Change???? maybe a little.

[FCspringer]

FC have you contacted your MTA district guy? That would be a good place to start.

Jonny, I haven seen any added restrictions on water sets. Where did you see that? It sounds like more hysteria to me.

No I have no clue as to how to get a hold of any one. But I still think there is a way and believe in some form, of the ones I listed make a bunch of sense. It includes the continued use of the 220 as well which is important to trappers with out having them put in water. That basically makes them another beaver trap is all. And not a very good one, when the 330 is commonly used. Is there a way to find out about contact info?

Again my proposal to them would include 5' off the ground on public for 220's. 2- 100 yard buffer from public on ground sets with a 220. 3-No hunting road ditches or trapping with out permission. But ground sets other then 220 can stay the same on public. And 220 sets are allowed on the ground on private land and road ditch sets with permission from a land owner.

[FCspringer]

Also, change and compromise only comes if people communicate civil and come up with ideas, not arguments. So again please remain calm:) and come up with ideas.( No banter please ) If we can think of a few good ones that work for every one. Their is a chance that yes, The ideas can be presented to someone, and it very well could be moved to the for front in a bill that keeps the sportsman's traditions alive for future generations.

[Saw557]

Iam all for discussion and a reasonable compromise but I have yet to see anyone here willing to debate the ideas myself or anyone else has offered. The way this headed nothing is going to get accomplished other than another thread locked

[Saw557]

FYI I've been in contact with one of the authors of the proposal along with my Rep. The email I received today said they were going to met with the DNR on Thursday and go over the proposal. I guess we'll see if common sense rules or the media hysteria....I am not holding my breath

[Ybone]

I don't think closing grouse season early is going to happen and it shouldn't. Late season grouse hunting is a totally different experience. The simplest solution is to eliminate baited 220s on the ground which will be unpopular with a lot trappers and I don't like it either but sometimes it's better to lose a little than lose a lot. Without bait the dog killing problem should be almost nonexistent and the sooner the better. The more publicity this gets the worse it is for trapping in general.

[FCspringer]

I guess I disagree. A trap needs bait to draw in a varmint. Why do you not think the idea of off the ground will work? Along with the other ideas I just listed. Just curious. Saw, can you PM me that email address.

[HunterLee]

Ditch trapping and ROW trapping is one of the best things about MN trapping. I highly doubt anyone will ever go for banning that. 220's in trail sets do not caught dogs.

We already have to be 500 ft from dwellings what more do people need for there dogs. If your dog is running more than 200yds from your house you need to address the problem.

A 220 in the water is worthless, and the new coon dp's work good, but don't do a lick of good when the ground is froze.

Baited 220's are the main set that get dogs in trouble but they are also one of the few sets for bobcats, fisher, marten, and some coon, but i don't use them for coon as there are better sets for the most part.

I have no worries about my dog and baited cubbys but mine knows they are bad news as she runs traps with me. Educate your dog we teach them a ton of other things why not what traps are.

[HunterLee]

Animals are not going to climb a tree up a tree to get caught.

[9339za]

A trapper on the Outdoor News forum brought up an important point about the use of body grips for bobcat. He pointed out all the incidental fisher that are killed every season in bobcat sets. I think he's right. Look at the Cuffs and Collars each week and almost every one has reports of incidental fishers. Our fisher population is dropping and if we continue to kill them in bobcat sets after fisher trapping closes we are headed for a point where there will be NO fisher season for anyone.

Trappers here in MN and in states that require body grip traps to be elevated catch plenty of fisher, marten and coon off the ground. There's no reason why we need to set body grips on land for those animals.

[Random guy]

A 220 in the water is worthless,

I dont think so, fully submerged yes but as a normal 1/2 submerged they are great.

[FCspringer]

Again 9339za, I notice your from Nth MN. You may have a point about doing something for Bobcat season. But that idea of no sets on the ground does not work where we have no trees in rural farming MN. But we have lots of coon. There is simply no place to put them off the ground in alot of area. Perhaps a change in season for the bobcat?

[Random guy]

But that idea of no sets on the ground does not work where we have no trees in rural farming MN.

Great point!

[FCspringer]

What do you guys think of adding in zones. That seems to be a direct conflict with the use of these traps. It seems the only trouble is in grouse hunting areas or like said now for a fisher. We just don't see these problems in greater rural farming MN with the land use the way it is. But would still be for the rules I stated even in these areas. Having Zones could target the problem areas and still allow use in farming MN where there is no trees. Can't say as I agree that the 220 is not as good for coon as other sets. I find it to be the most affective my self, but thats just me. Every one I know uses them solely on racoon in Sth MN.

