Since traps are almost double today how do you guys hold
onto your trap on public land? Any tips .

Yeah, I trap exclusively public land. Couple things. First, choose where you set carefully. Make sure that when an animal is caught you won’t be able to see it from any roads or trails. Try to make your sets in areas where other people really have no reason to be at. For me if I see a boot print or a domestic dog track I don’t set there.

Also, I use chained super stakes. In most of the areas I trap if you drive one of those in 18 inches you won’t be getting it back out without digging it up, so it deters thieves by making it more difficult. Doesn’t stop em all though.

And last, if you trap public land, just accept the fact that some of your gear and catches will get stolen. It is going to happen, despite my best efforts I lose some almost every season. So just know that, right off the bat, and it’ll sting just a little less when it does happen.

Well said Bob.

I'm on all public ground also. Don't have too much problem but like Bob said, I go out of my way to set place people don't have any reason to be. That doesn't always mean further, just avoid the easy access, trails, etc. I keep my foot trails out of sight of the road as much as possible if I have to walk in to a set in the snow.

Stealing wolves in particular is a problem in Idaho with the reimbursement/bounty program. They're worth as much as $2500 and that has folks awfully itchy on the trigger. In some areas I actually hang signs to let people know there's traps in the area. 99% of the time anyone who happens across the sign turns around right there. If they keep going they're doing so knowing that there's traps there and they'd have a harder time saying they didn't know a wolf was in a trap. It also establish intent if there was ever a need to prosecute for theft, tampering, etc. Most of the theft is happening where guys are setting/catching in obvious spots.

In 13 years I've had 2 bobcats and maybe 4 cat traps stolen. Most of that was around the '13 spike in cat prices. Never had a wolf or wolf trap stolen (knock on wood).

Thanks alot guys, when I set on public land I will walk awhile
before I make a set get far away for people. Walking a few miles
is nothing to me especially if it saves my traps.

Also there alot of farms in my area so I will ask one day soon.

I don’t usually walk too far, generally just far enough that the terrain and brush hide my catches from trails and roads. Sometimes the set is within 30-40 feet of the two track I’m driving, just depends on the terrain. Long as it can’t be seen while driving or walking past it’s good to go. There are many good spots to set just out of sight of the road where nobody is gonna be getting out and poking around. 99% of the time people are just driving by, because unless you’re a trapper there’s nothing to look at there lol.

I’ve thought about asking permission on some farms around here, but we have so much public land there’s no real reason to. I can catch most of the coyotes off the farms by setting up the adjacent public land so I don’t bother.

If your dealing with snow , Drive past and walk your tire tracks back to your set or where your going to leave the road and then step into the brush . Most people only pay attention to where you got out of your rig . Another thing you can do is walk the creek edges just inside the water line to hide your track until your out of sight from passing want to be A--holes . You can run a one way slider on cable to get your catch off the path or road and out of sight . Finned super stake with welded swivels makes it a little tough to walk off with . I find that most people that will lower themselves to steal , Don't really want to work for it or get caught in the woods trying to steal it . I say MOST people ! The few that will , Probably wont be missed anyway. JMHO . Good luck and have fun .

Thank you all for the info, i was wondering the same thing and Lord willing next year i will be trapping and at least part of it will be on public land also.

Unlike Jumperzee I've had a few wolf traps stolen. Really irritating, since I know almost every one was stolen by horn hunters out looking for shed horns. And those are the guys who complain the loudest about the wolves in the first place! They want the wolves gone but act like any trap left in the woods is there for the taking. I've had two traps stolen that were anchored with chain stakes, and they were about twenty feet apart with a fresh catch circle at both! Not sure how the thief got them out of the ground. I've had one or two bent up from would be thieves chaining them to an atv and trying to pull them that way. But if they are on a drag or even quicklinked to a tree they are much easier for a thief to pick up and walk off with. Trapping in the snow makes it tough to hide tracks, and earth anchors are pretty much out. I try to keep a low profile, but if I run into someone I expect will find some of my traps, I will make a point of talking to them and telling them I have traps there. If they think I will recognize them and know it was them, they are a lot less likely to walk off with them.

Cheap used traps at auctions & flea markets. Picking certain locations helps too

1) Use cheaper traps when 'setting on sign' is near public view.
2) Setting up drags to force animals away from view.
3) Using double #3 chain wolf fang stakes (think double rebar). Think one is difficult to pull, try two at an angle to each other.

All my swivels and j hooks are welded shut, quick links get green cylinder locker, requires a torch to take apart.

All my traps have a personal ID code stamped into the frames for easy identification and subsequent theft prosecution.

But if someone is really intent on taking the trap, ain't much you can do to stop them.

In my area a lot of stolen traps happen at bridges & culverts while trapping coon or mink. The answer to this is to trap further up or down stream & not at the roads where trap thieves can too easily jump out & look

I trap all public land and your best friend will be drags. If you have thick cover close by expensive drags aren't needed. The cheap butt crack style are fine. I have had no issues since I started using drags. If given the opportunity predators will hide themselves from view.