Been the law in Oklahoma for years. My take on it: The few that do put up signs, leave them there and never take them down. You drive past the same “Traps” sign all year long, year after year. Some are painted on gates, some on old tires hanging on fences, some on neat little cut out boards. No one pays attention to them anymore because you don’t know if there are actually traps there or not. Most trappers I know don’t bother putting them up. Pretty much ineffective for their intended purpose. With that being said, if it gives the lawmakers a warm fuzzy feeling and allows us to keep our trapping rights in that state then maybe that’s what needs to be done. I wonder if states like New Mexico would have tried this, if it would have made any difference.

Tell you what, if it passes I'd buy a couple hundred signs and put them up EVERYWHERE trapping is legal in the area. Cover every trail and anywhere else signs are required to trap. Keep them wondering if there are traps there or not. Let those who would steal them look over a few hundred places where there probably aren't even actually traps.

You'd for sure get a lot of exercise using that kind of solution !!!

I like it.

w

I like the idea, but I wonder if they could ticket you for that.

And you think by posting these signs that's going to help?Anybody who's ever done any amount of predator trapping up here has trapped these roads.I noticed you didn't respond to my questioning on what's a public roadway or trail.As far as what's palatable to the public at the ballot box,a law saying we have to advertise where our traps are located isn't going to make us.Our state is controlled by the mobs in southern Michigan,you should know that,you live not too far from them.Whether or not we put up signs doesn't mean 2 sh%+$ to these people they want us gone.I seriously doubt you've ever trapped these areas or conditions by the sound of it.One more thing,LE's ambition to prosecute trap thieves can be summed up in 3 words,little to none.Is there going to be a concentrated effort prosecute these degenerats after we advertise where our equipment is?I doubt it.

some good points made , thanks

It’s the sign requirement that really gives me a problem. I’m not concerned about people stealing my traps 25+’ off a trail because they’d be more likely to steal a trap set on the trail if they could find it anyway. What really concerns me about the signs is the safety hazard that certainly can be created. There are people, zealots, who will go to great lengths to stop me from trapping by spiking or making the trails unsafe for me personally, my truck, and /or my quad.

About trail designation. The DNR already has a double handful of trail designations by their DNR Forest Roads Web Map program. In my County I use this a lot because I do have a lot of square miles of State lands with a vast multitude of logging trails. As it is right now, I can find many logging trails less than 1/4 mile long I’m prohibited to run the quad on but not necessarily trucks!! If I can give one piece of advice to the MT&PC (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman), be darn careful not to fall into another trail designation trap!

We have “leash laws” here, that is to say the owner must be in control of their dog at all times whether tethered or not. We have bird hunters, rabbit hunters and coon hunters here as well as some pretty liberal trapping regs.

The last incident I can recall, the owner was ticketed for not having control of the dog. This was before social media where an individual can tell their own set of facts to gin up sympathy for stupidity.

I think the DNR should put out that trapping season starts on the date that it does and warn people about it. if we mark trail heads , I believe that the anti will bring their dog and try to get them caught in a trap?

You think setting traps where you have a high probability of catching someone’s dog is going to help?
. [/quote]
And you think by posting these signs that's going to help?Anybody who's ever done any amount of predator trapping up here has trapped these roads.I noticed you didn't respond to my questioning on what's a public roadway or trail.As far as what's palatable to the public at the ballot box,a law saying we have to advertise where our traps are located isn't going to make us.Our state is controlled by the mobs in southern Michigan,you should know that,you live not too far from them.Whether or not we put up signs doesn't mean 2 sh%+$ to these people they want us gone.I seriously doubt you've ever trapped these areas or conditions by the sound of it.One more thing,LE's ambition to prosecute trap thieves can be summed up in 3 words,little to none.Is there going to be a concentrated effort prosecute these degenerats after we advertise where our equipment is?I doubt it.[/quote]

I don’t think signs are the answer and your points about what defines a trail are valid. I think the answer is taking it upon ourselves to not set areas (roads, known walking trails) that are most likely to be used by dog walkers and avoid the conflict in the first place. Do our best to keep it from becoming a ballot issue, because that we won’t win in the long run. If that had been done then Dahlgren might not be in this situation.

