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Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 20, 2003, 06:04 PM:
I fully expected to lose some animals and equipment. It still pisses me off. But I figured it a matter of time. So anyway I pulled up to a torn up set, bobcat no less, and cat, trap, and all are now property of someone else. Everything unwired from a huge rock drag and taken away. No, there is no chance of a breakout or anything of the like. I had some heavy duty cable on the rock fastened in a manner that made it impossible to remove without a good set of wire cutters, so even if it had been equipment failure the cable would still be on the rock. I am careful to only set in out of the way areas that are hard to see, but this set could be seen from a ways off, it was just to good of place to pass up, and cats usually get down out of the way and pass un-noticed, but this one got noticed and stolen. No clear footprints, but I think I found where the culprit walked down the ridge to the set. We had a little fresh snow since the last check so I suppose the cat was caught about then and the brown burnout in the white snow was easy to see. And then of course we have had a real warm couple of days since so everything is melted. But other than that it is going well with 7 nice big cats so far, and 11 non target coyotes, that are also going to hit the stretcher. I'm not setting for coyotes, but they seem to like my cat lure.
Posted by Norm (Member # 240) on December 20, 2003, 06:47 PM:
Cal, that is a damn shame;
I have lost traps and animals, but it is just a shame that someone feels the need to take someone's equipment... take the animal if you feel the need, but leave the rest...
May the rest of your season go well for you.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on December 20, 2003, 07:27 PM:
Bobcat season in my area closed today,there is a 175 cat quota and it took 20 days to fill it.
Cal that's a bummer about your cat and trap
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on December 20, 2003, 08:53 PM:
Cal,
People used to tell me I was nuts for saying I hoped I never saw another $25 coon for the rest of my life.
When prices go up, the worst type of people come out. That's the good side of low fur prices. Only those with ethics stick with it.
Good luck, I hope you find a double on your next trip.
Posted by wyote (Member # 142) on December 21, 2003, 06:46 PM:
Cal
Had a cat taken out of one of my traps last week. Who ever it was didn't take my trap, I had it anchored with a cable stake. I guess he couldn't pull the anchor.
That's the first cat I've had ripped off.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 28, 2003, 05:39 PM:
Geez, more fun all the time. Another critter and trap taken. This time tied off to a tree with 3/32 cable. Cable is obviously cut. This stuff don't break. Don't know what the critter was but I am guessing a coyote because my trap tag had been chewed off and was still laying there.
Posted by Q-Wagoner (Member # 33) on December 28, 2003, 09:05 PM:
What you need to do Cal is put a dead coyote in a snare in the same location that you have been having problems in and make sure it is in plane site. From there just set about a half a dozen 330 conibears like you would leg hold traps around the coyote. Tie them off with a log chain and cut off the safety hooks. LOL You will find out who is stealing from you. LOL
If that doesn't work I have a New house slick pan #5 that would do the trick. He he You are more than welcome to barrow it.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posted by Jack Roberts (Member # 13) on December 28, 2003, 09:23 PM:
That will work, but is not advisable if you have any assets that a civil trial can find.
You would have a very hard time explaining that set to a jury.
Jack
Posted by Q-Wagoner (Member # 33) on December 28, 2003, 09:54 PM:
Relax Jack, I wasn’t serious, “or was I?” (Insert evil laugh here) LOL No that probably would not be a good idea, “or would it?” He he.
I am full of bad ideas is guess. For example I thought it would be a good idea to leave Sadom Insane in the hole that they found him, nail his feet to the floor, fill the pit up to his neck in pig blood and then put a public out house over the top and let nature take its course. Now that would be a bad Idea “or would it?”
Good hunting.
Q,
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on December 29, 2003, 06:22 AM:
Quinton, sometimes you worry me just a little.
Cal, got any trail cams?
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 29, 2003, 08:04 AM:
I'm with Q in my mind, but I do have a trail cam and that project is in the works Rich. BTW, did you get the e-mail I sent a couple days ago Rich?
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on December 29, 2003, 08:18 AM:
I do like the idea of a dead coyote in a trap "bait".
In the days of the Great Depression, my grandpa slept in a ditch to find out the scoundrel that had been stealing his muskrats. He caught the guy and did get his rats back. Grandma and grandpa both cry when they tell the story of the day when grandpa hitch-hiked to Denver from Rocky Ford to cash in his skins. He bought grandma a dress, table and chairs, a giant sack of beans, and another of rice. Skins did pretty well back then I guess.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on December 29, 2003, 08:20 AM:
Grandpa also used to say that .22 shells were quite the commodity back then. One shot rabbit kills fed the family one night. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on December 29, 2003, 04:40 PM:
What's the give-away, Cal? Is it your footprints in the snow? How is this butthead finding your sets? Is he a very early riser, gets to the set before you do? Maybe that's a real good idea, bait a trap with a dead coyote, and have somebody drop you off nearby, before dawn.
Good luck, hope you get him. LB
Posted by R.Shaw (Member # 73) on December 29, 2003, 04:55 PM:
A fellow who lives close to me has lost about 10 dozen traps. Two of the thieves have been caught but he was still loosing traps. He set a 280 magnum and the next days check had a piece of flannel shirt in the trap. His problems have decreased drastically.
Randy
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on December 29, 2003, 05:45 PM:
Most of the thieves I've known to be caught, were either coonhunters with a hatred for traps, or deer shiners.
You can't do much to stop the coon hunters, ( unless you know exactly who they are ) but if you make sure the trapped animal is in a low spot and his eyes can't be shined from the road, it can help cut down on thieves. At least that worked for me.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 29, 2003, 06:53 PM:
The big deal here is methane exploration and wells. And obviously someone following my tracks. People are everywhere. I am trapping on all private land too. One set that was found was on a drag and I thought the cat would get down out of sight in a nearby draw, but he didn't. The other set was damn well hidden on a draw bank quite a ways from the road, so that one still has me baffled. We have a 3 day check law here and I try not to go to my stuff any more than nessecary, so that gives someone else ample time to find something if it is caught. Something is going to have to change, thats for sure.
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