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Post by swampghost on Apr 9, 2018 21:08:46 GMT -5
Admins..if this is wrong area; feel free to move it. OK..I would like everyone's opinion. I'm going to tell this story just as it happened without any attempt to make myself look either right or wrong. I'm just not sure I made the right choice and don't want to be "that guy" Several years ago, I was roading one of my coonhounds. (yes, I'm a "houndhead") and stopped to listen for him as he had left the road. I heard him yelp and shortly after that; he came running up the gravel dragging a trap with the chain rattling behind. I caught him and put my jacket over his head to prevent being bitten and removed the trap. Evidently, he got in someone's fox or coyote set. My guess is fox since it was a smallish trap but may be mistaken. I knew if I threw the trap into the woods that the proper owner would have no idea where it was. I really wanted to give it back so I got up early the next morning and drove to that road to see if the trapper came by checking his sets. Well, either he got there before a half hour before daylight or really late the next day. I waited in the area until about 10:30 that morning and nobody drove by. So, I brought it back home and over the next 2 weeks, I went to the area each day at some time. I really didn't want to keep it but had no idea who owned it or how to get in touch. I saw it hanging in the shed yesterday and for some reason; I still don't feel right about what happened. Did I handle this wrong and how would you have handled it? Thanks!
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Post by Tony Howard on Apr 9, 2018 21:27:49 GMT -5
Do you have any idea where the dog got into it at? I rolled up to my set location once to find a note in a zip lock bag with a telephone to number. I called it and got all my traps back and another 1200 acres to trap. Tossing it in the woods would have been worse. It is what it is. If there was any idea about where he set location was your could leave a note for him. It happens and I don't know that there is a right or wrong in this case.
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Post by swampghost on Apr 9, 2018 21:42:32 GMT -5
I know within about 1/4 mile which wasn't close enough. I am not exactly looking for someone to say I was right. Just wondering what might have been a better solution. I have wondered what I SHOULD have done. I've had someone take one before and truly wanted to get it back but it just didn't turn out that way. If a person could satisfy me that it was theirs; I'd give it back tonight.
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Post by Tony Howard on Apr 11, 2018 22:45:09 GMT -5
I am just glad that your dog was not hurt. I hate catching dogs. Pits are always the worse. Hog dog pit bulls. Once you take the trap off you have a new best friend in the whole wide world and they don't want to leave. If you let them or not they hitch a ride with you back to where ever you are going. Had two different times pit bull hog dogs get in the middle of my seat on my old Mule. Weren't mad or bad, just wanted to ride and kiss me for it. LOL. No joke I just knew when I cut them loose from catch pole they would show their butts, but they did not. They simply got in the cab an in the seat. It turned out to be funny and sad all at the same time.
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paul
Junior Member
Posts: 60
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Post by paul on Apr 13, 2018 21:20:42 GMT -5
It sounds to me like you did all you could do to find the trap's rightful owner. I don't think you did anything wrong. The Trapper probably didn't have a lot of experience and didn't anchor the trap properly. So I say the trap is yours and you should use it (just make sure you anchor it properly). Maybe one day you will cross paths with the trap's original owner and then return it. If I was the trap's original owner I would thank you for being honest but would not take it back. I would hope you were using it for it's intent.
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