It has become the new "it" thing around here. They have nothing to do but paddle and steal or destroy my snapping turtle traps. Set 6 net traps on a lake just before dark last night. Pouring rain, nobody around. Got there at daylight this morning, truck with 2 kayaks just leaving boat ramp. I figured they did not want to go out in the rain (it was still pouring). OH NO they had been on the lake and stole all my traps (almost $400.00 worth). Red Dodge with a chrome deer guard in the front. If I find that truck fur is gonna fly!! I figure they go there often so I will keep a trail cam on the boat launching place and see who shows up.
Friday I had another kayaker skid one of my turtle cages in the Wallkill River about 50 yards downstream to deep water and the 2 snappers in it drown.

You'd think you would see six turtle traps in the pickup, wouldn't you? Maybe you didn't get close enough.

They could be greenies who think you are big, bad man for hurting the poor wittle turtle-wurtles.

I hope you can positively identify the thieves and nail their hide to a tree. Maybe a stake out will be in order.

your next post will be:
kayakers stole my trail cam.

I'm with you brother. I see kayakers where I'm trapping and I generally end up having trouble.

Pieces of crap who ever stole your traps. Hate thieves. Really really hate them

Not much room in a kayak and like was said if you couldn’t see them in pickup my guess would be that they hid them some where to be picked up later after you have given up looking for them

I think you hate thieves who happen to be kayakers.

No, I think he means spandex wearing, granola munching metrosexual kayakers. There's something strange about those things. Heck what they're calling a kayak ain't even a proper boat or a true kayak. Just a freaking plastic surfboard looking thingy.

I Sea kayak and I trap. I mostly only do it to make the spandex wearing, granola munching metrosexual kayakers heads explode when they make the connection.

Seriously though, around here a good number of the greenie type actually understand sustainable harvest and most are quite open to trying hunting, etc because of its cool to do the "natural" thing.

Works for me, because when they have beaver issues I work for them!

love my kayaks,hate generalizations.

I think it's more the state you live in
People in NJ are just nuts
Plain and simple

I don't live in a state. Maybe that's the difference!

I hope you get them Eric..good luck..let us know if you do

Joke aside, that is a lousy thing to have happen. I dont lose set traps here, but I imagine how angry I would be if I did.

The Stand Up Paddlebord folks are nutty than the kayak crowd.

I like my canoe and my kayak for fishing and scouting trapping locations.

Thieves are thieves and you can't change that.

I hope you catch them but I would be surprised if the kayakers could drag turtle nets up and haul them , maybe they cut them and drag them deep

Where I traped turtle was tide water rivers in South Jersey. Most people that live here knows its illagle to tamper with commersial fishing gear. ITS the City people and out of staters who tampers with our gear. Many making their PILGIAMAGE TO THE PINE BARRENS.

How did 2 kayakers find 6 turtle traps in the rain and dark?

Get em Eric!!

It's bass fisherman here. At least the ones that think they own the water and everyone else is in their way. Turtle traps, catfish traps, trot lines, yo yo's, gill nets etc. are all apparently "in their way". They snag them, they cut them. There have been several lakes in my area that have been made off limits to anything but pole fisherman or have had very strict regulations put on any other type of fishing because of bass fiherman with political pull.