Curious how many of you trap on public land. I just went to check a trail camera on one of my public land spots and it was stolen and has me worried for trapping season. I usually trap mostly beaver and rats but this year I drew a cat tag here in Wisconsin so I will be trapping public land when I suspect more bow hunters will be out and about. How worried should I be about people messing with sets? Do you try to be as secretive as possible with your sets? I was hoping to use flagging and other techniques for my cat tag but I'm not sure if maybe that will draw too much attention to the area as far as people go.

I trap most of my cats on public grounds. Unfortunately know matter what you do is going to be full proof but just try to keep your sets hidden the best that you can. I avoid using flagging on public ground if it's in a area folks can see it. Flat sets well hidden will help you from theft. Also, I use a lot of pipe sets in tuffs of grass with a well blended trap in front. Just try to stay away from were folks walking there dogs if possible because the dog will most likely find it.

Drags or long chain to get the cat hidden has helped also. Cats want to get to brush after caught.

Yeah the area I'm at I will be far away from really any trail or road that people would be walking dogs in. I think my biggest concern is bow hunters. But I'm not sure how many people would want to deal with trying to get earth anchors out of the ground. I'm guessing the biggest risk is if I have an animal in my trap and people coming to mess with it. I will try to keep my flagging to a minimum unless I have a set way back out of the way

Not sure of your situation but the earliest you can get in to check your traps in the morning the better. I want to think most hunters would leave your catches and equipment alone but there are always thoughs few.

Sorry to hear about your trail camera. I have had the same thing happen to me.

If Trapping in the snow try to check sets from a distance. Don't walk right up to them.

I have animals stolen out of traps on private land, no matter where you set theft is going to be a possibility. Eric

Camera are one of the most important tools I have for scouting and it sounds like your using them. Learn right were the cats are walking and plant that set right in there face. I catch a lot of cats with no flagging this way. Trail sets are deadly also with stepping sticks. Took last years cat this way.

The cat in the picture is caught on the exact same set as you see in the bottom of the picture. Used to sticks pushed in the ground to shape a V. Bare dirt in front of the trap placed for the cat. I and my wife caught 2 cats this way back to back days.

AZ is all public land trapping except for the res.
Res is different laws.
Foot traps are legal,,,,but they only want you to capture coyotes.
Kissing the Chiefs (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) will go a long way......

Molested

Thats what I was trying to do is find out exactly travel routes these cats are using. I have one more camera to move around out there right now. Will have to invest in some other cheap cameras maybe. I will be putting 10 to 12 sets in this property and I'm hoping to connect. I have pictures of cats on cameras and sign from last winter. Also. How are you getting deer to avoid stepping on the set pictured?

I use public land and you have to walk in thete a ways most people are couch potato and don't wanna walk to far.

I thought about this too. The camera that was stolen was about 500 yards away from any parking but maybe I need to go farther

I've had cameras stolen, traps beat up, nasty notes left..all on public land. Really bad during big game hunting.

lol,,,,, I was thinking working old days,,,,,, to get "Them" something that the government did not supply.
A dozer to decrease flooding in the Reservation South....
Star link
A better water system......
AZ and NM are working on it

Goggle the Navajo,,,,, I will be the person most arrested for fighting,,,,I do no let Domestic violence escape my eye,,,,,,,,,I I will punch anyone who does.....................

If I had to set a camera on public I’d do a lot of camouflage for it, slapping on a trail might invites heartbreak. Be creative set it back a few feet where it faces an opening or brush around it being careful not to trigger it with the materials you use. Find a low spot and set it low not at eye level. You might some good pic you might not but you’ll get pics and still have a camera.

Sorry to hear about the theft of your trail cam.

I trap primarily public land in northern Wisconsin. There isn't anything you are going to do if an individual is intent on acquiring your equipment or catches. As a rule, people don't venture much beyond a quarter mile from the perimeter of a property, so go hunt and trap deep within the interior. Move off the two tracks which allow easier access.

For cats, you don't need to place flagging directly over your sets. Flagging is for long distance attraction. Once the cat is on the area, use all the elements of your sets to encourage the cat to investigate and place it's feet in the trap. When setting for a cat, I use cubbies and walk throughs. Jeff Dunlap has some great cat trapping videos on U Tube. Drags will get your animal away from your set, but in northern Wisconsin, a drag can be along ways away if you connect with a wolf rather than a cat.

Get out as early as possible for trap checks. And check from a distance if you can. No sense leading people directly to your sets.

Lastly, report all interference with your equipment to your local warden.

I get a few hunters during deer season. I hang a strip of “Active Trapline” tape about an 1/4 mile before they get close to any sets, and some of them turn around when they see it…lol. Rolling the dice putting that warning tape up cuz some actually walked down little trails looking for sets. Usually by the time they get to where the sets are, they’re long tired of looking for traps…haha.
The GPS cell cams are nice. Another guy in Manitoba had one go missing. The thief turned it on in his garage, it took a couple pics and pinged the location to the app. That gave the Mounties grounds for a search warrant and a whole bunch of other stolen stuff turned up…lol
If I think there’s going to be hunters walking by, I set somewhere else or deep in the bush, but most of my line is inaccessible until a good freeze up and my trapping really ramps up after deer. Having said that, I got 3 guys on cam with a quad & trailer of lumber going by, 3 hours later they’re coming back with an empty trailer. Last year most stayed away because they could hear me coming from a mile away, beaver stands, axe, shovels traps all clanging around in the trailer behind the quad. I see lots of deer though!

Almost all of my trapping is on public land. I haven't had too much trouble over the years, but I go into an area and out pretty quick and check traps daily.

99% of my trapping is on public land and have had traps messed with over and over, don't count of any prosecution of violators even with videos of them messing with traps be lucky if they even get a wrist slap, as far as being secretive kinda hard to do with 2 to 3 feet of snow on the ground and all the bunny snugglers have to do is follow the tracks you have to make every day with the daily trap check requirement, only thing one can do is what I did last year and will do in the future is set traps where the skinney skiers /snowshoers don't / won't go because of terrain and distance, THANK YOU SNOWDOG! far end of last years line 17 miles from vehicle. Yep 34 mi round trip, this year's will be even longer, plus will have a surprise for ANYONE that messes with traps they'll smell like skunk until they get out and change clothes.
As far as cams getting stolen Fortunately I have a 4 piece ladder for my deer stand and with the SnowDog can take 2 sections and get my cams 10+,feet up a tree and can do the same with the skunk essence bomb so a mist of essence settles over the person messing with traps.