Anyone ever run a line just setting culverts or streams very close to roads for rats/otter/mink in the winter? For ease of being able to check fast after or before work? Worth it?

Sure you can, it’s a common practice. Heck, a fella near me sells a video “Gary Schumann’s Rat Race”. The real question is, is it worth it? That’s for you to try it on for size and decide if it fits! Big difference in fur $$ from when Gary made the video in 2010 and now!!!

I did it for 30 years. But now you have to have permission at every culvert on the road system. And getting permission from the state or county isn't going to happen. So, I don't think you can make it work.

Even if it's public land?

In some cases, you would be Ok. But you better check on those locations. Some have trap restrictions.
I trapped some public land and had no idea that you could only use DPs on some sections and in other areas you could use foot holds.

Here in Maine did it for years but in the fall.Couple years catching over 100 mink.All blind seta

I could see it working well in Maine, I have hunted, fished, and ridden snowmobile in the County and the amount of road systems with culverts and vast area surrounding it all would be heaven to trap this way.

Permission and number of stops is all that is really needed. I remember a story in the Trapper years ago about a guy driving a beat up car doing it, he carried all his gear in a bucket, and would raise his hood at every stop so it looked like car trouble, people passing by wouldn't pay him any notice.

Did that for the first ten years I trapped. Targets were nutria #1, coons and beaver. Goal was always $100/day. Gas was .65 cent/gal on avg.

I was doing nuisance beaver work On the railroad in the James Bay lowlands north of Otter Rapids one fall.
I set 36 beaver traps on superstands all in culverts,I let them soak 2 days and picked up 32 beaver one muskrat and one otter first check.
Easiest trapping ever.

Per the current Wisconsin regs:

This would be regarding just roadside setting though wouldn't it? I'm planning on setting culverts that are public land on both sides of the waterway making it legal

Not only getting permission people need to get but every trap thief out there won't have to travel very far to grab your equipment.

Trapping woods roads up here in northern Maine no permission needed.

I set culverts sometimes, but only if I know it's going to stay open, same with bridge crossings. People around here tend to avoid water in the winter, but once it freezes good it becomes an access point and then everyone and their sister is riding a snow machine up and down the creek past your stuff. Our creeks turn into highways once they'll support a snow go.

The only people doing that here in Maine in the winter time would be beaver trappers.

I getting ready to start a relatively short creek bridge line for mink & otter myself as soon as I have safe ice. BE mink sets really shine under ice in culverts & concrete bridges AND the trap thieves need to be bringing a frigin spud with them in order to steal my catches & traps! Sure, I had to obtain permissions from the property owners who own to the centerline of the roads & bridges but what’s the big deal with doing that?
So much to trap and so little time!

Here it's everyone and anyone. Other trappers, snow machiners, mushers, x country skiers, and people on snow shoes. A guy has to cover a lot of ground, enjoy bush whacking, or run some sketchy ice to get away from the masses

Thankfully, we can trap the R.O.W. here in Iowa. Can't imagine having to run down permission for every bridge and culvert I set.
But to the OP's question, yes it is worth doing and is a great way to catch a lot of fur.

I went to high school with Gary, he was a year ahead of me. He was a trapping machine back then too!!!!!

Here in NY if you are trapping state or county land you are good to go. But if there is private property involved you need permission.

I do, I’ve had traps that were messed with tho and if you can get permission to walk back aways in the ditch it’s alot easier to me cause I don’t have to worry about people being nosy and stealing stuff. If you want want some quick trapping get permission in some farmers barns with straw and set dps in there

Yes, this is good advice. I only set under ice at culverts & bridges, forces the thieves to chisel ice to steal traps and catch, which for the most part, means that the thieves are trappers!!!. During open water time I never set at a culvert or bridge but rather move as TrapperE said and I can always find every bit as good of BE set locations that come with less worry about finding everything stolen the next check.

Just about 4’ of water so if you look you’ll see my rod setter/retriever for my “plated” 160s laying by my gloves.

Well In my opinion you won't be able to find enough public land in close proximity to each other to make it work.
But good luck to ya.

And even if the land is public, who owns the road bed? If its a county road, you'll likely need county permission. State road? You ain't getting permission. Town road? Maybe?
There's a reason "road trapping" isn't done in WI any more.

And if you are talking about driveway culverts, be sure to check where the ROW truly is. "Roads" are a heck of a lot wider than the pavement.

