After dark phone call!

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

I had gotten in about dark last night and just sat down to relax a little when the phone rang.  It was the wife of a fellow I was trapping on his property.  I thought "Oh crap- what is wrong"!  She said:  "Joe, Marvins dog is in one of your traps and I don't know how to get it out".  I said I'll be right there.  I put my boots on and drove out to their house.  On the way, I was wondering if this would end my trapping on their property.  Her husband had told me the dog should not be back on the ridge where my traps were, but you know dogs.  

Well, she met me at the gate with her 4-wheeler and I grab the catch pole and off we go.  I had made a set where timber breaks into the open on the south side of a ridge and there is the dog.  He was on a drag on he had only gone about 30 feet and stopped.  I assessed the dog's attitude and walked up, petted him and popped the springs open so he could get out.  I told the lady he would be ok and that while he will have a sore foot for a day or two, no permanent damage had occurred.   She and I got back on her 4-wheeler and went back to the house.  I looked back and the dog was following along limping a little but not bad.  By the time we got back to the house, the dog was barely limping and running alongside the 4-wheeler.  

I was wondering what the conversation would be like when we got off the 4-wheeler but she had not seemed upset.   When we got to the house and got off the 4-wheeler, I told here I hated to catch her dog, but since the trap was set for a coyote, it would naturally catch a dog as well.  She said:  Joe, that is fine.  Keep catching those coyotes and I'll try to keep the dog up.  He shouldn't have been back there and now I know how to get him out of the trap if he gets in another one".  

Turns out a lot of farmers and ranchers have a lot of common sense about that sort of thing if you just be responsible when trapping.  Take the time needed to keep them happy if possible.  Her husband called later when he got in and was laughing about it.  His last words before hanging up the phone were:  "Hope you do good in the other traps tonight-- we'll try and visit with you tomorrow".

[Dan Mich Trapper]

Glad to hear all turned out well . :grin:
 I only caught 3 dogs this year  :oops: .
 Same kind of deal as yours I guess . The first one , The dog was running loose and traveled to property I had permission to trap . When I checked my sets , the dog was patiently waiting for me . Now comes the kicker . He was a little dog , poodle size , and didnt like me touching the trap , he kept biting it when I touched it . I used 2 sticks ( need a catch pole )to open the the trap while the dog was yipping . Then I hear a woman yelling . She was calling her dog and sounded pretty upset . I just knew I was in for it , private property or not . She showed up and I said ," Ma'am I'm sorry , I caught your dog in a coyote set but he's ok . His foots sore but not cut . " She told me , dont wotty about it , he knows better than to run off . She wasnt mad at me at all . She said she would keep a batter eye on him but I just simply said not to worry about , I would pull my sets . I rather not have another accident, dogs will be dogs , its not his fault he was doing whats natural .

 The second one is the one that really had me worried .
 We have a farmer who has always been against trapping but this year after seeing coyotes try taking down one of her calves , she changed her mind . I made 5 sets on her property and told her where they all were . The closest one was about 1/4 mile from the house and across the road . She called me one afternoon and Said  "I figured I'd let ya know  my dog got caught in one of your traps . We got it out and he is ok . He was not even limping by the time we reached the house . I told the girls the traps were over there but they walked the dog over there anyways . I dont know what they were thinking . But I thought I'd tell ya your set was messed up , sorry ."
Not the turnout I expected . I think also she learned that them traps arnt the cruel foot chopper people think they are .

The last one was the same deal . people walking their dog where they know traps are set . The dog was fine and they weren't mad . That story was boring so I didn't want to type it all in .

[jim-NE]

I contacted the landowner once to see if the dog I caught was his or if he knew who's it was, and he rode back to the set with me. He had never seen the dog before, but helped me release it (wasn't too friendly) and he actually led the crusade to contact neighbors while we drove around the section looking for an owner. That was nice since he knew everyone in the area and it wasn't in his trap either. I'm sure he had a million other things to do that morning, too. I bought him a Christmas gift that season for his help and I was very appreciative of his concern and assistance.
Jim-NE