[HunterLee]

I met more along the lines as a beaver trap. I use plenty in the water but not with coon and beaver in mind.

Make great bottom edge rat sets and cross overs for rat and otter.

[FCspringer]

I met more along the lines as a beaver trap. I use plenty in the water but not with coon and beaver in mind.

Make great bottom edge rat sets and cross overs for rat and otter.

Yeah I hear ya. Seems to be different for people depending on where we live. Just about every post contains ideas from seperate areas. The 220 for pretty much everyone I can think of is a coon set, and lots of them. We typicaly do not set a leg hold for coon. The 1 1/2s are set for fox or a combo mink,rat coon set. # 1's the same basicly, but targeting mink. 110's we use mostly for mink and some water rats in runs. Beaver, the 330. then the rats in the ice, a stop loss. We do not have fisher and bobcat etc like you folks up nort. The 220 for coon was basicly my money. Long line them and the other sets paid the gas.

[FCspringer]

I understand the right of way thought as well. I grew up hunting and trapping them. I hate to see any access go. How ever it might be good in this reguard to in fact protect trapping. You could still set the ditch the same. But with permission. Same for hunting. Basicly what North Dakota does. This could keep the accidents if any down with chance encounters. Today there is growing concern from land owners about road hunting as well. They just do not care for it. And if asked, most land owners will allow trapping. I always asked 90 % of where my sets were. That alone will stop accidents for the most part, beyond tresspassers, or irresponsible dog owners that let a dog run the country. If you ask for both, you both know who is out there.

[monstermoose78]

Trappers are a minority and its time they play the discrimination card! Question If a person can get a ticket for leaving their [PoorWordUsage] on the lake why cant the dog owner get a ticket if they do not clean after their dog? I have walked many trails and have found dog [PoorWordUsage] on them.

I say no hunting with dogs from December 1st until the 21st then it would open back up to the use of dogs in the martin and fisher zone. If the bird dog hunters cant loose anything then the trappers need to play the minority card and because they are being discriminated because they are few in number.

Trapping for bobcat martin and fisher would be from December 1st to the 21st. Then from December 22nd whinny hunters could hunt until jan 1st with they poor puppy dogs.

[swamptiger]

I've been wondering about the places and dates the six dogs were caught. Does anyone have this information?

[Saw557]

I don't think closing grouse season early is going to happen and it shouldn't. Late season grouse hunting is a totally different experience. The simplest solution is to eliminate baited 220s on the ground which will be unpopular with a lot trappers and I don't like it either but sometimes it's better to lose a little than lose a lot. Without bait the dog killing problem should be almost nonexistent and the sooner the better. The more publicity this gets the worse it is for trapping in general.

So we're back to the no compromise just take from the trappers. As Ive said more than once I run a pair of pointing dogs myself and by the time December gets here I have my legal limit and am done hunting I also feel at this point the birds that have survived this long deserve a break

[swamptiger]

I've been scrounging the internet to see if I could find out where these incidents took place, and so far what I've found is 1 east of Hinckley, 1 in White Bear Township, 1 near Brainerd, and 1 near Lake City. Couldn't find any more information, but from what I've found, all reported incidents took place from Brainerd south.

So once again, it looks like we in the north get drug into the problems down south....

If someone has any better information, please feel free to correct me.

[Trashguy]

John Reynolds dog (Springer) was killed near Emily last Dec. Is not Hinckley and Brainerd considered "north" and grouse country?

[swamptiger]

Quote:

John Reynolds dog (Springer) was killed near Emily last Dec. Is not Hinckley and Brainerd considered "north" and grouse country?

Ok - so 1 out of 5 so far.

Brainerd is central, and Hinckley is definately south....

[Saw557]

Bicker on...... its not going to settled here Big Brother will take care of it in St. Paul where they are always looking out for our own good. Maybe the moderators should just lock and ban any talk of trapping on the forum and be done with it because after all thats what the general public and the majority want.

[swamptiger]

Quote:

its not going to settled here Big Brother will take care of it in St. Paul where they are always looking out for our own good.

That's what will happen anyway at this point.

Just pointing out that hopefully, for once, they won't come up with a southern solution for a non-existent northern problem.

[Saw557]

That's what will happen anyway at this point.

Just pointing out that hopefully, for once, they won't come up with a southern solution for a non-existent northern problem.