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Post by desertrat on Mar 4, 2011 20:43:41 GMT -5
With the high price of western cats this year sure burns my ass when I found a catch circle empty trap and boot tracks at the set last week.
Also hard to cover tracks in the snow I guess it was a matter of time before I got hit.At least they left the trap it was cabled to a juniper and crimped shut j-hooks to a cable loop.
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Post by bigtwinhd on Mar 5, 2011 0:01:30 GMT -5
Were I you I'd rig a one way system like a beaver drowner to get those 500$ bills out of the eyeballs of others. My 15$ coon don't get the treatment, but I'd spend the time on western cats.
Lucky they didn't take the tree, trap and cat, eh?
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Post by desertrat on Mar 5, 2011 18:39:12 GMT -5
It is sort of hard when they will follow your tracks in the snow, I guess sometimes you have to except lose.It still Fry's my !#% if you know what I mean.
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Post by bigtwinhd on Mar 5, 2011 21:01:37 GMT -5
I know what you mean. That's gotta be frustrating. I am lucky and haven't lost a trap, yet. These forums attract some pretty good men but it'd be nieve to think all trappers are on the level. I only have out a fistfull of beaver sets right now, and all of those are under the ice. I still have snowshoe tracks all around from people checking them out. No one has had the ambition to drag a chisel with them yet!
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bfflobo
Trapper
Clean traps, tight lines and straight shooting
Posts: 20
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Post by bfflobo on Mar 7, 2011 23:10:20 GMT -5
What part of the desert you call home rat? I'm from the Central part. This is the first year I never lost a fur or trap. Had 4 looked at and screwed with but not taken. Got lucky I guess. Always just figured it was the price of doing business but dang costly sometimes. My average on cats this year was just under $600, so theft has a tendency to p--s a guy off. Not only do you loose the catch, the trap that has all the mod done to it, but maybe the most valuable is the location that has been found and may be used for a long time. Hope I never personally catch a thief, I might not remain a free man. Was wondering if that boot print had a dog track with it?
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Post by redeagle on Mar 8, 2011 12:14:35 GMT -5
It's sad to realize that much of the theft is done by other trappers. They are the ones who are out and about this time of year and know where to look for sets- more so than people just ambling around on a Sunday afternoon stroll.
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Post by desertrat on Mar 8, 2011 19:52:01 GMT -5
Lobo, I am from Redmond I probably talked to you if it was you that had the best cats in the sale,I was there Saturday and Sunday morning.
I was pretty happy on my cats As far as theft hard to think I may have lost $500 to some low life.
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bfflobo
Trapper
Clean traps, tight lines and straight shooting
Posts: 20
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Post by bfflobo on Mar 8, 2011 21:00:32 GMT -5
Talked to many there. Hard for me to keep names & faces straight. Then we have handles on here to confuse things more.
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Post by desertrat on Mar 8, 2011 22:20:41 GMT -5
An answer to your question no dog tracks at the set just boots tracks, Trap was cabled off to a juniper must not have had pliers.
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bfflobo
Trapper
Clean traps, tight lines and straight shooting
Posts: 20
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Post by bfflobo on Mar 9, 2011 1:33:48 GMT -5
I understand your pain.
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Post by tmrschessie on Mar 9, 2011 7:31:39 GMT -5
I have started using slide wires on many of my land sets...get the coon's eyes where the spotlighters can't see them. Cut way down on my theft problems...
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Post by toecatch on Apr 3, 2011 16:33:29 GMT -5
Desertrat, I sure feel your pain as well.. Had the same thing happen to me a time or two. I always wonder what I'd do if I caught them in the act.. I once had a Elk hunter shoot a big tom bobcat with a muzzle loader then cut a big X in the belly and left it for me next to the set. I kind of hate to say this but. I wonder if the trap thief would think it's worth stealing if the guy that owns the trap could go to jail for life for what he might do if he caught them.
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Post by happersilderness on Apr 3, 2011 22:39:48 GMT -5
I've never had theft on public land but the place I was trapping hardly ever has anyone on it so thats one reason
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