What's your plan of action?

I have a beaver job coming up next week in a highly urban neighborhood. The location has a series of ponds that are surrounded by residences. Just the thought of my highly valuable Comstock live traps being carried off makes me cringe. Have any of you found any ways to secure your traps to reduce someone from walking off with your livelihood? Most situations I lean towards camouflage. Someone can't steal what they can't find. However if I need to setup a trail set for a crossover and it leaves me exposed... you get the conundrum. I know no matter what I do if someone wants to harm my gear there won't be anyway to stop them. Welcome any thoughts. Also I plan to greet any inquiries with education and a smile in attempt to reduce any ill will.
Cheers!
Brian

Clear understanding that the client bears full responsibility for the safety of equipment and will fully reimburse for damage. And payment up front in full for the job with the option to end service without recourse at the first sign of tampering. Put it in writing.

That goes a long way to stopping any nonsense.

You might earth anchor them with some heavy cable. At least make a thief work for it. Also sometimes cell cams can be used to good effect.
Camouflage is always good, but like you said it limits you to spots with camo options.
Tough one for sure. In the end you are putting valuables out where people might see them, and that doesnt always work out the best.

I'm with Loosanarrow with a bit of an edit - earth anchor away from the set and run a used up, bent drowning cable through the trap and add a lock to the earth anchor loop and drowning cable loop. This way, when you're successful, you can unlock it, pull out the drowning cable, and carry the trap away.

Make it clear to the customer, if not too late, THEY WILL pay for damaged/stolen equipment. The game cam thing will help with the LEO's doing their jobs.

This is the very idea I had. I have also considered operating under the cover of darkness to avoid unwanted attention but I feel if I was to "get discovered " this sort of action would be even more detrimental. Best to hit it at sunrise and be prepared for any public relations as they come up.

Great advice sir

I have one Comstock beaver trap (https://www.animaltrapsandsupplies....lxju99Vqt_EpdAyCq5HJqw--TKxoCvCUQAvD_BwE ). When setting it in some areas, I often use a light chain threaded through the trap and padlocked around a nearby tree. I know that it is probably not 100%, but so far it has worked.

If it's impossible to perform a stealth-type trapping program, don't try to hide. I've used these signs for beaver and muskrat jobs in public parks (lakes, ponds, waterways), private corporation properties, and anywhere that you're sure "someone" is going to be willing to sabotage your efforts.

I've considered making the signs but also debated on it bringing attention to something they may have been oblivious to.

Can you mount one of those small tracker gizmos onto your trap?

I never had any problems when I used an earth anchor on 1/8" or heaver cable or chain attached to the trap in such a way that they'd have to get tools to steal it. This goes for expensive cage traps and/or footholds. I cringe when I think of 330s anchored in such a way that the trap can't be easily taken in the event of someone (myself or someone else) accidentally getting caught in one then not being able to get help. I'd rather someone steal my 330s than have someone caught and anchored until I found them.


Back to your cage traps, if it's contract work, I would expect there to be equipment theft covered in there. You can't get the job done on their property if someone is stealing your equipment, and more than likely, they should be the ones making it right if it does happen.

One tip I can give you is something I've got on most of my traps.


One of my well-used squirrel traps. Right by the pencil's eraser is my trap tag.
Right out in the open. It is bait. If a thief steals my trap and rips that sucker off they think they are golden.

Then flip the trap upside down.......

There is a second trap tag hidden under the handguard. Next to the eraser. This is the trap tag you need when you and the game warden confront the trap thief.

I really like that idea Crager. Gonna put that into my arsenal. Appreciate it amigo!

Aix Sponsa, I also have the same thoughts. Depending the situation I try to put removable twist links on all my earth Anchors. Gonna have to get pliers but atleast not a shovel I guess.

There's just no catch worth the chance of a snapping a pet or worse a kiddo. All cage traps for this job.

Appreciate the input, sir!

Game cams can assist LEO'S in identifying the people that mess with your traps but and this is a BIG BUT, you need a prosecutor that will actually prosecute the person. I speak from experience.
FITHOPS perimeter trip alarm with 12ga shell, pellets replaced with skunk essence 8 ft up in nearby tree pointed up at 45° angle with trip wire wired to trap.

You’re absolutely right about camouflage being a good strategy, and it’s great that you’re already considering it. Another thing you could try is to anchor your traps. Depending on the type of trap, you could use stakes, anchors, or even heavy rocks to make it difficult for someone to walk off with your traps.
Additionally, you might want to consider using GPS trackers or marking your traps with your contact information. This way, if someone does come across your traps, they can contact you rather than walk off with them. It won’t prevent theft, but it might help recover your gear if it does get taken. Of course, you’ll also want to check your traps frequently to minimize the chance of them being discovered and tampered with.

How did the beaver job go? Anyone mess with you?

Not at all thankfully. I spent some time talking with neighbors and explaining the plan of action. Everything went better than I could ask. I did setup in the more unaccessible areas. Most folks don't want to get dirty or walk through tall grass or brush. Worked like a charm.