# trap line and pets



## aklosowski6342 (Aug 9, 2009)

Dose any one ever bring ther dog with them to check traps? i can see how water sets might not be that big a deal but anything on dry land sets?


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Why would you need a dog along to check a trap line?


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## aklosowski6342 (Aug 9, 2009)

its not a need its a want i hunt with my dog i fish with my dog and i know a lot of guys do the same just want to know if anyone traps with there dog.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I usually bring one of the two dogs on my trapline. Never both because they tend to pay less attention.

For dry land type sets for say coyote/fox, just make them as usual and the dog will figure out not to step on the pan after a couple of times, they learn just like a coyote. When I am setting a foothold the dog usually goes about 30 feet away and lays down. The next check I tell them to be careful, and point at the set location, that tends to make the dog a bit leery. For water sets with 220's on up i tend to work backwards on a set location. From far out to close in, that way i can watch where the dog is going, but they usually can figure out what's going on.

Snares I do the same thing as i would do with a foothold, after they've been caught a couple of times they tend to just sit down and not struggle. But i tend to work snares like i would a body grip trap. Tell them where it's at is a big start.

All this being said, I take no responsibility for your dog getting into a set. 

One thing you'll notice with bringing a dog along with you on a trapline is how much you can learn from the dog. So just keep that in mind, and watch the dog do what it does best. Your time will go by faster and you'll have a lot more fun with a buddy.

xdeano


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

I take mine 10 month old chessie along all the time but I make her stay in the truck when I set or empty traps dont really want her to get caught in a #3 coil spring or possibly get bit!!! when I am just checking traps it is done with binos.

i am sure it is interesting how they act around the sets i let mine smell a little lure the other day and then tossed the stick it was on on the ground she took one more sniff and dropped down to roll immidiately I sure aint gonna use that one again might explain some snapped traps with a little long hair in them!


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## aklosowski6342 (Aug 9, 2009)

thanx XDEANO and COYOTE SNIPER.


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

XDEANO curious what kind of dog(s) do you take on the line with you? Ya ever take them calling with you? Thought that might be a good destraction for a coyote to keep its eyes on if the dog doesn't bolt ready to do battle!


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

#3's aren't to bad on a dogs foot. I'm using a sterling MJ600 trap and they will hold a coyote like you would not believe. Once a dog is caught by a trap, it takes them a little bit for them to walk it off, but they are no worse for wear, but they sure are smarter.

You can use a dog for calling coyotes, but a specific dog is essential to use for reasons i won't get into. The use of decoy dogs are not a good idea for calling during the fall/winter months because pups are intimidated by most dogs and tend to run in the opposite direction. The only benifit of having a dog would be for denning in the spring of the year, when adult coyotes are territorial and aggressive. You can't just take any dog out decoying, because it won't work, you'll end up at the end of the day with a tore up dog. Coyotes can be a nasty critter. Teaching a dog with traps at 10 months will definitely teach them. If you're going to start them on traps, heat up the springs so it takes the temper out of them and set them in the ground like you normal would with the lure you normally would. The trap will fire and catch the dog but it won't hurt the foot as much as a solid trap.

With some baits/lure, they have a tendency of rolling. A lot of fish based baits tend to induce the rolling. Also a very rotten bait will induce rolling.

I won't bore any more people with any more details, CS i'll pm you.

xdeano


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

You definately wouldn't want to catch your dog in a 330 or 280!


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

no, they won't make it out alive. I've heard of only one dog that has made it out alive and it had it's neck in the jaws sideways. When they did get the trap off it had large hematomas on either side of it's neck. But it did make it out alive, that was a 220. A 330 i'd have a hard time seeing a dog make it.

xdeano


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I wouldn't count on them making it out either. Those big connibears are some mean traps! I bet that would hurt to catch you hand in


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Yeah, i know a few guys that have pinched themselves in 330's, beaver trapping. The Belisle company up in canada is making a trap that shuts completely when closed vs having a little play in the jaws like typical body grip traps do. Anyhow, I know a guy who was trapping a colvert and the county came along and dug out the beaver dam that was blocking the colvert. They dug up a few traps while they were at it. So when the guy came back to pick up his traps he saw the mess they made and started to sift through the pile to retreive his traps. In doing so he found one of the jaws to his traps sticking out of the mud, he wrapped his hands around the jaw and gave a tug. He got the trap out of the mud but released the trigger at the same time, firing the trap on both hands. He had the trap staked to the ground with a 10' piece of cable. So there he sat on the bottom of the ditch with both hands caught and staked down. He managed to get the stake worked out of the ground and he got back up to the pickup with the trap in hand.  hehe The he had to figure out how to get the trap off, without using his hands. He somehow got his setting tool on the ground and used his knees to depress the springs to finally get out. He ended up catching both of his thumbs right above the first nuckle. Both of those thumbs were black for a long time. Unreal, and he was using the Belisle traps at the time, I think since that he went back to the regular jawed traps.

Sorry the tread went in a different direction, but i thought it was a funny true story.

xdeano


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