Trapping plays a role in fighting the overpopulation of various species
By Dylan Schwartz,Staff WriterSep 7, 2025
MECOSTA — Boots scraped pine duff and trap pans clicked as instructors walked a semicircle of newcomers through modern trapping and predator calling.
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The Free Trapping and Predator Calling Seminar ran 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Mecosta County Rod and Gun Club, 10600 11 Mile Road in Mecosta.
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Breakouts covered trapping basics, advanced techniques, rules and regulations and predator calling. Admission and lunch were free.
Hands-on stations moved from water to land sets with instruction on bait, trap placement and species behavior.
“We’ve been running this trapping and predator calling seminar for about 10 years,” Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association seminar coordinator Carl Meissner said.
Volunteers emphasized stewardship alongside skills, describing foothold traps and release methods for non-target catches.
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“To get an animal to step on a two inch diameter circle from everywhere is a challenge,” Meissner said.
Instructors also covered legal do’s and don’ts, including the prohibition on disturbing marked equipment.
“It’s called trap tampering, and you can be cited for it,” Meissner said.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources used the event to push education for new and young outdoors users.
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“That is mainly our goal, to incorporate everybody with trying to make sure the natural resources are there for years to come,” Michigan Department of Natural Resources marketing and outreach staffer Emma Allen said.
Organizers framed fur as a natural material and the seminar as a way to reduce mistakes in the field.
“This is a renewable resource,” Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association President Joe Velchansky said. “The cruelest thing we can do is fail to manage the wildlife.”
Predator callers highlighted year-round management where legal and effective.
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“It’s integral to everything across the board,” Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association public relations director and predator caller Merle Jones said.
Leaders said hunting and trapping during the short fur window cannot manage prolific species alone.
“If you were to try and manage that just with the hunting and trapping tools during the time of year when fur is good, which is about a three month window, there’s no way that we can get enough hunters and trappers active across the state to be able to manage that population,” Jones said.
For attendees, the draw mixed community with practical problem solving.
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“It showed us that there’s a really strong community with these people,” attendee Jessica Klotz said.
Klotz, who traveled from Carleton, Michigan, said instruction helped her family connect lessons to real results.
“It taught us a lot, and we were able to leave that weekend and we hunted our first coyote,” attendee Jessica Klotz said. “It’s worth the three hour drive.”
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By day’s end, the message returned to education, rules and keeping wildlife healthy for the next generation.
“It’s something that gets you out, keeps you connected, get your kids out,” Meissner said.
Exposing the Big Game 