it back in, as I did for years anyway, this upcoming season.
Besides, I could use the excercise and a notch or two off of my beltline anyway.
jim-NE

[IlliniTrapper15]

Its gunna slow me down a little bit but not too bad :|

[Asa Lenon]

One can get by with a small car for trapping if the want to or have to.  Growing up, my Dad trapped big time with a 1942 Mercury.  It may have been a bigger car for the time but was very, very small by today's standards. Dad carried traps and equipment in a box on car top carriers and took the rear seat out for more animal hauling room. I've seen 21 coyotes along with several bobcats and several fox at one time piled into that Mercury's trunk, back seat and a space in front of the radiator. No 4 WD's in those days and no come-a-longs either so Dad carried a chain falls to get out of mud holes etc. Also, there is a picture of my Dad that I use on my animal lures price-list of Dad with 10 coyotes tied to his Model T.  Four coyote are on top of the car, two on the hood and two on each front fender.  Ace

[steven49er]

I agree with Ace.  For a water trapper like me with a little land trapping mixed in a car is plenty.  Bought my first truck a coupel years ago and will rarely use it.  When I do it is mainly because I like the way they sit up higher and gives you a different perspective of the country side.

Have had the trunk full of beaver many times with my equipment in the back seat and maybe even a critter or two.  

These higher gas prices will change my practices a little.  I will have to run my line more like a business.  No more "monkeying" around like setting a trap in a far off spot just to see what will happen.  Either going ot make it "pay" or dont do it.

[pintaildrake]

the gas prices are not gonna affect my bro and i, that is why we keep every possum!  esp now, one possum = one gallon of gas, and a few cents left over.