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Post by Sunshine on Jul 23, 2009 10:39:59 GMT -5
are any of ya'll considering trapping public land this year for the first time due to low fur prices and ultimtly a decrease in competion for fur on those public lands?
i know alot of you think trappig public land is a pain due to competition but this year being what its turning out to be i wondered if any of ya might decide to take advantage of the public lands to increase your trapping area?
i put in for some permits yesterday for me and Jerry and was told over the phone that the interest so far has been practicallt nil for trapping permits on public land throughout the state in comparison to this time last year.
less competition could very well translate into more fur if ya set the right locations.
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Post by tctrppr on Jul 23, 2009 19:01:14 GMT -5
Our public land is polluted with rabbit hunters and beagle dogs. Other than water sets, easier to avoid the headaches.
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Post by Sunshine on Jul 23, 2009 19:36:19 GMT -5
some we set are water sets only also.
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Post by tctrppr on Jul 24, 2009 19:30:17 GMT -5
Public land is ok, I guess, if you get in early, or wait till real late in the season. We really don't have a lot of large tracts of public land around here, and the land is pretty accessible by vehicle, so it gets used by pretty much everyone for everything. Guess I just like doing it the way Dad did-on the down low, away from the crowd.
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Post by BlueRidgeTrapper on Jul 24, 2009 21:01:29 GMT -5
I'll set 'em....and keep settin'em...Last year I did manage to get a couple stuck up on top of a mtn. and the forest fellas gave me the key to go up and get them. Turns out they decided to close the gate earlier than other years and didn't post it anywhere but on their website.
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Post by Sunshine on Jul 25, 2009 13:07:14 GMT -5
did you lose any traps to thieves on public land?
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Post by tctrppr on Jul 25, 2009 16:21:59 GMT -5
A few stolen, a few busted up, and a few empty snapped traps with catch circles. The busted up ones were cable staked. Guess they couldn't steal them, so they took a hammer or a big rock to them. Had a string of six stolen in one night, trap, coon and all. Just empty catch circles staring back at me.
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Post by huckleberry on Jul 28, 2009 21:32:52 GMT -5
I always trap public land. Never had much any trouble except during the deer seasons. Then only then deer hunter cussin at me for messing up their hunts. Which was BS cause I always ran my lines in a way to not bother them. I deer hunt to so I knew how they would feel.
On the other hand many are really interested each day as to what I have caught.
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Post by scansy on Aug 3, 2009 19:47:09 GMT -5
I'm about 40 miles outside off Philly here and private land is hard to come by - just not a ton of it - and much of it is people who are not happy with the idea of trapping.
I have worked very hard in my situation to find public land. State Parks, Fish Commission Land, Township Parks, whatever. But then, I have to be more specific than that. One State Park near me has good coon and fox spots. But the best fox spot of all I have to avoid. There is plenty of sign, but a lot of people walk there dogs there. They are supposed to be on a leash - but if their dog's in my trap, it doesn't matter about the leash laws. They complain to the Park Rangers who find me. They don't want complaints, I don't want complaints, etc.
So..... what I do is I sacrafice that spot. I focus on the out of the way spots where the dog walkers (and hikers and mountain bikers and joggers) aren't present. And most of my sets in the park are in water for coon.
Another spot I'm gonna hit this year is Fish Commission land that you cannot park near - but if you are willing to walk it can be trapped with little interference. I will hit it hard for a short period since it will be time consuming.
One other area that I might be trapping this year is a river on a drift line - with a partner - most if not all of the land within 50 yards or so of the river is public and not easily accessed. Should be good for coon and rats.
You can trap in the fringes of suburbia on public land - you just have to think a little.
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Post by huckleberry on Aug 5, 2009 15:49:19 GMT -5
Scansy...those spots can be trapped without having problems. Find where the critters are coming from and going to, then ya can get them.
State park land here is all DP and water sets. Some of the Federal land too.
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Post by Earl8656 on Aug 9, 2009 20:43:13 GMT -5
some we set are water sets only also. U mean possum sets?
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Post by BlueRidgeTrapper on Aug 9, 2009 21:33:07 GMT -5
did you lose any traps to thieves on public land? Not to this point...but its bound to happen.
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Post by Sunshine on Aug 9, 2009 23:29:43 GMT -5
some we set are water sets only also. U mean possum sets? of course. the only thing we have in wv in any real trappable numbers is possums.
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Post by Catchem on Aug 13, 2009 9:06:02 GMT -5
I've made enough on my possums the past couple years to buy a dozen traps. They are not targeted catches but I cash in on them just the same. $1 a piece adds up after a season of catching them everyday. Sunshine, tell me more about these permits to trap public land here in WV. I've never trapped public land here and could use a push in the right direction to get started. Does it require a permit for all public land or just WMA land or state parks?
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Post by Sunshine on Aug 13, 2009 9:18:50 GMT -5
we've gotten permits on several WMAS across the state.
its easy..just call the distict that the WMAs are in that you wanna trap in and tell them the ones you want permits on and theyll send ya the permit/permits in the mail. all you have to do is turn the permits in within 10 dayus of the end of trapping season with your catch nymber of each species listed.
if you do that youre assured you can get a permit the following year.
as far as i know public land in WV is open to trappers. National forest land is also open to trappers and ya just go if ya wnat too. they dont even require a permit.
it is my understanding that for the most part, they dont give trapping permits on state parks. from what ive been told if there are problems in the parks the USDA usually handles those situations and its rare that they allow private trappers on to the parks to trap.
i think its to cover their own butts in case someones pet might accidently get caught but thats just my theory.
thats about all i know about trapping public lands in WV.
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Post by Sunshine on Aug 13, 2009 9:20:42 GMT -5
oh and i agree with you about possum.
we put up every good one we catch and turn those with lesser hides and the black ones go free.
last year we skinned and stretched 91 of the 160 we caught. the others we let go.
thats alot of gas money from possum,imo.
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Post by Catchem on Aug 13, 2009 9:21:05 GMT -5
thanks!
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Post by hotwire on Apr 29, 2010 8:44:37 GMT -5
I trap some on public land but when I do it is mostly water sets although this coming season I will be snaring yotes and a lot of that will be on public land. That being said a snare is one thing to lose but a 4 coil or less #3 or larger trap is an other thing. Even with the snares I will be off the roads a fare piece and they will be in a fare amount of cover.
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