Timber! How to Hunt Big Woods Bucks in Clearcuts and Selective Cuts
For years I hunted in Randolph County, WV, on land owned by Mead Westvaco which produced a number of brand name paper products. It was...
top of page
Welcome to
THE BIG WOODS BLOG
Search
Ralph Scherder
- Sep 14
- 7 min
Finding Bucks During the October Transition
I had my eye on a particular 10-point all summer, counting down to opening day. The buck came through this little funnel two or three...
32 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 6
- 7 min
Learn to Hunt: Advice for New Bowhunters
My first year of bowhunting was filled with mistakes. Unfortunately, you don’t get many do-overs in the outdoors, but if I only knew then...
15 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 6
- 7 min
Locating Furbearer Funnels and Dispersal Zones
One group of houndsmen in my area runs coyotes all winter long. They’ve been at this game so long that they know all of the crossings in...
29 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Jun 3
- 7 min
Raccoon Trapping: Mountain Bandits
I love mountains. I love the dense stands of pine, the wilderness, the trickle of spring water down steep slopes, and the fresh smell of...
13 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Apr 18
- 6 min
How to Make Rub Sets for Bobcats
Bobcats rarely work sets the way fox and coyotes do. They’re not known to sit on a dirt pattern and work a hole or a backing to get to...
220 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Apr 12
- 7 min
Beyond the Bridges: Trapping Where Others Don't
It was a long climb in the dark from the river bottom to the top of the hill, especially with two raccoons in my pack basket. The top of...
13 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 28
- 4 min
How to Use Grapple Drags on the Trapline
There are many ways to secure a trap. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from wire to rebar stakes to earth anchors. Each method has...
58 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 28
- 4 min
Where Do Big Bucks Come From?
Big bucks don’t fall out of the sky or sprout up from the ground without reason. They are a product of three elements, all of which...
11 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 27
- 5 min
Scouting for Spring Turkeys
It’s that time of year again. Slowly the days start getting warmer and the chance of snow in the forecast grows less likely. Sure, we may...
4 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 25
- 7 min
How to Blend Dirt Hole and Flat Sets
Trappers are taught that eye appeal is everything. Yes, eye appeal at a set can grab the attention of a coyote, but it can also have the...
15 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 23
- 8 min
Do We Have the Right to Hunt and Trap?
Twenty-two states have enacted legislation or amended their constitutions to protect the right to hunt and fish. Many of these amendments...
12 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 21
- 5 min
How to Make Homemade Baits and Lures for Trapping
Every trapper has a little bit of scientist in them, and sooner or later they get the itch to try formulating their own baits and lures....
13 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 20
- 10 min
Trapper Interview: Alan Probst, from Professional Baseball Player to Professional Trapper
Alan Probst was the first to get a national trapping TV show off the ground, and he now hosts North American Trapper. You can view many...
25 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 19
- 7 min
Raccoon Trapping: How to Use DPs (Dog Proof Traps) to Catch Raccoons
Modern dog-proof traps, known as DPs, have revolutionized raccoon trapping. Their effectiveness and simplicity are hard to match. Their...
76 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 18
- 6 min
Mink Trapping: Learning by Observing Mink in the Wild
On a snowy February day, on my way to the Post Office, I pulled up to a stop sign and looked down to the left at a little creek. A thin...
5 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 18
- 8 min
4 Tips to Catch More Fur
Back in March 2020, I attended Mark June’s Predator Trapping Academy (pictured above) in Kansas. One of the key aspects that students...
11 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 15
- 8 min
Trapper Interview: Rich Faler
Rich Faler of Greenville, PA, has been involved in the trapping industry for over 40 years as a writer and editor. He is the author of...
27 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 15
- 7 min
Pockets Full of Fur: How to Make A Pocket Set on the Trapline
I love water trapping. I love walking the rivers, streams, and creeks in search of raccoons, mink, and muskrat. Maybe that’s because it...
8 views0 comments
Ralph Scherder
- Mar 15
- 9 min
Beyond Trappers: How Do We Teach the General Public About Trapping?
In this age of information, it’s now easier than ever for trappers to connect with non-trappers and educate them about our heritage, our...
5 views0 comments
bottom of page