I have 3 times.
First was back in the late 1970's in New York State. The NY season opened 3 weeks before the New Jersey season so I would trap there before trapping in NJ. The mink and muskrat season was not open yet so all traps had to be set at least 25 feet from any PERMANENT body of water. I was doing quite well trapping foxes on state land, some of the locals took notice. A CO checked me most every day, no problems. Then it rained hard all day and night. I had a set in the middle of an old logging road on a steep side hill. Rain water was running down the tire tracks. There sat the CO, gave me a ticket for too close to the water, hauled me right then and there to a justice of the peace and fined me $100.00. I argued it was not permanent body of water to no avail.
Second was the same season but back in NJ. I was trapping beaver thru the ice. In NJ a conibear must be set and maintained completely submerged under water. I checked the trap in the morning and removed a beaver, reset the trap and put it back under the ice. In the early afternoon a ranger (set was in a state park, I was trapping these beaver at the park superintendent's request) came by and pulled my trap up from under the ice and laid it down (still set ) on the ice. Then the same ranger came by an hour later and issued me a ticket for conibear set above water. He claimed that it was set out of water for an hour so I was not maintaining it properly. Judge agreed with him cost me $65.00.
Third was 1990. Was Issued a ticket by that same ranger for a 110 set for muskrats. Trap was on private land and was completely submerged except I had wired the chain loop to a small bush at water level but the last loop of the chain was out of the water. Judge ruled that the chain was part of the trap and must also be submerged, cost me $95.00.
Not that I wished it on him but the ranger died a horrible death from throat cancer a year or so after that. I often wondered if he was just a jerk or if the cancer made him so. It was 35 years ago, came to my mind in Church this morning, I have finally forgiven him. Eric

That (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) bastid needs another 15 years before I'd even think about forgiveness

No violations here

When I was 18 me and a buddy were pulling over 250 raccoon traps, we were about done when a couple wardens pulled up. Long story short, they sorted through the big pile of traps in the back of the truck until they found 2 that coons had torn the tags off of, so they could write each of us a ticket for it. (Law here says if you can reasonably assume to be trapping all traps in your possession, set or not, must be tagged.) Never seen them two before or since. They were called in because it was deer season.

in Montana, a trapping violation can get you a year in jail, $1,000 fine, loss of hunting, trapping or fishing rights for at least 2 years, and loss of access to any state land. A conviction is an automatic loss of trapping/hunting/fishing for 2 years.

Yes, I got a ticket, fought it, won it. State changed their regulations because of it. Currently charged with trapping out of season (false, DEI hired female warden). Will be fighting and winning that as well in the next couple of months.

Yeah once. Maryland’s hunting/trapping license is good for the entire season , meaning buy your license in the fall and you’re good thru spring turkey. Well, I was in WV trapping coyotes and bobcats on a state forest. Got checked on New Year’s Day , and showed the officer my license. He says it’s expired, I said no way I just bought the thing. Expired dec 31 , apparently they run the calendar year ( or used to anyhow). I got a ticket , had to go pull my traps , run and buy a license and go set them right back

4, I think.

Yes, I forgot to have my blaze orange on when we had the 4 day firearms season. It had slipped my mind…

I have never had anything but positive interactions with CO's here.

You have to wear orange trapping?

Yep, 1986 - Had a set for fox near a dump just outside of city limits on the river side of a earthen floodwall.

A dirt road bordered the dump, with a open field to the other side with a massive lone oak tree as the only standout feature....Made my set with numerous tracks & droppings nearby that just screamed red fox.....The next morning when I topped the floodwall I see a city dog catcher at the set, so I drive down and inquire what happened.

Apparently a teenage couple made their way down there during the night to go parking near the river, when they spotted the caught red fox in their headlights....These were city kids, and the girl talked her boyfriend into trying to release the fox...Well you know what happened, the boy got bit & scratched multiple times, but managed to get the fox pinned down and tied up, then he put the fox in his trunk (along with the trap & stake) and away they drive to the nearest hospital. (I swear I'm not making this up, Lol)

Sometime during getting treatment for the fox bites, a game warden was called to deal with the bound up fox in the trunk....This info was all relayed to me by the dog catcher, and I was instructed to call said game warden.

Upon speaking with the warden I asked for my trap & fox back, but he says "no" we shipped the head of the fox off for rabies testing, and if you claim the foxes body, you accept liability for the bitten boy...So I said okay keep the fox, what about the trap?....Was again told no, the trap was untagged and was being confinscated....So I say " That trap has been through other peoples hands, and I did tag it".

$60 fine for a alleged untagged trap was the result....Looking back, I was lucky to get out of that mess for $60, a lost trap & stake, and 1 red fox.

These are all bullcrap charges so far, that never should have been charged if the officer was even somewhat competent and a decent human being.

Keith

Nope, and I hope to keep it that way.

If your out during deer season you need orange on just like if you were deer hunting i personally think its a good idea.we need a orange cap/stocking hat while rabbit hunting also.

100% and what's freaky is Eric Space mentioning the LEO he had issues with later died of cancer....Well so did the LEO in my incident...He was highly despised locally for provocative encounters with others, and passed just a few years later with cancer, well before he could retire.

I got a trespassing ticket while trapping In SC. The next day some very influential individuals went to see the judge. My ticket went away and I got the fine money back. So, I guess I've never had a trapping violation.

Twice both in Oregon for exposed bait. 1st I was ticketed for exposed bait while a bobcat was in the trap. I tried to argue in court that the bobcat had exposed the bait. The judge made it clear I was getting fined no matter what.
Second some hound guys altered the set and then called the State police. That time I decided to just pay the fine.

Little story about the first case. There were two cases ahead of me. The 1st was the Chief of Police of Garibaldi convicted of hunting bear with the aid of dogs and possession of grouse out of season. He got 3000 hours of community service (that's right 3000, he's probably still working that off), 90 days suspended and a fine, forget how much.
2nd was a guy who was a felon but clean record for 10+ years. He was called and told his brother was acting crazy, firing his gun off in his house. He went there, took the gun away from his brother and put it in his car. Cops arrived and arrested him for felon in possession. Cops took him to jail, and his brother found another gun and killed himself. He got 90 days in jail. After hearing those case I was thinking of running. First thing the judge told me I was presumed guilty unless I could prove innocence. He did reduce the fine to $86.

I've never had a trapping violation. The wardens and deputies here go to bat for me when needed. They've returned traps on three occasions that were stolen by trespassing dog-walkers and successfully prosecuted on of those individuals.

I've only had one hunting-related violation in fifty years of hunting. It was for not wearing an orange hat while moving during spring turkey season. It was a stupid regulation and was only on the books a few years before being removed. That's not an excuse, just the facts, I was guilty.

All positive interactions here and never a violation. Even picked up some new ground through referrals from a local CO.
Jim

Eric's "transgressions" were all "chicken poop!" CO's who act like that should be removed from their jobs. And so should the juidges/magistrates that play along with the BS!

Pete