All the working guys out there. I’m curious when most guys check their traps while having job responsibilities as well. I have to be to work by 6 a.m and I check my traps before work, I don’t like the idea of a critter having to sit there until I’m done with work which is around 4-6 p.m everyday. When I’m out burning around with my headlamp checking traps at 4:30 a.m I wonder how many animals haven’t even been to my set yet before I check it or if I’m scaring them off that early. Makes me wonder sometimes haha

I honsetly think most of the animals you catch are within the first two hours of darkness. You'll catch some later but most are caught early IMO.

I check mine after work. I’m guessing you have 24 hour trap checks. If that’s the case, regardless of when you check, and animal could be in a trap up to 24 hours. And any time checking traps you run the risk of running animals off. Yes there are certain times that animals move more, but there is still always that risk. But you will definitely catch more no mater when you check over not trapping at all because your worried that your running animals off because you have to check at that time.

There’s no way I’m not gunna trap, I’ve just always done before work cause I don’t want landowners and stuff seeing animals sitting there all day, I like to fly under the radar. Just curious what most guys do, I’m considering maybe switching to after work so I’m not up so early and always doing everything in the dark haha

If you work til 4-6 pm everyday you'll be checking traps in the dark after work as well. Given the choice I'd check before work just to avoid thieves mainly.

I start work at 6. I trap small areas hard, so I can check them before work. Move areas every few days. Try to make drowner sets, which are not a 24 hour check here in WI.

I check traps before work and then skin them after work.

I checked in the dark for a few years and after driving up on the second coyote that was not caught yet one year , I switched to after work . I am fortunate that I’m off by 3:pm so I can check everything with a spotting scope. Over the years I’ve learned to try and put everything so it’s not obvious to the public but by using land marks I can easily see what’s going on. I also prefer not having to drive right up to each trap to be able to see what’s going on with the set . Just my preference, to each his own !

I trap strictly private property and get at 0400 to check traps and be back home to swap trucks to be at work by 0700...I live about 30-40 minutes away from work.
I do believe it hurts some based on weekend checks vs weekday checks. Weekends I’ll wait until sunrise or after before I even leave the house. When you can catch a coyote with hardly any visible catch circle when checking during the early morning hours, you know he hasn’t been there long. With that being said, I’ve caught bobcats an hour after sundown...watched on camera.
I always make an after work ride through as well. Picked up several incidentals and bobcats that weren’t there that morning.

Mostly this but check after work. Hit a area hard to save on driving time and move areas quick. Skin after the kids are in bed.

I make all lethal sets and use an extended check time.Only works if you trap where its cold.

Shift work, work night shifts check after a knap. Never work more than 4 days and get 7 days off once a month.

I check and skin after work. Freeze pelts till the weekend.

out the door at 3:30, stop by home at 6:00 and let the horses out, check more traps till 7:15 then to work at 8:00 and skin after work around 6:00 pm.to 9:00. Go to bed and do it again.

I ran long lines after work for years. It's a drag to check sets after work. I never had time to skin. I never sleep in anyway. There is hardly ever anyone around at 4:00 am. People are out till 11:00 pm often. I was always running into folks when I trapped after work. In the dark you don't always notice things like blood leaking out of your tail gate until you swing by the gas station and see it in the lights. Running early drew way less attention to me. When you are in a crowed gas station and it's bait day on the coon line - you know your bait is working when people make faces and keep looking your way.

I checked land sets from 330-530am and to work by 6, then water sets on the way home from 430-630pm....UNLESS a water set was very near a land set, then it go checked in the morn.

I'm self-employed so I have a little leeway. I get up about 5:30 and run the line first thing. I'm usually back home around 7:00. I fire up the heater in the fur shed, have breakfast and then skin and board the morning's catch. I can usually be off to work by 8:00-8:30 depending on how many critters I caught.

I'm only running a short line of between 24-30 sets and snares, averaging about fifty red fox a season with some coon, possum and skunk thrown in.

My hat is off to you guys working a set schedule and still getting it done.

as a woodsbum it's in my "job description".

12 hour night shift, so I check after work and then off to bed.

I go with all drowning sets, conibears or snares. Then they can soak a while with no issues of animals still alive. helps with thieves also.

Props to u Larry, it’s hard not to get run down keeping that up, especially if ur showing up to empty sets haha us trappers r a rare breed, I love it!