You hear all the time about how this community is a family! That trappers have a bond and a respect for one another. How we take joy and pride in helping each other out! I have to admit someday's I don't always see it, but I do anytime Anna Nichols is around. She is our September Kid in trapping!
This little girl stole my heart the first time I met her. I swear she isn't scared of anything, and is so willing to just jump in and learn all she can about this way of life. Anna is from Hamlin New York. She just turned 6 years old and has been trapping for 5 years. Anna's first year on the line was her parents first year as well. Anna is an only child so it was just the 3 of them out there together.
Here our her mother's words about Anna's life as a trapper:
"Opening Day of 2013, Anna was not even 1 year old yet. We set out to set a few traps and try our odds in a local farmers field. The next morning we got up early to go check our odds. Lone behold we had our first coon! Anna watched him like a hawk. We took our pictures and dispatched him. Dad did all the skinning and fleshing that year and Anna would sit and watch while she pet her catch. We kept him and eventually sent him and another coon she caught to have a hat made for her to wear on the line. Anna's love for trapping started that day even though she had no clue what the future held for her. We continued on with our first season to catch 13 more coon, 1 beaver, 1 mink, 1 coyote, 3 muskrat and a bunch of grinners.
Anna's joy continued to grow. We started to attend NYSTA conventions and a few others. We met a lot of amazing people and learned so many new things. Anna has always made a lasting impression wherever she goes and she has done just that within the trapping community. She had been featured in Fur Taker and Predator Magazine along her journey.
Anna got her own trap basket from the national convention in 2015 and she loved having her own. She had asked to paint it and finally decided that she needed it to be pink. Dad set out to find a pink stain and she also got pink straps for it and she was all set. She won some traps at auction and also was given her first DP by Robby Gilbert. Wolf Creek gave Anna a DP cap to complete her set. That year she set put with her basket and traps intent to get her a coon. She used dad's lure and her own marshmallows and helped set her DP in the location she picked. It took a few days but her set finally paid off and she was hooked on trapping coons. Anna went on to begin catching doubles at 3 yrs. old and started to learn how to brush out her fur. Her and her dad started setting for fox that year too. Their total was 4 fox, 12 coons and of course a bunch of grinners. She would wake up early to check her line and still be dressed to impress and to Pre-K on time with awesome stories to tell.
The next 2 seasons proved to be crazy. Between dad being sick and undergoing surgery, a major accident where dad had a broken collar bone and Anna needing surgery we were unable to run a successful line. Trapping still had our full attention and we loved seeing everyone out and pics of all the catches. Now as well oiled machines and everyone in good health the 3 of us will hit that line October 25th and hope to have a kick butt year!"
At 6 years old now Anna is learning to give back to others so they have a chance to learn. She had donated many times to auctions and Kids for Catches for the 1st time this year. She had fun picking out lures and listening to Michael White tell her what someone can use them for.
This year she is getting her own bottles or bait and lures. She is making friends with some amazing people in the business and learning more and more on how to be a successful trapper. I mean how many 6 year old girls can go to school and say they caught a coon this morning! Anna also enjoys archery, fishing and anything that is all girl.
Rest assured folks...this beautiful girl will be part of the future of outdoor for years and years to come and alot of that has to do with the support she has gotten from her fellow trappers along the way!