From experience signage won't make any difference to those that oppose trapping other than drawing more attention to the area for them to concentrate their harassment of trappers,, and I would question the dog owner that says the animal was leashed and throw the brown BS flag when they say it was, have seen dog walkers in the fields unsnap the leash as soon as out of sight of the Trailhead, dogs running free, chasing deer and anything else that moves

I think what's confusing people here is the term "public roadway or trail". Visions of a gravel road or trail with families out enjoying the day with their dogs come to mind of most people.In reality these roads,or 2 tracks here in the U.P, run for miles and miles with no large urban areas nearby.The only people for the most part using these trails in the fall are hunters and the few trappers.Is it possible somebody walking their dog would run into a set?Sure it is,my point is it isn't any more probable than anywhere else on state land.There are not hordes of people waiting to jump on these trails,the population of the whole U.P. is around 300,000.I don't care how careful you are,or how many laws you pass,dogs will get caught,somehow,somewhere.And in this media atmosphere with everybody a photographer thru their cell phone it gets posted on social media.Again,that's forcing trappers to answer for everything gone wrong whether its our fault or not.I personally don't set tight to 2 tracks because I had too many things gone wrong,I never caught a dog,but coon and sometimes fox that couldn't pull the drag out of the bed so its right there on the road,skunks caught and spraying any truck that drove by,etc.So really,I tend to stay off the road anyway.But I can see really easy where this is headed.

I think dog walkers and trail users should have to post signs whenever they do such. I don't think this is an unreasonable request.

Many of us gave thoughts and opinions on the subject, but not much advice to Dahlgren. I think most trappers don’t want to post sings and don’t want conflict, but that ship has sailed and it is being forced, so now it’s time for damage control to steer the outcome to our best interests.
My “solution” would go something like this:

Warning sings must be posted for any lands traps placed in these locations:
1 - Less than 50’ from any public roadway or trail that is being maintained by the state, county, or town.
2 - Less than 25’ from any man made trail for a distance of 1 mile from the nearest public roadway that is being maintained by the state, county, or town.

If you don’t want to place signs, then don’t place traps in these locations.

I don't know. It's worth trying though, I just wouldn't tell everyone.

So just give up? That is exactly what they want you to do. You let them win on this and they will take a bigger bite next time. No sir. You need to fight to keep everything you have AND fight to improve upon that. Mi. giving in and "compromise" has them losing more and more and NEVER gaining back anything they have lost. Look at their cable restraints for example. They are virtually worthless now with their restrictions on them.

Hey Joe
you have used your quote "You think setting traps where you have a high probability of catching someone’s dog is going to help?" several times now. Do you really think any of the guys answering your question does that?
As far as I read the original letter didn't say they were using designated paths. Just 2 tracks and roadways.
My question is Why should it be trappers responsibility to protect your dog if it isn't being walked in a known safe place?
just

I had a beaver removal in a nature preserve that required dogs to be on a leash. Had an incident with a black lab that a hiker let run and play around the beaver dam about 150 feet from the nearest trail. The dog was unharmed besides a bit of a sore paw, but the preserve property manager thought signs would be a good idea. I agreed with him that there was a chance they could encourage people to actually keep dogs on a leash, so I said “Sure, as long as you agree to pay for any stolen or damaged equipment!” He thought about that for a minute, then said, “well the dog wasn’t hurt, and we do have the leash rule, so lets just forget the sign idea…”

Really?Not much advice?I thought he got good advice on where to start.That ship has sailed?Why?Because a dog was caught?Out of the thousands of traps set in this state every fall I can assure you it wasn't the only one and it won't be the last.And we're not rolling over and playing dead to placate these people.Go back and read the letter again and pay attention to his wording.The naive ones reading this post aren't the ones who are against the signs,there the ones who think if we play along with this it'll resolve any and all conflicts about trapping on public land .It'll only be the beginning.

Oh yeah, many of you are the same people that think Trump can win.
Good luck winning trapping support at the ballot box if you keep setting stupidly.