Pine-Creek said:
Conibears or bucket traps are a different matter, and it takes a 330 quick release tool, a very dangerous trap for a dog, the dog can be killed.
Banjoman said:
Conibears, you guys should know, are illegal on land. Waterways only in PA. Not that ANY law has stopped a criminal before. Because the land is shared by others, PA has made it illegal to use conibears due to the nature of it's intended use.
To add to what Banjoman has stated; 330 sized Conibears (the large size, most often used for beaver trapping), have to be fully submerged to be legal in Pa. The "bucket traps" referred to by Pine-Creek are also Conibears (body-gripping traps). To be set in a cubby or "bucket" they can be no larger than 6.5" X 6.5" and must be recessed back a minimum of 7" from the front of the cubby or bucket and, as stated, must be placed in a waterway, never on dry land. These rules are specifically designed to minimize the possibility of catching a dog.
Pine-Creek said:
Traps are no laughing matter, If you see one trap there are usually many many more, Grouse hunt in another area, do not risk your dogs life or broken foot or leg by hunting the trapped area. its almost impossible to keep your dog absolutely safe from traps, that is why I leave the area once I find it is being tapped. DO NOT ENDANGER YOUR TREASURED COMPANION JUST TO HUNT THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
Pine Creek/Dave
I am both a trapper and a guy who loves hunting upland game with my dogs and the above quote is exactly the type of uninformed hysterical drama that serves only to widen the gap between dog hunters and trappers.
I catch hundreds and hundreds of animals, mostly fox but also good numbers of coon, possum ,skunk, coyote, etc. Broken feet and/or legs are extremely rare, almost always a result of the chain swivel system failing. Most trappers go to great lengths to minimize foot damage and there are several proven methods to obtain that goal.
So far this year I have caught and released almost a dozen cats. Most at one location I didn't want to trap (because I knew I'd catch cats) but the farmer insisted. All were released unharmed after being held by the trap for at least several hours. Most simply ran away, two stayed right there getting in my way and rubbing against me as I was trying to reset the trap.
A cat's foot is much smaller and more delicate than the feet of most hunting dogs. Kinda takes he fear out of the big, bad bone-crushing trap doesn't it?
Most trappers try hard to avoid non-target catches. In the last ten years I've caught three dogs, one was a stray (released unharmed by me), one was a women walking her dog (trespassing) on a farm were I had permission to trap and another was a hunters dog in an area I had set before realizing it was so heavily hunted. Both of those were released unharmed (according to the owners).
Look guys, nobody likes when a dog gets caught, not trappers and certainly not the dog's owners and I can understand how it could make someone pretty angry but it's really not that big of a deal. Throw your hunting coat over his head and press down on the trap's levers with your hands or feet and go back to hunting. Leave the trap lay there, the trapper will be along the next morning and reset it.
My lab is a great bird dog.
He is also my constant trapping companion.
He's never been caught in a trap. He ignores them when hunting and sits down when told and waits for me to set/reset them when trapping.
