The box trap was once common in rural areas and small towns. I built my first trap in the 1960’s when only about 11 years old. I remember the challenge of taking scrap pieces of lumber and building a trap to set in the over-grown fields near my house to catch rabbits and opossums. I remember the excitement of setting my first trap with the hope that something that I had built could really catch a wild animal. As a kid I fell asleep many nights with the anxious anticipation of morning. I couldn’t wait to get up and check the trap for the prize that might be awaiting me.

The wooden box trap is becoming a thing of the past. Manufactured wire cage traps have replaced the box trap and modern life generally places little value on a wild rabbit for food or an opossum for the skin. I hope this video will keep the box trap from being forgotten and allow others to enjoy some of the pleasures I have had with these traps.

- Ed Kelly