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dogs on the trap line

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  OldMink 
#1 ·
anyone take a dog with them on the trap line while setting and checking sets???


i decided to take my coon dog pup (8 months old) with me to camp tomorrow for the week...i havent got to work with him at all..he listens somewhat but not the best behaved yet..

not sure i can let him run off the leash..will likely be on a leash or length of rope...and likely tie him to a tree somewhere away from the set while i put sets in...


anyone see a problem or think it'll hinder my trapping?? i know having him on a leash will occupy a hand while walking which might be a bit of a pain while making sets..but not a huge deal..

just worried about scent and such...i know dogs are great at showing you natural scent posts and such..just worried about him roaming around the area and being tied in the area a short while, while i make the sets etc...


he will certainly enjoy it...just dont wanna ruin my chances...though, cats and fishers dont seem to care much about anything...so i doubt its a problem..and fox and coyotes may be more interested in the area with a new canine scent in the area? who knows..
 
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#3 ·
I used to take my blue heeler with me, but he died LOL. He was great though- always finding fox poops and the foxes seemed to be attracted to his pee. I did have that problem with him and water though LOL, he loved water and mud, but of course he hated baths at home LOL. He seemed to understand when I yelled if he got too near a set, like he quickly learned " don't get too close to that stinky wonderful smelling fox goop or mommy will get mad". Now he was gun shy, so I had to watch him with when I had to shoot a coon or whatever.

I miss having a trapline dog. My current dogs are all idiots that don't listen or would run away. My neighbor has this medium sized black mutt that is quite endearing, but I don't think they would like me borrowing their dog LOL.
 
#4 ·
thanx for the replies! takes my concerns away...

sounds like the only issue will be just me dealing with him...but he needs trained and taught the basics anyways...no better way to do that than a week together in the woods...


he is fine in the yard and dont wander out of sight unless he is chasin a chicken...lol...we'll see how he does..it would be REAL nice to be able to let him run and not have to lead him around...

my big concern is porcupines...i dont need a vet bill..hes a curious pup..im sure hed take a full blow and be a mess...so that alone makes me wanna keep him on a rope or leash...
 
#6 ·
lol...being 8 months old, you surely know how foolish and curious they are at that age...i swear EVERYTHING has to go in his mouth atleast once..and if it moves or runs from him, well, hes gunna catch it and see what it tastes like! i hope he dont end up being a trash runner..i prefer the ones that comes fairly straight out of the box..i can deal with a treed grinner here n there..but, deer, yotes, fox..that can be a challenge..

i spent over 2 weeks up there this fall and didnt see a porky...i betcha if i let him run loose he will find one! lol..he will be kept tied to me or a tree most of the time..

he will enjoy the time in the woods im sure..i know he loves water..he jumped in my pool TWICE when i had him here one day lol..

hmmm..an e-collar and a fresh dead yote and fox..i can break him before he ever runs them..he sniffs it and gets tickled..wont go near one again..thats how we break them from deer before they ever see one..we hang tarsal glands on the fence...they sniff it or bite it one time and they never want near anything that smells like a deer..
 
#7 ·
I had 2 dogs, one throughout the 60s and then again in the late 70s that were with me most times. Both were very well trained. They watched me and from some kind of motion knew I was going to make a set before I did. They would sit at a distance and watch and wait till I was done. Probably from seeing a lot of animals killed they never had any interest in and always shyed away from the sets.
 
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