Hello all, making a move to the SD/NE area around Gavin’s Point just in time to get a little trapping done this fall/winter. Two things I’m looking for advice on… 1. Any striking differences in gear needed here compared to south central Kansas? 2. Anyone have experience trapping the Big Muddy? Worth it or no? Thanks all!!

Just a guess but I'm saying warmer clothes. Lol
Lucky you.

@Yes Sir - I have been told already there are mandatory ice fishing trips, which will be a whole new experience for this guy! Looking forward to it.

Be aware there are differences in state interpretations of river use. In the 1990's a group of individual boaters set up a Sunday afternoon picnic on a sandbar on the NE side of the Missouri River near Blair (downstream from Gavins Point). Adjoining landowner told them to leave, they refused, sheriff was called and they received a trespass ticket. Boaters were going to court to fight it claiming this was a "navigational river", their attorney reviewed the documents and said they would lose the first round due to the title description of the landowner's deed - which basically said/meets and bounds described "owner owned to the Iowa/Nebraska State Line". Navigation (including portage) was open to all but any other use (recreation, monetary etc.) belonged solely to the landowner! So the boaters paid the fine for trespassing instead of opting for a legal battle in the courts. Nebraska is a LANDOWNER STATE where your Deed gives you many inherent rights to the land - dry or under water land use is include. Because of navigation - fishing is allowed on the Missouri from a boat but commercial on the the Nebraska side has been curtailed/almost eliminated. This trespass decision made the Omaha World Herald newspaper with a Creighton Law Professor weighing in with his opinion, however the time and costs for the boaters to fight their ticket was not worth it to them according to the attorney and the news story. I have trapped for the Corp of Engineers on the Missouri River (Nebraska side) on ADC jobs jobs and their land/riverfront's are NOT all open. They had a CO and a Fed patrolling areas of non use while I was there removing beaver. So after all this just a heads up that if private land adjoins the river, (even if operating from a boat) Nebraska views that is landowner controlled (omitting navigation) and all federally owned land can be restricted use. States Rights trump Federal worded descriptions in this tiny case. Bottom line: get permission if operating where there is doubt (usually a cornfield/ag land adjacent to the river, WRP land is still privately owned too) and a quick call to the local Corp office to see what is available for use could save some problems. I do know that upstream from the Gavins Point Dam there is a lot more public Rec Use areas than downstream so wish you luck and a safe time................................ the mike

@the Mike - thanks for the heads up. My thoughts on trapping the river were kinda toward the large sandbar where the James River comes in and maybe Ghoats Island… we will have to see how things develop.

Sounds like you are pretty local to the area, might have to meet up when I get settled in and talk trapping.

And I will def be exploring some of the USACE lands, but I kinda have an inside info connection there so hopefully I can get accurate details.

But I grew up around GI so I am overall families with NE landowner laws (dad’s still running the family farm) so kind nice to be closer to my old stomping grounds.

On which side of the river will you be residing?

Right now loos like the NE side unless the house we are looking at falls through. Prob would do some level of trapping g on both sides as I get more established.