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I must admit that when I first purchased this book it was purely out of curiosity wondering what it could have to offer me, as a time served joiner of some thirty-five years.   In this time I have worked mainly as a bench joiner constructing such things as windows, staircases and doors.  I spent a couple of years working on the building sites and then as a cabinet maker producing everything from grandfather clocks, one off pieces of furniture and four poster beds.  So over the years I have turned my hand to most things carpentry has had to throw at me.  So this book probably wouldn’t have much to offer me but, I try to keep an open mind and feel that there is always something new to learn, be it from men of many years experience or people new to the scene.  Sometimes a new eye can see things that we have all be looking at for years and as the saying goes we can’t see the wood for the trees.

 

So once I opened the cover I was surprised to see this excellent book with drawings that far exceeded anything I have seen before in trapping books.  This has been long awaited by many people.  A modern book, with good quality drawing instead of the reprints we have had for many years.  These are well detailed and easy to read with a text that explains everything in lemans terms. 

 

I particularly enjoyed chapter five – the rabbit drop box, a trap that has seen many variations over the years that has been simplified by John to make construction and transportation easier.  Having made many of these traps over the years myself and always using the weighted door method it was good to see John had also added an alternative of a sprung door.  One of many new twists on an old theme.  John has obviously put a lot of thought into this book before producing it and also adds a number of helpful tips on using the various traps mentioned.  A companion website to the book contains a range of information and photographs, also any updates will be published here as well as experiences, suggestions and feedback from people who have purchased and used the book.  John also has available trap components and accessories on this site.

 

On the cover it says detailed plans for professionals, gamekeepers and smallholders but I think it should also say amateur trappers and people with an interest in all things country, who have wanted to try their hand at making their own traps but need a little push but, that would be a very long and silly title.  There are a lot of folk out there who once having read this book will without doubt be trying their hand at trap making, rusty saws and old hammers will be dug out of sheds all over the country and the vermin population of our countryside, towns and allotments will be in for a bit of a shock. 

 

Whilst reading this book my young apprentice became quite interested in the various traps.  Out of curiosity I asked him if he would like to make some of them without my help to see how easy the diagrams and instructions are to follow.  He had never made a trap or indeed had any interest in the hunting scene so had no idea or experiences of the job in hand. Needless to say, he read his first project, then re-read it and set to and before you know it he had produced a trap that I can honestly say I was surprised to find of such good quality that a local pest controller purchased and then ordered a further three to deal with a pigeon problem in our local town centre.

 

As I have already said this is an excellent book which far exceeded my own expectations and should be on everyone’s Christmas list if not bought beforehand to get this seasons hunting off to a good start.