The hot summer sun beats down over a lush green field on a private property in Eagle River, surrounded by acres of woods. It’s not even 9 a.m., but deep in those woods, a group of children from the Future Trappers of Wisconsin Youth Camp are already checking the traps they set the day before.
The popular camp for ages 10-17 has been going strong for over a decade. Held annually at the end of July, it’s based at Trees For Tomorrow and led by volunteer instructors from the Wisconsin Trappers Association (WTA), with support from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The program consists of four days of both classroom and field work that teaches the basics of trapping, with the DNR granting special permission to trap out of season.
“We take 25 kids,” said Mike Kortenhof from the WTA, who was stationed outside the house on the property, which the owners generously allow the campers to use each year for hands-on instruction.
“They have to do a full 12-hour trapper education class. Then we come out here and we teach them how to set traps. It’s a way more in-depth deal than if you just take the class.”
According to the WTA’s website, the camp helps participants become trapper education certified, allowing them to buy and use a trapping license in Wisconsin.
Some of the skills taught include identifying traps and parts, wildlife biology and disease, tracking animal signs, understanding state regulations, and following ethical best management practices, with an emphasis on releasing animals unharmed.
“One of the things we teach is how to humanely trap animals,” said Kortenhof. “You shouldn’t have to harvest them if you don’t have to.”
“When I started trapping years ago, there were no cell phone cameras,” he said. “Now, if you do something wrong, the whole world knows within minutes. One bad trapper can give everyone a bad name — people don’t say that trapper did something wrong, they blame all trappers. So we’re really careful when we send people out. We focus more on teaching what not to do than what to do.”
When animals are harvested, campers also learn proper fur preparation, including skinning, fleshing, and stretching.
“We’re going to teach them how to handle fur,” said Kortenhof, referring to a session scheduled for that afternoon. “Once you catch an animal, you don’t want to waste it. You want to use as much of it as you can.”
He added that the animals used in class are obtained through incidental catches during regulated trapping seasons and are turned in to the DNR. After the class, proceeds from their sale help cover camp expenses such as trailers, equipment, and other necessities.
“People don’t realize there was a time when there were hardly any otters in Wisconsin,” he said. “You don’t go into the woods and call an otter into a box. The only way we relocated them was by trapping them — setting the trap so you don’t hurt them, and bringing them here.”
At about a quarter past nine, the silence on the property is broken by the sound of children emerging from the woods. This year’s camp included kids from all over Wisconsin, along with participants from Michigan and Oregon, and eight instructors.
They pause only briefly before hurrying back into another spot along their trap-checking route. If there’s an animal, they’ll learn how to safely release it. They also learn where and why to set traps, different types of sets, and the importance of leaving the land clean.
Beyond trapping, the camp teaches conservation principles and outdoor survival skills, and includes many elements of a traditional summer camp. In their free time, the kids sit around campfires, go fishing, and, on that particular night, planned to go wolf calling with DNR members.
In just a few summer days spent up north, these campers are making new friends, building confidence, and having fun — all while becoming Wisconsin’s next generation of trappers.
Next year’s youth camp is already sold out, but there’s a waitlist if spots open up. The WTA also offers trapper education classes across the state for those interested in learning more. A women’s trap camp is set for the end of August, and Kortenhof will teach a class for all ages in September. For more information, visit wistrap.org and gowild.wi.gov.
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