Wild About Trapping

Now, it is a fact of life that there will be ruthless individuals out there that try to subvert the intentions of honest people. Spammers are one example of this. Spammers are those morally corrupt miscreants that send e-mails asking you to buy pills, pornography, or pre-approved mortgages(!) or any number of other items that their little scams are trying to hawk to unsuspecting consumers.

When you are running an internet bulletin board such as the forums at http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums/, it is a fact of life that spammers will also attempt to post on your site. As a Site Administrator, I have the forums set up to manually approve all new members. It only takes a few seconds to approve or reject someone, which is not really that big of a deal. It is just something that needs to be done, like a cost of doing business.

What I do have a problem with is someone that poses as a genuine member of our fraternity in order to push a product. A prime example of this was a member, going by the handle "jaclinto," who registered a few days ago. Jaclinto's registration threw up no red flags so I approved him.

Well, Jaclinto's first post was in the form of a question something along these lines-- "Anyone have experience working with this stuff? www.camo4u.com - I was wanting to camo my rifle." Seems like a legitimate question, right? Well... it threw up a red flag for me for a number of reasons which I will not divulge here. Still giving him the benefit of the doubt I did a Google search for his user name.

Guess what? 2,940 results.

Nearly all of them for message boards.

After clicking a few of the links I figured out his little game. Jaclinto has some kind of interest in an outdoors equipment company and is spamming message boards in order to drive up his own business.

Now you might say "What is wrong with a link in a forum post?" In most cases, nothing. I have no problems with someone providing a link in a post. I do have a problem with someone that poses as a legitimate member of our community in order to boost his or her own profits. Folks, it is in our Forum Rules and Guidelines-- "Don't post any message that even hints at advertising." If you wish to contact me about advertising, go right ahead, I would be happy to accomodate your enterprise.

When someone makes an attempt such as this, for the sole reason of fooling us into clicking to his websites, when the Forum Rules and Guidelines so obviously state otherwise, this really raises my hackles. After doing a little research into "Jaclinto", I have found out that his name is Jim Clinton, he works for an enterprise known as the "American Association of Christian Counselors" (ironic, isn't it?), he sells CamoClad items for profit on eBay, his e-mail address is jim@aacc.net and through his message board spamming, he hawks items for these known companies and/or products (among others)--

CamoClad
Camo4U
Bosshead-Lite
Head-Lite
FreedomCampfire

Please DO NOT patronize these companies as they are, through Jaclinto's spamming, contributing to the endless string of drivel that we, as legitimate internet users, have to wade through to find helpful information.

If Jaclinto would like to e-mail me to apologize, he can go right ahead. I am waiting.

(To read more about this idiot, click here-- http://www.wild-about-trapping.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1053.)

Wow, it's been a while since I posted on the blog. Trapping season is nearly over and spring turkey hunting season is right around the corner. The Wild-About-Trapping forums (http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums) are all set up and going strong, and we have recently added state-by-state forums to let trappers contact and converse with other trappers from their own areas. I invite you all to come on over to the forums and join in the fun.

Yours in the outdoors- Keith

Howdy everyone, it's been a while since I posted here. Here's hoping you all are having a safe and fun Halloween today.

Well, the whitetail bucks up here in northern Wisconsin are on the verge of the rut, every day now I see a buck or a doe or two running full-bore across the road, trying to put off the inevitable mating season for another week or two. I have been bowhunting a bit, I arrowed a fine antlerless deer a week and a half ago which is now in the freezer. I'll hit it hard in the next couple of weeks while the rut is on. By that time gun deer season will roll around and this fine Wisconsin tradition will be put into the camp journal for yet another year.

The furbearing critters are beginning to prime up now and in the next couple of weeks trapping season should be going full bore also... it is time to hit it, to take to the fields and woods in pursuit of the fur we so like to see... the raccoons, mink, beavers, etc. The sights and sounds this time of year are a wonder to behold.

So, to close, let me wish you all a happy trapping and hunting season this fall and winter, I will check in and write a bit every now and again, so please check back in every so often and see how things are progressing.

Happy Trapping- Keith

P.S. Don't forget! You can get current trapping conditions and chat with trappers from around the world on our trapping forums-- http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums/

Well, I was able to make it to the WTA Convention last weekend at the fairgrounds in Marshfield, Wisconsin. There were lots of vendors, lots of people and the demos were great. I particularly enjoyed the beaver snaring demo by Rally Hess. Rally packs a lot of information into a short time frame and his tips and hints will sure help me on the beaver 'line this winter.

I recommend that if you can make it to a trapper's convention or rendevous, go for it. You will not be dissapointed.

-Keith

I'm happy to announce that I have added a new trapper's forum to Wild-About-Trapping. So come on, join the community and let's chat! The Wild-About-Trapping.com forums.

I hope to see you there! -Keith

Howdy everyone! I hope your trapping preparations have gone well this summer, by now I'll bet most of you are chomping at the bit to get out to your favorite trapping areas.

I've just added a new article to the website called "The Trapping Judge" . Well, two new articles really. Melvin Liston from New Hampshire really outdid himself this time and provided me with a great article about John Yazinski, his life and how he was able to turn trapping into a way of connecting with his son. It's a bit lengthy so I split the article into two sections. It's well worth your time to read. You can check it out at this link-- The Trapping Judge.

Be safe, have a great time on the trap line and check back often.

-Keith

Howdy folks! Here's hoping that all of you had a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend.

I have added a new feature article to the website- "A visit to the fur shed" by Marty Harmon. Marty relates a meeting he had with two seasoned trappers, and the lessons he learned from them. You can check out the article here.

Steve P. from Glenallen, Alaska sent me a picture of himself and his daughter Kara with a nice lynx they trapped last year. The picture is posted in the Lynx and Bobcat Gallery here.

That's all for now, please stay tuned for new updates real soon.

Happy trapping! -Keith