Any tips on trapping two tracks and not catching grouse dogs? Lots of public land and logging roads around and like to trap k9s but don’t want to catch a bird dog. Obviously trying to stay away from prime grouse habitat might help. Getting out of town a bit further will probably help. Any other pointers?

Why do you want to make your sets on a road
Set in the bush.

It's because most of the critters your trapping are running the roads. And If you bait and lure a set off the road the bird dog is still going to be attracted to that set.
I must have been very lucky since I have never caught a dog on any road so far. No matter where you make sets In Land being hunted with dogs your going to take a chance your going to catch a dog.

That will be hard to do .Is there a chance that you could trap after grouse season.i trap several hunting clubs here and a couple I can not trap in till after rabbit hunting season.Even then you sometimes end up with a non target that "never leaves the yard".

I'm in a similar situation- public land that occasionally gets hunted for birds with dogs. I have caught a couple huntin' dogs in my sets, or should I say that a couple huntin' dogs have gotten into my coyote sets.... I have the same approach this year as I've taken in years past with the exception of making sure I use my 2 coil Alpha's in places that have a higher probability of entertaining a domestic. Using those traps there are more 'pet friendly' and will be much easier for an owner to release on his own. If I were to use my wire lever No-BS traps it would more than likely cause more difficulty for the dog owner to release his pup. I like to take every measure I can that can reduce the stress on a domestic, or at least give the appearance that I'm taking every measure possible to be 'pet-friendly'... if for no other reason- I've found that it causes less tension between the trapper and the dog owner.... I'm sure some will say F it, and the trapper has as much right to be there as the dog owner- and while that's accurate, I try to reduce any risk of the trapping community obtaining a black-eye

Boco don't deal with such things, so he ain't no help.

Be careful! A guy could put signs out but that can attract people. I'd use smaller size footholds but like Beav said it is still only a matter of time. Might have to wait....

In most cases the dog If caught will be fine. It's the person releasing the dog who Is going to have problems. One time I had a note In the trap. It said the blood on this note isn't dog blood. One time I was checking traps and I came across a sprung trap there were dog prints and humane prints. As I was resetting a pick up came down the two track. The driver was wearing bandages on his face and arms. The dog was just fine. I had 2 more cases like that when the dog owner got the worst of It.
So If you come across a dog In your trap be very careful when you release It. I have never been bite.

You don’t have a release pole? I think our regs require us to have one when checking traps for just that reason. I love the incidentals that know commands. Sit, lay down, and go home!
Just a side note…don’t leave your truck door open if you use a vehicle to run your line. Had a dog jump in the passenger’s seat and finish the check with me while waiting on the owner (dog was collared) to call me back for a meet. That dog was several miles from home and the owner was thrilled to get him back.

I have a catch pole. It's the dog hunter that dosen't carry one.
I had happen to me once. I had caught a dog and It's buddy was hanging around the caught dog. I released the trapped dog. My truck door was open. The other dog jumped right In. It was touch and go It growled at me. I opened the other door but It wasn't getting out. So I knew where they came from so I drove It home.

I had a similar situation a few years ago on a local farm. I had a double on farm dogs. I had left my door open on the driver's side while I released the first dog, and he ran off a few feet and sat there. I released the second dog, and it ran over by the first dog. I tried to get them to run off, but they wouldn't have it.

As I walked towards them in an attempt to get them to run away, they both ran and jumped right up into my truck and they both sat on the passenger seat side and just looked at me. I had to laugh. I figured I knew where they came from. I had stopped to talk to a farmer about a 1/2 mile away and I remembered those dogs when I had been there a few days earlier.

I just want to point out that you made an impression on me and changed the way I think….. recall our conversation on the way to pick up containers- hahaha…. No more flexing my masculinity and feeling it necessary to run 4 coil traps.

If the old timers don't share some experiences and philosophies with the younger generation that is our fault for not doing so. Yes, I recall the trip and enjoyed the conversation.

I don't a own a 4 coiled trap. Never have seen the need.

I had been running 4 coil mb550s but I went to two coil thinking it would be easier if I did catch a dog. I have caught my own dogs a few times and it was no big deal but it might be to someone else

In my area it’s a big thing for them to release coon hounds and drive along behind them in the roads. The dogs have gotten trained to “ road hunt”. I have many places I could wait until late season and set. The coon hunting slows down here a bit after Christmas or so but you never know when they might decide to show up if the roads are heavily used. Lots of coyote sign right in the roads and lots of intersecting things cat sets could be made.

I quit using 4 coils when I had to release a front foot caught badger. It wasn't much fun with arthritic hands.

Logging road blind sets. For me it's the most effective ways I have found to catch coyotes in big woods.

[video:youtube]https://youtube.com/shorts/xhDKoF-cbxU[/video]

Just returned Tuesday from 5 days canoeing and trapping in north central WI on national and state public land. There were dozens of grouse hunters with their dogs scattered all over the forest. Many come from southern WI or out of state and come in mid to late October after our bear season is over and when more of the leaves have fallen. I trapped for coyotes in these areas in the mid 1990s with moderate incidents. Today I would not set a forest road in October where I used to. It is just not worth it with the number of potential incidents that would take place. To me after hunting up there from 1992-2021 there would be much less chance of incidents trapping during the deer gun season then in October. Especially the last 5-10 years as the number of hunters for deer have dropped off dramatically.

Bryce

Used to trap two tracks but that was a different time with a different type of people once or twice a season i gave hounds a ride home and several times over the years there'd be a coyote or coon layin by the porch with a note or i'd hear later that the dogs caught it and the hunter read the tag and dropped it off with the trap or the trap was where i set it Those days are gone