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Flea Market Ethics #7683641
10/02/22 09:07 AM
10/02/22 09:07 AM
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,752
Eastern W by God V
Crowfoot Offline OP
trapper
Crowfoot  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,752
Eastern W by God V
Over the years, I've seen traps of various types at flea markets, auctions and yard sales, Quite sure many of you have as well.
Most of the ones I see are priced as ornaments, 4 times (or more) what they are worth. Rarely, almost never see one "user" priced.
Anyway, I've seen some over the years that had ID tags on them. No idea who they were, just noticed.
I did buy some at an estate auction of folks that I did know, they were tagged but I knew the fellow, it was to settle his estate.
But what about traps bought from ... wherever .... that have tags ? Does anyone ever look them up, try to contact the person on the tag, check if they were stolen from them ?
Or, just hit them up for a cool back story, reminisce a bit, make a new acquaintance ? anything like that ?
Seems like folks would cut the tags off if they knew what it was, or was dealing a dirty deed.
Next one I see, I'm gonna try to look them up. (if I can afford the trap, that is)
Or, should I leave that can o' worms closed up ?

Just curious, thanks
smile

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683675
10/02/22 09:52 AM
10/02/22 09:52 AM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492
Garden,Michigan
B
Buck (Zandra) Offline
trapper
Buck (Zandra)  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492
Garden,Michigan
I once bought some MJ600's at a convention here in Northern Michigan that I found " Property of the state of....."either Virginia or West Virginia,I don't remember which now, stamped on the frame.Always wondered about that

Last edited by Buck (Zandra); 10/02/22 09:54 AM.

Buck(formely known as Zandra)
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683708
10/02/22 11:02 AM
10/02/22 11:02 AM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 16,511
Oakland, MS
yotetrapper30 Offline
trapper
yotetrapper30  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 16,511
Oakland, MS
I imagine a good many of them the owners may be deceased. Guy dies, none of this relatives trap, and they get sold off.


~~Proud Ultra MAGA~~
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683714
10/02/22 11:23 AM
10/02/22 11:23 AM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,240
Minnesota
Woodsloafer72 Offline
trapper
Woodsloafer72  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,240
Minnesota
I was at a consignment auction a number of years ago that had a bundle of traps on it. I was looking at them and discovered two of them were mine. Still had my tags on them. They went home with me. grin

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683718
10/02/22 11:36 AM
10/02/22 11:36 AM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane Offline
"HOSS"
Leftlane  Offline
"HOSS"

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
When I see a single trap at a garage sale I wonder how many of them were "picked up" by a bird hunter. You'd think they'd be smart enough to remove the tag but i guess not always


“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.”
Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers


Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683722
10/02/22 11:42 AM
10/02/22 11:42 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,985
Central Pennsylvania
Nittany Lion Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister
Nittany Lion  Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,985
Central Pennsylvania
I purchased quite a few traps over the years that had name tags on them. I guess I always assumed the seller would be smart enough to remove the name tags if they were stolen. Now this thread has me thinking. When I do think back I got traps that way at flea markets, conventions and estate sales. I would think the flea market traps would have been the most likely to have been stolen.


I got myself a seniors' GPS.
Not only does it tell me how to get to my destination,
it tells me why I wanted to go there.
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683724
10/02/22 11:49 AM
10/02/22 11:49 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,516
La Crosse, WI
Macthediver Offline
trapper
Macthediver  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,516
La Crosse, WI
I have often wondered the same thing when the tags are at flea market. I've looked at traps to see if I find any of mine that were stolen
I did have a friend give me a federal tag with my name on and a previous address. He bought at auction. Said He had bought a jar of just trap tags found mine while sorting them. The tag was from a 110 rat trap stolen from me back in the mid 1980s. Was probably around 2005 when he found it gave it to me?
So if anyone has a upper Mississippi refuge tag with my name engraved on the back. It would be from a trap that was stolen. I may have given one of those tags to someone here on T man for some project. But any other tags out there would be from stolen traps.

Mac

My dog poops facing north!


"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683728
10/02/22 11:57 AM
10/02/22 11:57 AM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,852
meadowview, Virginia
E
EdP Online content
trapper
EdP  Online Content
trapper
E

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,852
meadowview, Virginia
I don't think that folks that have never trapped know anything about trap tags. Given that the tags are often rolled or wrapped around something (link or swivel) and can't be read unless unwrapped, they probably have no idea what it is and the tag is ignored.

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683730
10/02/22 12:02 PM
10/02/22 12:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,639
Williamsport, Pa.
J
jk Online content
trapper
jk  Online Content
trapper
J

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,639
Williamsport, Pa.
We were at district 8 flea market long time ago in Maysville. We had two tables and when things slowed down went walking around and my buddy found one of his old hunting licenses for sale in a pile of licenses......jk


Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683759
10/02/22 12:50 PM
10/02/22 12:50 PM
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 606
Southaest Kansas
C
Coyote Clayton Offline
trapper
Coyote Clayton  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 606
Southaest Kansas
I was bird hunting and worked an old pond that the dam washed out on. Saw an old beaver den hole in the bank. There was a 330 in the hole. Looked it over and found my trap tag on it. 30 miles from where I lived.



