I live in a rural area where people tend to let their dogs just run free almost constantly. As a result I’ve caught a big percentage of them unfortunately. My question to y’all is will a domestic dog step on a trap if it’s exposed like with a bobcat set? I have several nice cats in the area but am tired of freeing the various neighbor dogs. Any suggestions besides moving? And I work full time at another job so I can’t really trap elsewhere. Thanks

I would think that would depend upon the intelligence of the dog(s). If they have been educated then I would think they would avoid them if exposed. I used to keep catching my neighbors cat and finally turned it into the local shelter. Cost him $100 to get his cat back. Told me he would pay me $20 not to turn it in again. Told him if he would keep his cat at home it wouldn't cost him a cent. Might be something to look into....

Carry a crate and turn them over to the local dog pound.

I got the warden involved this year and seems to have the dog owners attention. I happened to capture one of his dogs in the act of chasing deer on my camera. Video clip. The warden sure liked it.

I warned the owner three years straight and got tired of him thinking it was a joke. Fines ain't so funny.

Definitely depends on the intelligence of the dog. I have a dumb neighbor dog that didn’t seem to learn his lesson the first time. Ive only seen the dog on trail cam in my yard at night. I set a bridger #2 OS trap by a beaver carcass behind the house for yotes. Next morning found this dog in it. Don’t know who it even belongs too. I released it and a couple nights later found it about 40ft away from the carcass heading that way again . I scared it off and thankfully havent seen it since.

Thanks guys.

The video I turned over to the warden. I assume one deer made it trough and triggered the camera without being captured but it got the second one.

https://youtu.be/G_6um4YTWAg

Dogs like that in my area seem to just disappear.

I live in northern Arkansas. I am trapping behind my house. 100 yards behind my house. There isnt a house for 3 miles +. There is one dog from up my rd about a mile I had to let go. The guy works on the road. Nobody lives there but him. Dog may be hungry? They chase deer all around my house.

Around here the DNR has no qualms about someone shooting dogs that are chasing deer. The problem lies with the possible repercussions from the dog owner. Most guys believe in S.S.S.

In Mo it's against the law to shoot a dog, unless it's caught in the acct of killing livestock.

Caught one last night and the owner came and got it. All on camera too. The landowner sent a pic and said good catch. He then sent a pic of the owner with a blanket trying to cover his dog to get it out of the trap. He said the owner assured him it would never happen again. It was a nice looking Lab that probably cost quite a bit of money. Folks that live and own land out there aren’t going to have a sooner dog.

I wish owners of the dogs would get tickets. Most of the dogs I have caught dont have collars. I think the dogs r learning. The dogs I have caught hasn't been back so far.

Worst part is releasing them. Had a big pit/lab cross that was not going to be held with a catch pole. Had to drive home get a sheet of plywood with a notch cut in it and carry it 1/4 mile across an open field, then hope the thing didn't turn on me when I let it go. Luckily he ran home like lightning. Wasted 2 hrs that day dealing with that, and 2hrs. is time I didn't have to waste.

Love it!
Mac

Another excellent idea. Folks will get tired of paying to get their hound back.

In this area if dogs are caught they are a long ways from home and don't belong where they are at. We had problems many years ago with a private land owner that had an excess of 25 dogs. I was just getting into trapping and was very dissapointed of how many dogs I was catching. That land owner lived 2 miles from where I was trapping. The neighbors were happy to seem them disappear.

I live on 10 acres in MO. Several homes around me but also several coyotes. I caught 11 here this year, but also two dogs. One of which I warned the owners several times but they didn’t listen. Caught him again and let it go but went to their house, about a 1/2 mile away and I was hot. They called the sheriff on me, he came to the house, came inside and we visited for a while. He said he was documenting that occurrence and the others also, since they admitted to them. He told me, and I quote, “next time it’s on your property, put a bullet in it. No reason to go back over there.”

The second one, the fella down the street came over and asked if I ran a traps and he said I needed to pay his vet bill. I told him that’s why I don’t have a dog and it would be better if he were to leave my property. He called one of the conservation agents and he came out. I was boiling traps in my driveway and we visited for a while. He called the guy and told him I was legal and that if he didn’t want his dog caught, he should keep it on his property.

Where I am trapping long way to a house behind my house. I caught another dog Thursday. My uncle had a cow down. She had twins she was weak. Some dogs jumped on her . They chewed one ear off before they was run off. 2 less dogs around here. That's why I hate dogs running loose. I have seen a big boxer dog running around. Hope I dont catch it!!

I've found that it's best not to say anything to the owners and if it continues to be a problem pull a Jimmy Hoffa on the animal. It's not like the old days were you could go and talk to someone and come to an understanding.

Kyron4 I caught a bull mastiff this year and a second one stood about 20 feet away while I was releasing the first one. I stuck a handgun in my back pocket and told my 9 year old to stay on the atv so I knew where he was in case it got western. Released the dog and never saw him again. In my case it seems that once I catch a dog I wont catch it again.

The ranchers in New Mexico, most, have a different view on loose dogs. One of the places I trap on the owner told me if I catch a dog and release it don't come back.