Beav, what benefits do CR offer you early in the season? What are the drawbacks?

Should the Dec 1 start date be moved up statewide instead of just those folks working the study area?

Great question for the Beav: I thought when CR's were originally introduced, the Dec 1st date coincided with the end of Pheasant season- not anymore?

WE can only hang CRs In the study area.


Well I guess I was misinformed on the CR season. I thought that last year It was decided that on private land we could start hanging CRs when the canine season opened.
The only draw back Is It's hard to determine where to hang them when there Isn't any snow. Sure on our lines there are trails we know that have coyotes using them but those are few and far between.

You would think that the other user groups that use our public grounds would rather have CRs being used then have MB 650s scattered around.

So If any one knows what happened as to the CR issue please let us know.

Looks like it was discussed at the last DNR furbearer committee meeting and would need legislative approval to move the season up. They mention issue with coon. Any more so early than during the normal season Gary?2018 DNR Furbearer Committee

I can't imagine it is a very big problem or they wouldn't be doing it as part of that study on urban coyotes in Madison. Do you know if They are still trapping then year long there too, Gary?

I miss Fox Claw. He was really good at pulling the statue Let me see if I can find it.

An Issue with coon? Doesn't coon season open about the same time as coyote and fox season? Lots of states allow coon snaring.

Don't know If they are still snaring coyotes In Madison.

Having CRs set on the public instead of footholds would definitely be a benefit for the other user groups. The one big issue is when they are set illegally. By that I mean entanglement issues. I think trapper ed. should put a lot more emphasis on CR education in the field.

Spot on.

The original CR field study was conducted in 2001-2002, my guess would be they became legal the following year 2003? I remember at one of the WTA meetings they talked about starting the CR season post pheasant hunting season to ensure, trappers and hunters would have a good experience and the program would get off to an uncontested start. During this same time period, pheasant season always closed the first week of December and now in 2018... it runs until January 6th??? So what are we trying to achieve by maintaining a start date and altering the pheasant close- if that was the original intent?

If we can use CRs In the study area which encompasses both public and private land with out any problems why not push It. We have the proof that It's not a problem due to this study. I don't know of one dog that has been caught.

The biggest thing Is that the CR In none snow conditions Is not going to be your go to set up. I actually found coyote scat In a few deer scrapes and some In the trails leading to the scrapes. So of coarse I hung some CRs. And I caught some coyotes.

Snow is obviously the easiest way to find those traveled trails tor hanging CRs. But lots of public hunting lands have areas of thick prairie grasses with game trails that would be perfect location to cable predators.

That's true but deer can be a problem.

But with the correct lock position and a solid stabilizer most of those deer knock downs can be eliminated.
Now we need some snow.

I went back and read the initial study, here's a couple excerpts... I'm not sure if another study has been conducted since or any of the original team members are on this site? It would be nice to hear their input and rational (some highly respected trappers from out of state were involved) but I'm sure they didn't participate in setting the season dates. I've never seen any incidentals statistics on leg holds but to the early points made, CR's if used properly are easier on the non-target.

Efficiency
Data analysis showed that specific cable restraints tested
had an overall performance efficiency of 88 % (captures/
all closed devices). Seventy-seven percent of the animals
caught were coyotes and foxes; while 94 % of all animals
caught were furbearers (coyotes, foxes, raccoons, fisher
and gray wolf).

Seven trained trappers and technicians used 7 similar
cable restraint systems in 715 locations during each 15
day field season. They recorded 7,008 trap nights and 344
definite animal contacts resulting in the capture of 41
coyotes, 16 red fox, 4 gray fox, 5 raccoons, and 2 deer.
Trappers released 9 raccoons, 7 domestic dogs, 2 deer and
1 fisher. In addition, 5 coyotes, 3 deer and 1 gray wolf
were released via the breakaway device.

I'm pretty sure Newt was Involved when discussing the Crs themselves. I'm not sure who did the testing I was out of the state doing something.

So the bad released 5 out of 40 coyotes caught?That would be unacceptable to me.Thats a 12% failure rate,and a lot of educated animals running around.

They have since adjusted the regs on the BADs. Originally were 285#. Now I believe that they are 350#? Or something close to that.