Beav has done the work for you. Here in NE we had multiple problems with every video or book saying to trap road bridges/culvert, so much so that a NFH group went down to the Legislature to testify in '87. One legislator was in a bind as it was his constituent (a paid state lobbyist) who had their dog killed in a 220 size BG (already totally illegal then) and this elected guy wanted to outlaw ALL trapping along side ROW's. We had the state employees union against us as they thought workers were in danger and a whole bunch of "bleeding hearts" (including PETA) against us. I gave testimony and the elected senator (along with everyone on their side) choked. Committee adjourned until the next day and the senator (Jerome Warner from Waverly) hotfooted to the Attorney General's office to to find some way to bail him out. Long story short they dug up the LAW's wording (before WS's above statement) that the LANDOWNER (title holder) is the only one with the right to grant permission to TRAP on their land (covered under the trespass clause). We (NFH) compromised on that and left the chamber. So the state or county or township or individuals who actually OWN the ROW must grant permission to trap there. Majority of county roads here are owned by the legal description of the tract, state roads by DOT and very very few by the county - your GIS maps will be able to tell who is the deed holder of that property. That ruling in committee, opened more NE Game and Parks regulations (not law) to constitutionality but that's another topic. So w/o looking up and interpreting your Trespass laws I think Beav's advice is sound. AND a side note,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for all those pseudo trappers that advertise their "skill and secrets" making sets along bridge walls and at road culverts,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, take that away from them and see how much and how good of a fur harvester they are. The majority of states don't have legal access to those spots as the very few that do limit a person's wildlife knowledge from my view. This is from the guy who was setting 330's in culverts totally legal in '72 and has a "few" years experience. Off my soap box.................. the mike

Dry culverts have been productive for me for bobcats and gray fox (also with bodygrips for racoons and skunks).

This culvert has produced quite a few cats thru the years.

I've also had great success in them for beaver and muskrats (though it's been a few years since I trapped them).

They can be good for the sneaking trap thieves. But they can be very productive.

It kind of sucks having to get permission but after the first time, they know you and you get welcomed back. I show the property owners what a DP looks like and tell them we have a calendar day check time. If anyone asks, I’ll even snap a DP on my finger to show them it's a holding device. Many have used them with varying degrees of success. Then I tell them I use a release pole in case a cat gets caught. It happens from time to time. I think this last season I got turned down twice. Most farmers WANT to get rid of the coon, skunks and possums.

Years ago I was able to run 200 traps setting every bit of water I crossed. Now it's about impossible with the Wisconsin trapping regulations.

Isn’t asking permission just a matter of preplanning as Teacher talks about? I do realize that for some trappers, asking permission of strangers to use their property can be a stressful and an anxiety filled experience! Imagine me actually training 10-20 college students to ask permission to do scientific studies on a person’r property. Think of the anxiety & stress those youngsters felt but overcame!!! I must have looked like old mother duck leading her two pickup loads of youngsters up to a person’s door to ask permission to do studies! LOL

One of my biggest problems is finding a landowner to contact. Everything is a corporation or LLC. I’ve cold called plenty, but rarely get yes off of those

For years I wrote letter to “out of towners” to trap coyotes and got zip back in return! Huge wast of my time & $! Locally speaking, I’ve called by phone and quickly learned not to do that either because I seldom got permission to trap! Those types of property owners I learned to just plain bypass regardless of the quality of their property! By approaching a property owner face-to-face I would be granted permission about 90% of the time to trap coyotes. I never, ever in my recollection, was turned down to trap mink, rats, or coon if I knocked on a door and asked face-to-face!!

To all the new trappers on this board consider this a tip from an old timer, learn to walk up to a door and ask face-to-face to a stranger for permission to trap! All they can say is YES or NO, most won’t chase you down the road with a stick for goodnessakes!!

I have had more traps messed with on private property than on ditches and crown land-go figure

not being allowed to trap culverts and waterways that cross roads is really crappy-feel bad for you Wisconsin guys and anywhere else it isn't allowed

I believe Most States have the rules, regs and actual laws regarding landowners Rights of Use (and restrictions) on their ROW property. And if you want to play law clerk, a lot of those states where you CAN harvest fur on a ROW without permission, it is not legal. It gets over looked or not researched enough to warrant an "attorney's opinion" (prior to court). I was trapping roadsides in MI in the mid 70's when I went to MSU and was not aware that it needed landowner permission then. Same goes for "spring loaded snares" (Senneker vs. Ram) in Iowa or other states. It will take one knowledgeable with the mechanics of the device and one familiar with the law to sort usages out. As I stated above, Beav has done the work for you on ROW in your state and if a road goes through a public wildlife area the "owner" (DNR, State, County or Township etc.) has those rights to grant usage. Now back to the question,,,,,,, Yes a few of us "old timers" have run auto lines for rats and mink specifically in the culverts. Unfortunately, winter with ice, blowing and drifting snows limit sets to the deeper water ones. Baited and non-baited BG's and tunnel traps worked for me. I quit after 4-5 years of it and waited for the spring season (open water) where it was easier and could anticipate more animal movement. February was and still is Mink Movement Month for me in every state I trapped. My experience. ..........the mike

[ yup iowa rocks longlineing]