Teach a non-trapper about trapping

I don't wan't to hijack Boarhead's thread with my own ramblings any further. It's a fine thread and should be kept going as is. As I alluded in that thread I am not anti-trapping (actually part of me could see myself getting involved in this, but after hunting turkey, rabbit, deer, squirrels and groundhogs, I need another "addiction" like I need a hole in my head, LOL). What I am is a concerned hound owner. My biggest problem with trapping is the issue of non-target catches.

To answer the question about the 220 that caught my beagle, yes it was on land. Yes I know that is illegal. It was set in the opening of a groundhog hole. I had permission to be there. It was just a farmer doing what farmers do to protect his livestock. Illegal? Yes but I'm sure it happens all the time. He did not even think about my dogs coming through there. When he found out, he removed all his traps and apologized. I in turn did a lot of groundhog hunting for him. It is water under the bridge as far as I am concerned. (Although my heart is racing a bit as I type this and as remember that summer day.)

I had one other incident with 220's. This was many years ago when walking my property one late December day, I came across a 220 set on a small game trail on the edge of my standing corn field. It had no name tag. I called the game warden. He investigated and found 8 more traps, but those had name tags. Turns out it was a kid down the road that was setting them to catch raccoons. He thought he was on the neighbor's land that had given him permission to trap. That little episode cost him around $400 (trapping without permission, illegal land sets, and one trap that did not have a name tag). The game warden said it was lucky our beagle hadn't got caught. I don't know who was teaching this kid. More likely no one was and he was just learning on his own. That's a shame.

That is my background with traps. As you know, hounds don't know boundaries. There are probably very few if any places that one could hunt around here where there would not be a risk of a rabbit running at least a short way across a property line. When you get way back off the beaten path, it really does become impractical to contact every single land owner for a dog that might stray 50 or 100 yards across a line. I never cross lines myself, but a beagle might while circling a rabbit. In some areas I will call the dogs off a chase if they go to stray onto another property, but in those way back in the woods places, I'll admit that I just stand where the rabbit was jumped and let the dogs do their thing. Most of the time I am well off the property line and while I can hear the dogs, I don't know their precise location in regards to property lines. I've had rabbit run 1/2 mile out before circling some times.

So maybe this thread could be used by all you experienced trappers on things that you do to minimize the risk of catching someone's dog. Maybe if there is some kid out there wanting to start trapping and trying to learn on their own, then they will pick up some tips. And if I hear tales of dogs that were caught and released unharmed, I will be much more relaxed about the whole scenario.

Thanks for listening to me ramble. The snare thing is especially new to me. I just started learning about them last year at that coyote hunting seminar I went to. And I had the question about the "kill poles" or however it was phrased as the guy at the seminar made it a point that you want the coyote to be alive if possible because then that meant the snare was set in the safest manner in case a dog was caught.

Thanks for everyone's input. I guess it is just a risk as a dog owner and I have to assume the responsibility. Just as Boarhead stated that he doesn't go door to door around the block telling landowners he is trapping, I don't go door to door around the block asking adjacent landowners if they have someone trapping. Some areas I could do this. Some it would be impractical. Like I said in my original post, I may be standing 1/2 mile away while that rabbit takes a 50 yard swing on to an adjacent property and then back on where I am hunting and I wouldn't even know it. I know the Ohio Revised Code makes exceptions in the "leash law" for dogs when they are hunting. I'm sure it is to cover instances such as this where a dog is pursuing game and can't be immediately called off. It happens.

So yes as a hound hunter, I do have to assume the risk here. But I guess I also wanted opinions those who trap regularly. I really did like the outlook of the DOW guy that taught the coyote trapping seminar who preached to attempt to have them alive when they are caught ( just in case of a non-target catch). I understand this can't always be done, but I do appreciate his attitude.

Thanks again for all the responses. I appreciate them all on both sides of the issue.