I didn’t know bear trapping was much of an occupation these days but it is, I met some trappers in person.

From the picnic table I heard something about “When we trap the bear…”  So I naturally got curious and went over for a tour of how 21st century bear trapping works.

 

Krystal showed me the secret tent pegs hidden inside of the bunches of pine needles. I was still a little confused and I guess it showed on my face.

I asked how it would trap the bear. 

The bear will think it’s a garden, he’ll bite the pine needles and break his teeth on the tent pegs in there

I interrupted, I had to, “What about his claws?” I asked.

Oh, he’ll hurt his paws on the tent pegs.

Then I was shown the snare. They could tell I didn’t know what I was looking at so they explained. The pink string is the snare, it‘s placed strategically close to the ground so that the bear will trip and fall into the trap.

 

I pretty well understood the mechanics of bear trapping now but I had more questions. What do you do with the bear once you have this bear who just tripped, broke his teeth from biting tent pegs and has hurt paws?

 

“Well,” Lillie said “If it’s a girl we’ll take it home and get baby bears.”

I think I laughed, but I caught myself. Ah-hem Yes baby bears. Um how are you going to take this mama bear home? Oh, Let me guess she’ll fit in the back of your mini van and you and your parents will all ride home together?

Lillie and Krystal both grinned and said Yeah at the same time.

I think I was really starting to picture the whole thing and said “I can see it, everyone will want to come over because you’ll be the house with the baby bears that sit on the porch.”

Yeah, cause we’ll have baby bears!

 

 

 

Then Lillie told me “Well, we’ve never actually been successful at trapping a bear. One time we built a trap and baited it with a Cheeto.”

I asked how well that worked.

“Well, a squirrel took our bait.”

“Did you SEE the squirrel take it?”  I asked

“Yes!” They both said

 

And we all laughed.

 

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