A Brief Overview of Free Trappers
By Rod Petersen
The mountain men have captivated the American mind since their short rise to fame in the early to mid-1800s. through their sheer willpower, the mountain men were able to conquer the elements and wilderness that were previously believed to be untamable. It is from these men that we have the amazing stories of people like John Colter, Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, and many more. This article looks at the association of these mountain men as trappers, as it does relate somewhat to those of modern guides.
As a trapper in the early 1800s American West, there were only a few ways someone could enter into the trapping landscape. The most common way was to join a fur company. The most famous being the Hudson Bay Company. Yet, there were others such as The American Fur Company, The Rocky Mountain Fur Company, and The Pacific Fur Company.
These companies would furnish the individual trapper with a license to trap, as well as offer them traps and supplies at a somewhat reasonable price, and the protection of the company in dangerous territory. Strength in numbers tended to benefit the mountain men when traveling through territories that they were not welcome in, such as the Blackfeet or other Native tribes, as well as other rival fur companies. (Read more on the Battle of Pierre’s Hole to understand this delicate relationship between the Blackfeet and the mountain men).
Although the benefits of working with a company often assisted the trappers in surviving their first season out West, it came with some limitations. Oftentimes, trappers became indebted to the company they worked for, by racking up a large bill of goods to continue their beaver expeditions. Another limitation was that trappers were only permitted to sell their furs back to the company they worked for. This hampered the individual trapper’s ability to profit from the sale of his furs, as companies usually set a price at the beginning of the season. This pricing was decided by taking into account the number of pelts being expected that season and was always in favor of the company.
There was however a select few mountain men who were known as free trappers. Free trappers were mountain men who had purchased their autonomy from a fur company by buying their own licenses and equipment. Being a free trapper allowed them to travel more extensively throughout the West, as well as sell their furs to whoever was paying the highest price at the time. With the high demand for beaver pelts driving the trapping trade to an all-time high in the 1820-1830s, a free trapper could make his fortune in a single season or two trapping in the Rockies.
The free trappers had fewer company limitations as previously mentioned, but also gained new individual challenges to overcome. Being a free trapper often meant working alone or remotely, as they no longer had the protection of a company. Being a free trapper also meant that the individual was responsible for fixing and replacing all broken or missing gear to continue each season. The cost of each trip was solely on the trapper himself.
Even though there were more risks involved with working as a free trapper, the freedom and chance to get out on one’s own, and make a fortune in furs, held enough of an allure that many mountain men took up the chance and set out on their own.
