Today was one of those days where everyone and their mother in North Idaho seemed to be out and about, with this nice weather we're having lately. I checked the 5 muskrat sets I had out and caught 1. Had another sprung but empty trap. Set 11 more muskrat sets and 3 beaver sets. I set 3 beaver drowners in an area right off a main road under a bridge where I know beavers cruise the river and have trapped them before. Got back in the rig and moved down the line to the next spot, a somewhat popular area for bird watchers, duck hunters and amateur archaeologists. This time of year though after hunting season it's usually not too crowded. I pulled up to the end of the road and saw I was the only one there. Perfect, I'll go set some muskrat traps. This area is always good for some muskrat and coon. As I was unloading my gear and grabbing my bucket and axe a fancy Lexus SUV with Washington plates pulls up. "Oh great, a Washington Yuppie with their labradoodle," I say to myself, continuing to get my gear ready. I'm planning on walking 1/4 mile to a slough through a bunch of brush so not concerned about theft but really don't like interacting with people at all, let alone on the trap line. The guy gets out of his car and walks over and asks if I'm a trapper. I tell him "yes sir, I am. I'm after $3 muskrats today." He adjusts the fancy camera around his neck and says that he thought I might be and that he used to trap back in Wisconsin where he's from, but doesn't anymore since he lives in Washington. In any case, he wishes me luck and I go off and get 8 muskrat sets and spur-the moment coon set put in on fresh coon sign.

Since this was the last stop on my line I start to head back home. I am passing the area I punched in those 3 beaver sets and I see a truck pulled off on the side of the road where I had those sets. Likely a fisherman, but not a usual spot I see people stopped on the side of the road, even for fishing. So just to keep them honest, I pull over and decide to check my sets, an hour and a half after I set them. I run into what turns out to be a local guy and his wife fishing, literally right on top of a Victor #4 I had on the edge of the bank. I greet him and ask how the fishing is. He said it's better than work but that they haven't caught anything. He asks how the trapping is going and I tell him I'm just out running the line and checking these sets here. The set he was by hadn't been touched at all, nor had the other 3. I did take a picture of his license plate, just in case, since I had $90 worth of gear sitting there literally under his nose.

A hard way to trap around people for sure!
Something I do not ever like to do.

Hope you do well !!!

Funny how I'm in a far more urban area and never deal with that.

I wish I didn't have to. Idaho is getting pretty crowded. Even on my wolf, coyote and cat lines in the mountains I am constantly running across people or signs that people have been in the area.

If I was land trapping for people I'd set people trails. If I was water trapping for people I'd set bridges. When I'm fur trapping I avoid those locations.To many people.

Can you trap any Private land Ranches?

I wouldnt want to run a commercial fur line around people.I have done lots of nuisance beaver work around many people.You need to make sets where people or pets cant access.Chest waders and a sportspal canoe are indispensible in that respect.

I have one ranch I trapped this year for beaver and coyotes. It was okay. Got 2 coyotes and 4 beaver. I'm mostly public land. I'm moving out of the area in a month and a half and will have new ground to learn

In North Idaho you'd be hard pressed to get away from people even with a canoe which I have. It's part of the reason I am leaving this touristy, ski mountain town

The canoe and chest waders is to allow you to make submerged beaver sets in deep water which are undetectable.

I hear you , i find boot tracks every where ......if its not the yuppie tree huggin enviromental nazis from cali , its the horn hunters . With this mild winter people are out everywhere

I'm from where you're from. And it's the same here, there's just a lot less of them.

where you moving to

I noticed the same thing yesterday on my line. Dang Holidays, Spring-like weather and Tourists ! Funny thing about your story, I’m the one with the giant Labra-Doodle. Lol. She loves Trapping !