When Were the Trappers Most Active?

Mountain men were most common in the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 through to the 1880s (with a peak population in the early 1840s). Approximately 3,000 mountain men ranged the mountains between 1820 and 1840, the peak beaver-harvesting period.

When was trapping popular?

In the United States, fur trapping was a very popular industry as pioneers settled the land. Fur trapping and trading occurred as early as the 1600s in North America, and in 1670, the fur-buying company Hudson's Bay Company was founded in Canada [source: Wild About Trapping].

What did trappers do in the 1800s?

They hunted wild game for food and wore clothing made of animal skins. Some trappers did work alone. However, most worked for fur companies that sent trappers out in small groups. Few had to face the dangers of the wilderness by themselves.