Found my trap hung from a tree after a rabbit dog found it. I am sure the dog didn't do this. I am glad they left it as I believe I can straighten it out and use it again. I don't understand why sportsman would do this. That would be like me waiting around the swamp and kicking those dog as it run by. Some people just don't realize a lot of people share the public land. I had all kinds of vengeful things thought up when I realized that would make me no better than them. I decided to calm down and pray for them. The dog did nothing wrong.....

That sucks. It sucks even worse, like you said, that other "sportsmen" would do this.
Good for you for calming down and praying for them. Not sure I could do the same.

It looks to me like it was run over while it was still set. I have straightened out a bunch of them that have run over by a tractor, truck or other farm implement. What makes me think this is, the way the tabs that hold the jaws are bent down, would indicate that it was still set and the levers pushed them against them, bending them down.

Garry-

The trap was on a game trail in a spruce swamp. No vehicle could get to it. It was about 100 yards from nearest vehicle accessible road but it was hung in tree my a parking spot where I would assume they used a hammer on it to try to send a message. I know I can make it functional again. Had 2 run over by trail groomer last year and I can't tell which ones the were when I grab a trap.

got run over after it caught fido. a pickup wont put one in a tree. i like dogs and like hunting with dogs so i will listen to a LITTLE complaining if a hunter has as much business to be there as I do. you cant fault somebody for running over a trap they did not know was there. damaging property deliberately though? no tolerance. be a shame if somebody cut all the valve stems off his pick up tires next time he is out rabbiting

Non trappers who hunt are wigged out by traps and their dogs. Hopefully the guilty party sees the dog is just fine and avoids sets in the future. I do carry cable cutters in my hunt vest for emergencies.

Too bad for the way your trap was altered by who ever, When I do my trapping demos for the youth and family groups, I take some time out of each session to educate the class about the need to respect fellow sportsman. Also I cover what to do in the event of a dog getting caught in a foothold, snare or heaven forbid a body grip trap. I show them how to open each trap as most have never handled a trap. Talk some of how each party needs to respect the other individual's right to be there. Also I state if your a trapper and you know dogs and humans frequent the area to be careful in choice of the traps you use in that area. I show them how a snapped trap works by snapping a trap with my fingers. And explain how most times a leghold won't have any long term effect on a dog. And I also suggest if your a dog owner to go ahead and put your dog on a choker chain every once in a while at home. That may help save your dog if ever caught in a snare. I encourage all if they ever find traps or trapping equipment and it is legally set to just keep their fingers off !! It works both way and it must if we are to share public land. Too bad someone emotions overcame their sense of respecting your right in doing what they did to your trap. Conflicts will occur once in a while. No way to avoid all. We as sportsman just have to decide if we want to win the battle but loose the war or vice versa.

Hunters don't know much about traps or trapping. I carry a set of trap setters so i can set a 4 coiled trap. A hunter won't have one. He also won't be able to get that cable stske out of the ground. Most dogs become very unfriendly in a trap. It would be a very intense situation for all involved.
Just seeing it from that perspective.

I had a similar issue a few years ago. They swung trap against a tree by the cable stake, many many times. I knew this as the bark was knocked off exposing yellow under bark, it was a big poplar. They hung it on a bush.

Thats good if a hunter cant get a cable stake out of the ground. Trap wont be in a tree. Hard to imagine someone who cant figure out to push down trap levers. Or step on them. No clue where you get the most dogs are unfriendly in a trap from. I find the majority are glad to see a human. Want petted and try to get in your pickup when you release them.

had a trout fisherman,i'll call him Orvis,play "whats in here" with a stick while the landowner and i stood 100 yds away bs-in.told the landowner to wait before he hollered so we could watch him jump.changed his name to"mud waiter when that 4 coiled bridger went off.landowner was peelin the guy while laughin and i swear he was still laughin when i left.guy was from Philly-imagine that.

We have different experiences is all.

I had 2 dog owners who weren't so lucky when releasing their dogs from my traps. Both got chewed up pretty bad. Hands and faces.
I released a dog that got Into my truck and wouldn't let me In.

Maybe Bigfoot got his toe stuck in it then he pulled the trap out and slung it on a tree limb..sorry just had to say it

Caught a Doctor's dog once (private ground he didnt have permission to be on). Had a trail set with two blind sets about 10 yds apart. I guess he turned the dog loose from first trap just to watch it step in the second set. He was a little excited I think at first, left a note to call him and pulled traps with 4 wheeler (lost one earth anchor). I called him and let him vent a little bit then explained to him that I've caught my dog about half a dozen times and my fingers a couple times each year and that his dog wasn't in any danger and that he was trespassing and broke the law pulling my traps. Also explained to him he had caused me more pain on his examination table in his office than what I caused his dog. Hes a pretty reasonable guy and cooled off and I told him from there on out I'd let him know when I was setting in his neighborhood.

I let go a non-target just the other day. My first thought is I'm going to get bit. Nope. The animal was patient and seemed quite thankful I came along. It was a half mile away from where it should have been and I let the owner know.

A lot of hunters don't understand trappers or trapping. Whoever did that to that trap sure took it personal.

It isn't surprising that a person who has never trapped gets pretty upset when you catch their hunting partner. If they mess my trap up some I can understand. I have no emotional attachment to a $20 trap.

I don't think I said anything about emotional attachment. I have seen guys shoot a rabbit dog in the woods for doing wrong. This is the same kind of person. No respect.

I've had a problems with free-range dogs the past three years. I finally got the warden involved and one of the citations he was suggesting was charging the guy for releasing his own dog from my trap. The dog owner can't legally touch my trap, not even to release his own dog.

The first dog I caught was a clone of Lassie,and ancient collie caught in a 11/2 coil set for fox.He was pretty hyper when I arrived,quit moving when I talked to him and reached for the trap,his eyes never moved from my hand and I thought for sure he was going to bite,but he didn't.The next was a beagle caught in a No.3 Newhouse,that mutt wouldn't sit still,then I was wrestling with those Newhouse springs trying to release him with him gnawing on my hand the whole time.I wrapped my right hand in a old shirt and the biood soaked thru,made for a good prop when the dogs owner showed up trying to blame me for the situation(he was on private property,as in my property).The last was my german shorthair,he got caught a couple of times right after I made a set,he nipped at me but didn't break the skin.As far as excusing hound hunters for their behavior towards us I have no patience with them or their nonsense.I've sat at a few meetings with them and listened to their grips,their biggest grip seems to be the fact they have to share the land with us.I had one go on a tirade once at a Christmas party about his dog being caught while bird hunting,how he supposedly takes all traps he finds to the local DNR office,he sneeringly called us road trappers,and said he told the DNR we need to be told to set far enough off the cut overs,powerlines,and clearings so they can hunt these areas without fear of their dogs being caught.I have no sympathy for these clowns whatsoever.