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trapper

/ˈtræpər/
/ˈtræpə/
IPA guide

Other forms: trappers

A trapper is a person who hunts animals using snares or traps. When Europeans first colonized North America, trappers often traded animal furs and skins with Native people.

When you imagine a trapper, you may think of Davy Crockett and his famous coonskin cap, made from the skin, fur, and entire tail of a trapped raccoon. Today's trappers may dress differently, but they still hunt or capture animals using a variety of traps. Some trappers work removing garden pests like squirrels and groundhogs, while others hunt for food or fur.

Definitions of trapper
  1. noun
    someone who sets traps for animals (usually to obtain their furs)
    see moresee less
    types:
    coureur de bois
    a French Canadian trapper
    type of:
    hunter, huntsman
    someone who hunts game
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