Compulsive Coyote Washer
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683783
10/02/22 01:22 PM
10/02/22 01:22 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,400
nebraska
S
scheide Offline
trapper
scheide  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,400
nebraska
I have purchased traps off trap shed that had as many as 3 trap tags on a single trap. All three tags had different names.

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683881
10/02/22 04:20 PM
10/02/22 04:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 714
Stanton Mi.
B
BigJoe. Offline
trapper
BigJoe.  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 714
Stanton Mi.
I have a drawer full of used trap tags I removed from traps I bought over the years. I don't know why I saved them. Maybe someday I'll go through them and make a list of the different names. Some are really old, where the address says" rural route" on them. Some are big and home made. The write your own get thrown in the trash, as they are unreadable. There are several from out of state (I've bought all my traps in Michigan)


Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association Director at Large
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7683999
10/02/22 07:00 PM
10/02/22 07:00 PM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,833
Michigan
M
Michigander Offline
trapper
Michigander  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,833
Michigan
I found an old rusty trap chain with a copper tag on it about 10 years ago. The trap was nowhere to be found. I looked him up on the internet and he had a criminal record about 3 pages long and was lodged in the county jail at the time for assault.

There is a victor number 1 1/2 longspring growed halfway into a chunk of tree on display at the local ag parts store. The store owners didn't believe it was my Dads until he rolled open the tag and showed them his name. He said he must have lost it in the late 70s. Its still hanging above parts desk to this day.


Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Coyote Clayton] #7684008
10/02/22 07:10 PM
10/02/22 07:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,170
ny
U
upstateNY Offline
trapper
upstateNY  Offline
trapper
U

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,170
ny
Originally Posted by Coyote Clayton
I was bird hunting and worked an old pond that the dam washed out on. Saw an old beaver den hole in the bank. There was a 330 in the hole. Looked it over and found my trap tag on it. 30 miles from where I lived.

That's why if you ever have a trap stolen,,make sure to report it so its on record.

Last edited by upstateNY; 10/02/22 07:11 PM.

the wheels of the gods turn very slowly
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7684110
10/02/22 08:59 PM
10/02/22 08:59 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 6,323
se South Dakota
NonPCfed Offline
trapper
NonPCfed  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 6,323
se South Dakota
How many states DON'T require trap tags...? South Dakota doesn't.

I've bought a few #1 LS at antiques stores around here. One had a MN trap tag on it. Didn't really think twice about it...


"And God said, Let us make man in our image �and let them have dominion �and all the creatures that move along the ground".
Genesis 1:26
Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: NonPCfed] #7684126
10/02/22 09:20 PM
10/02/22 09:20 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
Originally Posted by NonPCfed
How many states DON'T require trap tags...? South Dakota doesn't.

I've bought a few #1 LS at antiques stores around here. One had a MN trap tag on it. Didn't really think twice about it...


South Dakota doesn't and I usually buy traps from antique stores and haven't found any tags on them. I bought a bunch of traps from a guy that had his tags on them still from when he was in Wyoming but I took all those off and junked them. This thread does make a guy think about putting tags on his gear though.

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7684140
10/02/22 09:38 PM
10/02/22 09:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,752
Eastern W by God V
Crowfoot Offline OP
trapper
Crowfoot  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,752
Eastern W by God V
I just found that one of my 110's has a name and #'s engraved on the flat heads of the pivot rivets.
Like with a vibratory engraver. Very small/faint, can barely/almost make it out.
Wonder who would expect to check there, except the one that did it.
Sneaky smile

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Crowfoot] #7684190
10/02/22 11:18 PM
10/02/22 11:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,645
Wisconsin
Scott__aR Offline
trapper
Scott__aR  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,645
Wisconsin
I have purchased a lot of traps this pass year, as I prep them for the season (paint and my preferred chain set up) I stamp a private code into the frame. Should make identification easier if they should ever grow legs. Thieves may remove trap tags, but not likely to be taking the trap apart to grind the code out of the frames.


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Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: Scott__aR] #7684191
10/02/22 11:25 PM
10/02/22 11:25 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,256
Iowa
~ADC~ Offline
The Count
~ADC~  Offline
The Count

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,256
Iowa
Originally Posted by Scott__aR
I have purchased a lot of traps this pass year, as I prep them for the season (paint and my preferred chain set up) I stamp a private code into the frame. Should make identification easier if they should ever grow legs. Thieves may remove trap tags, but not likely to be taking the trap apart to grind the code out of the frames.

Easier to drill a small hole or two in the frame, the same location on all traps. Only you'll know and they look like factory holes.

Re: Flea Market Ethics [Re: ~ADC~] #7684211
10/03/22 04:04 AM
10/03/22 04:04 AM
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,645
Wisconsin
Scott__aR Offline
trapper
Scott__aR  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,645
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by ~ADC~

Easier to drill a small hole or two in the frame, the same location on all traps. Only you'll know and they look like factory holes.


Thanks for mentioning that ... I didn't consider that, but it's a simple option if your looking to mark traps.


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