I've said on here before that my wife is pregnant with our 3rd. She is due on May 28th. I got to wondering, how in the heck am I gonna get to trap with a 4-5-6 month old baby girl? I'll have her by myself on Thursdays and Fridays, and also on some Saturdays. (I work Sunday night through Wednesday night, so I have Thursday through Sunday afternoon off. My wife works at a bank, 9-5, Monday through Friday and sometimes Saturday.)
Anyone ever run a trapline with a baby in tow? How did you go about it? I'd just bundle her up and throw her in my Fiber-tuff, but then I wouldn't have much room for equipment

I did with two young boys in diapers. Ran a road line of about 40 mink/coon traps. Kept both boys in their car seats. All went well but in retrospect I now feel it was not a very good decision on my part as I was on a lot of seldom traveled roads in Northern Wisconsin with many stops up and down slippery creek banks. This was way before cell phones and I always wondered what would have happened if I broke a leg or my neck and could not make it back to the truck. God was with us but I would not do this again if I had to do it all over! Just my opinion and your situation and trapping technique may be different!

Chris

I saw a fellow duck hunting with a baby, he had his decoys and the baby in a game cart.
the baby was in one of the carrier things you see people walking around with.

the game cart looked like this one http://vikingsl.com/portfolio/tng-hunt/

he also had baby milk in a thermos...lol

You can do it!

Will

Start slow. Short lines, close to home. And see how that works out. If the baby seems to doing ok, then expand a bit.

Make sure the baby is warm and has something to suck on or chew on.

Good Luck and have fun.

Done it with both my boys. My oldest was 3 mnths when he started going with me. Youngest son was just shy of a year. My wife is a nurse and works odd shifts and picks up any she can. Working on farm my winters are kinda slow other than cattle so I had kids alot. Trapping out of a Suzuki samurai it was tight with the giant car seats nowadays but it's definitely doable. Dressem warm and pile on blankets and never shut the vechicle off an have plenty of milk an snacks along. I trap lease roads an big pastures so I pull right up to sets and always am within ear shot in case of a code brown or in need of milk. The faster I addressed my kids seemd like the longer they would tolerate being in their seats( almost done with remake an kido starts fussing u btr tend to them mho). It worked for me but all kids are different.

Simple solution.... your inlaws

Hunted with a rancher lady I worked with years ago she had a young boy at the time she strapped him in a car seat and off we went.

Not with a baby but with a toddler, I did not trap any harder then she would let me I hand 3 locations that I trapper all were an easy drive and walk. Wife new were I would be and when I would be home. I say start small, have snacks, milk, and keep them warm and have fun. I did not trap fo make money this year I just did it to have fun with my kid, she went antelope hunting when she was 18 months and deer hunting when she was 20 months she loves it.

My brother and his wife did not trap, but they did take my nephew and niece cross country skiing and hiking at very young ages.

Depending on what you are trapping it may or may not work. Water trapping, in my opinion, would be to dangerous to take a baby along, while doing. The safety and comfort of the baby should come first. You can hopefully share years of trapping when she gets older.

Keith

Sounds like you had enough “ME” time.....the critters will be there when it’s time

Congratulations on the future trapping buddy ditchdiver!

Her safety definitely comes first!
My plans were to- #1- keep things short, until I know how much she will deal with. #2- keep her in the truck as much as possible. Jump out, set some ditches (with her still in the truck) and move on down the road. And #3- NOT TAKE HER if possible.
I'll have snacks and a loaded diaper bag. Nessmuck- you're right. I have had enough "me" time and the critters will be there. I just can't go a season without setting some steel, and am willing to "inconvenience" myself by taking her along and setting a lot less traps. I just love being out there and will cherish the memories of trapping with my baby daughter (even if it's more babysitting than trapping).
When I do have to walk a bit, what would you recommend? One of those baby carriers that hold the baby on your chest (with a pack basket on my back), or strap her car seat to an Ottersled with a blanket over her?

Thank you, Rcates!

And thank you for the concern, Hodagtrapper. I do carry a cellphone and am never far from civilization (unfortunately).

It can be done . Keep it short and sweet.
Would rather run 5 traps with my son than 100 alone.

My grandfather started taking me along on his outdoor adventures when I was a little baby. It was the best thing he could have done for me. He asked me to take him along until he could not go anymore. I returned the kindness by taking him on outdoor adventures up until a week before he died.

Do what you can to take the kids along in a safe secure manner. Don’t risk their safety foolishly. Don’t get them into something you can’t get them out of.

I took my sons everywhere in my rhino.
Strapped the car seat in and off we went.
Backpacks work good for a little walk.

Didn't you count the months?

I did the exact same thing and looking back on it, I feel the same.

One wrong slip down a bank and there my truck sits with my kid in it...