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Post by kevthebassman on Jul 10, 2007 22:09:02 GMT -6
I've been talking to the local forestry guy about trapping some public land, and he says that the biggest issue there was bunny-huggers taking traps. Said that even forestry service traps set for problem beaver were disappearing.
Is there any way to prevent this sort of trap theft? I'm new to trapping and can't afford to loose a bunch of my traps to some bunny-hugger who can't stomach trapping.
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Post by SteveCraig on Jul 10, 2007 22:35:04 GMT -6
Kev, It would be nice if you listed your location in your profile for us here. Steve kinda wants that if you know what I mean. Makes it easier to talk about stuff if we all know what state you live in. thanks in advance. Steve
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Post by kevthebassman on Jul 10, 2007 23:42:13 GMT -6
Hadn't gotten around to it yet. Should be fixed now.
So any ideas???
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Post by Bristleback on Jul 11, 2007 0:27:31 GMT -6
Check very early.
Keep YOUR sign to a bare minimum........tire tracks pulling over, boot tracks.......
Slide your critters off the trails, it's amazing how far you can slide a critter out of the way.
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Post by billkasten on Jul 11, 2007 5:56:25 GMT -6
Catch them if you have the time and have them prosicuted . No excuses accepted . I'm getting tired of giving up my rights to everybody else. Now if there's alot of dog hunters using an area its best not to set land traps ,but water traps shouldn't be a problem . We have State Game Lands here in Pa. were they stock pheasents in most of the fields so knowing that I stay away from them.
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Post by kevthebassman on Jul 11, 2007 11:39:16 GMT -6
Is there anything I can do to make water sets harder to steal?
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Post by Stanley on Jul 11, 2007 11:47:07 GMT -6
Think like a theif. Theive's are lazy. Most go after the easy stuff. That little extra distance. Make a dummie set. Make it look like another theif beat him to it. Have eveything look like a set, but no trap. Even have a peice of wire wrapped around a log, and cut it. And I like all of Bristleback's sugestions.
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Post by SgtWal on Jul 11, 2007 15:29:31 GMT -6
A common "Johnny Sneakum" is a lazy dude for sure. However the true bunny huggin' monkey wrencher is a hard worker. They will study you and your route like they do the fur farms before a raid. They DO NOT want your catch. They will try to hit after you run the line to stop any more catches. Your best bet is a low profile. Hidden sets with long drowner wires, even on body grips. Odd hour checks. No pattern to your times or route, stuff like that. BUT. Unless you KNOW you are a target, that stuff is a pain in the Butt. And usually the first sign you've been spotted and targeted is a lot of missing traps.
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Post by Jeffrey on Jul 11, 2007 16:39:09 GMT -6
Here's what I'm going to do this year, to make my yote traps more difficult to steal. I'm putting bullet cable stakes on all traps where there may be a problem, and I'm welding all connectors shut as in rivets, s hooks and such so they will have to work for it.
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Post by Woodsmoke on Jul 11, 2007 19:12:29 GMT -6
Use disposables - I like the IDS pipe stakes - and make them up using 1/8" cable or better yet chain. Drive them as deep as you can get them. Have you swivels welded shut to prevent scumbag from opening them to get the trap.
Where you can't stake use drags to let the animal hide itself, or cable off to something BIG using 1/8" cable with adjustable ends. Loop it around it self so that there is no obvious connection to open up - lot of thieves are stupid.
Use sets that are not obvious to everybody and their brother - flat sets and blind sets. Keep eye appeal to a minimum.
And finally - to repeat what Bill Kasten said - CATCH EM AND PROSECUTE THEM!
Good Luck
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Post by robertw on Jul 11, 2007 20:04:50 GMT -6
They can not steal what they can not find, keep your sets invisible. If you can tell there is set there so can some one else. Keep your sets natural looking and low profile, also only set where the catch can be hidden or slid out in deep water, you will catch more fur this way anyway.
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Post by kevthebassman on Jul 11, 2007 20:54:38 GMT -6
Lots of great suggestions, thanks guys.
Now, being a greenhorn and all, could somebody point me in the direction of where I could read up on making sets with drags or long drowner wires? Like equipment needed, how-to's and such.
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Post by robertw on Jul 11, 2007 21:57:03 GMT -6
Kevthebassman, You would be money and time ahead to hang out on this forum and read it. There is "some" good information available in books but...you will find better information right here if you monitor this forum.
I would also suggest attending the FTA 7B fall convention in Indiana in late September if you can. There will be some demos there that will drastically shorten your learning curve.
Good luck.
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Post by mr. finch on Jul 11, 2007 23:59:44 GMT -6
out of sight out of mind is how i like to play it
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Post by trappnman on Jul 12, 2007 6:07:58 GMT -6
biggest thing for theft protection around here, is not let people SEE you making or checking sets. #1- I don't let the school bus see me parked and checking traps.
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Post by shagnasty on Jul 12, 2007 6:35:03 GMT -6
hard to hide sets when dogs are spinning! have had disposables dug out, yanked out, cut, etc. ive done everything short of not land trapping and conclude there is no way to hide 100 percent of the time here no matter what i do, so i just figure a certain percentage of loss as doing business. disposables have saved me traps too, so they are the way to go for me compared to rebar, plus less weight in my little truck.
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Post by trappnman on Jul 12, 2007 6:43:26 GMT -6
one thing I always smile at "I set a Duke because if its stolen I don't mind the loss"
for me, its never the trap value, its the violation that pisses me off.
I don't care if its a 3 cent trap- it still pisses me off for the day.
But luckily, here I lose very few- maybe thats why each one hurts.
probably over the years more plowed then took.
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Post by thebeav2 on Jul 12, 2007 8:54:23 GMT -6
Theft Is the farthest thing from my mind when I'm trapping. I just don't give a dam who sees me. My trucks plates read I Trap too and I park where ever I feel like and set traps. There Is this one super busy HI way that i have to dodge traffic to cross the road to set traps, does It bother me nope. Do I lose many traps no I don't. In fact when I'm road trapping I flag each and every trap location and I still don't lose traps. Maybe everyone Is just honest here In WI LOL
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Post by garman on Jul 12, 2007 9:00:06 GMT -6
I found my catch rate went up tremendously when I quit worrying about stolen traps, if I catch on coon or dog in the trap before stolen that generally pays for two traps. Although I do not announce my arrival to the sets or where I am setting I do not take huge amts. of care to hide either, that can take me out of good locations.
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Post by trappnman on Jul 12, 2007 19:38:12 GMT -6
don't lose a lot- but also think that just like locks keeping people honest so does putting sets over hills.
When I lose coyotes, its to road hunting deer hunters.
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