In a weeks time I've had 3 muskrat sets shot and a dp stolen.This would be my second season traping now and had no issues last year. I know im setting public but is this a common occurrence. Should i expect to lose traps every year? I cant count how many stands, trail cams, and traps ive seen and never once have i thought about taking them. I just dont get it.

Man thats rough

If you think that's bad, you should have been trapping in the 70's & early 80's during the fur boom... It was brutal!

I've trapped public ground before and yes it's normal. The best thing to do is just keep at it and try to put sets out of the way. I've had dp's shot and trailcam stolen.

I've also had problems, coons taken & traps set off.. I set after dark & usually check before work 430am. It seems people will steal anything you can't keep in your own pocket these days.

That is tame.

As someone above said back in the old days thievery was brutal. Thieves would check a guy’s traps one day taking the animals. Then the second day take the animals and the traps.

In 1980, I had written permission to trap a very big pond or small lake with the beginning of a housing development of about 8 very nice houses on the east side. Sign was abundant, so I hustled around the south, west, and north shores setting more than 150 traps for muskrats. Every stake was below the waterline. I was expecting a huge catch the next day. When I checked traps the next day every trap was gone. Cleaned out! I never went back.

I'm a couple of years in too and had my first trap stolen today. Bums me out, should I bother reporting it?

Yes. I would report it. Might not get any results but if they get enough reports of a problem in a certain area, they might do some investigating.

Plus, it protects you if your trap is used illegally.

Idaho bob- if the report would even be accepted by anyone, the report may end up in the newspaper under legal news or sheriff’s report.

This is exactly how it would be handled here.

“Idaho Bob who is an animal trapper and lives at 1234 Vandalizemyhome Road reported that a person or persons unknown allegedly took one size 2 coil spring trap that he had set on the east fork of Little Sally creek on the east bank approximately 100 feet south from the Lilly road bridge.”

Do you really want that?

Best wishes.

^^^^^^ Might want to add "he stated that if he catches the SOB he will learn to breath air like the fish do"

My gosh if I had a dollar for every trap I've had stolen, shot up, ran over, stomped into Oblivion, or set off with a corn stalk jammed into the trap roots first (so no way it Hades it was "blown" there by the wind) I'd be trapping for the dollar and not the fur.

Sorry for your experience.

Actually, mine hasn't been too bad over time but I do get a few each year that leave you walking away muttering unpleasant things about the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, ethics and woodsmanship evidently are something that we're never explained to some folks by their dad's and mom's, and that's unfortunate. I always remember my dad stressing that in woodsmanship you never mess with someone else's traps, trotlines, or any if their equipment. They are out there just like you and I are enjoying God's creation and beautiful outdoors. Respect it.

Well, you and I understand it but unfortunately there are some that don't and we suffer at their misgivings.

FYzi I keep a #2 long nailed to inside wall over door of my shed. When I walk out it reminds me to be careful where I make sets and that there are such people in the world. That trap is smashed beyond repair or parts salvage. The tracks in the field that morning when I walked up on that set clearly told the tale. You could see where they backed up and went forward many times over that little #2. I'm assuming they couldnt pull the earth anchor so just ran it over repeatedly. There were lots of shotgun shell empties at the set too, and a coyote that never had a chance and of no value in the shot up condition that left it for me in.
It was shot to Hades.

Some years they would leave the coyote and take the trap, some years take the coyote and leave the trap, sometimes they took both. Often though they just shot the heck out of everything and smashed the trap.

Oh how I wanted to seed the drive with roofing nails at one location. Hope when he tried to pull that earth anchor he threw out his back, too.

But, we have to be the bigger person here. Do our part, be ethical, and you can always sleep at night that you are not in the wrong. I do report stolen equipment. Mine are pink with tags, not hard for a CO to ID if located. But haven't had one recovered yet unfortunately.

Hope the rest of your season goes well for you.

Jim

Very good advice.

I use a Dremel to engrave my initials on every trap out there. Always report a theft.