what do you do when you are holding a snare that has been cut, chewed up, and hair on it ? then the client says there hasnt been anything in it.they have seen a thing!!!!

I would let them know exactly what I was thinking. That would be an insult to my intelligence thinking they could fool me. Us being trappers our success depends on our ability to read sign. I don't like being messed with or cheated. Basically they are stealing from you and that's how I would treat them. On the other hand it could have been a nosey or tree hugging neighbor and they are telling you the truth.

Is the snare lock still there?

waco, is the "cut" clean and is there blood on the cut?

clean cut with wire cutters.. i knew something was wrong when i called the and they didnt return my calls. i trapped an extra 2 weeks for free trying to help them

In that case I pull my gear, explain the truth as you know it. An animal was trapped and SOMEONE removed and or released it. I've had this situation a few times with cages, we all know what it looks like when an animal was in a cage, I never accuse the homeowner because I cant prove it. But I explain to them that since I charge a per animal fee to support my family I cant continue working for them when SOMEONE is stealing out of my traps. They will usually beg you to continue the job, at that point I give them the "well we will try this one more time" and the problem has always been resolved, but if it happened again I would not think twice about "FIRING" a client. I've fired them for other reasons in the past.

first see if as the others stated clean cut or frayed. if frayed they may be telling the truth. if clean cut, show them the cable then cut a peice with you cutters right in front of them, to show them that they are the same. then see how they react. I have had complete strangers walk into yards and turn critters loose, what kind of hair on the cable target or non target?

You've learned two things here. Always tell the customer up front "Animals that are turned loose from a trap, from any other person than me, will terminate the tapping program immediatly with no refund for early termination. The act of releasing an animal indicates that an animal was caught and the per animal charge is for animals that are caught not released. The per animal charge will be applied. Damaged or stolen traps are the responcibility of the property owner and a replacement cost of XXX will be added to the bill". Make this statement (or write it in your contract) befor you start trapping. This will spur questions from the customer and the both of you will come to common ground. You usually don't have an issue again and if you do you will not feel badly about pulling out. I think all of us at some time have an animal released. Sometimes you have that feeliing when talking to a customer that an issue may arise. So I make sure they know up front. As trapperforhire stated you are not making money if you are not trapping animals. The per naimal charge keeps you off the break even point.

X2

#3

Tampering fee that is greater than the capture fee.

I hate to even write this because tomorrow all my cages will be tampered with and all my animals will be released. But, because I'm in a good mood, I will say it anyway. Am I the only one who doesn't have to protect himself with signed contracts for all this stuff? Yes, there have been a few occasions where cages have been stolen and no, I did not charge the customers because they live in a crappy neighborhood. And yes, sometimes I have charged customers for released animals but only on very rare occasions.

By not having to chase customers down to sign all of these clauses and contracts ( And mainly because the older I get, the lazier I get) I figured I saved enough time to pay for these stolen cages and released animals myself. Do not take this post all that seriously. If you have a need to protect yourself from these kind of problems, by all means do it!

There have been times when a customer has moved my cage to an area that he had seen the animal in and caught it! What kind of tampering fee do I charge him?

I think you would have to cut him a paycheck.

I don't think I've ever seen a happier customer than one who has moved the cage and caught the animal. And you would tend to think that he would become a "do it yourselfer" but they don't. I think it's because then they have no one to share their victory over the animal with......... This message was brought to by Paul the psychiatrist

Funny you should ask. I understand that there will be a meeting of fellow addicts in Minnesota this week.

You and me both Rick. It's probably four and a half hours for me so I really feel bad. It's not even a matter of money. It kind of boils down to a matter of service and pride in your company.

Coyote chew threw snares sometimes . Some coyote just bust the thing if it's a big male they bust out sometimes . I have some very well made snares and couple times a year they just don't hold up . . If the cable is all chewed up that's what happened . If its a beaver they spin and spin and if the swivels gets plugged up they brake . The cable will look chewed but it's not it's frade . Snares need checked by the trapper daily . Might catch a non target . . I have the customer check my cage traps but not the snares . If the customer shot then cut the thing there would be blood spot and the customers tracks would be on the ring .

Who just walks around with the kind of cutters needed to cut stranded snares with? Has to be a trapper/snareman to even know what to do and how to do it.