Idaho's 2011 wolf season

[Huntin Hounds]

The proposals for Idaho's wolf hunt came out today. The season is august 30 to march 31 and you can purchase 2 tags. There are only quotas in a few places and luckily where I hunt is not one of them. They are also proposing having a trapping season from December 1 to February 15. This I don't know if I like. I've never really worried to much about traps but now I think I need to learn what to expect. So what should I carry with me in case a dog is caught? What will I need to know about releasing a dog from a trap? Is there anything I can do to better prepare my dogs? I thought I saw where people said they trapped their dogs to get they trap wary or something. Any advise would be appreciated, winter will be here in no time and I wanna be ready. Thanks

[timothy]

depends on the trap if its a snare they wouldnt have long I dont think.

[Deff]

I use to trap and snare coyotes and some of the areas where I hunt could possibly have traps or snares set around. Dogs that have been use to being tied up generaly won't pull hard enough to choke down when caught in a snare. I carry a pair of side nippers for cutting the aircraft cable just in case one of my dogs gets snared.

When I trapped coyotes, I used traps with thick, rounded offset jaws and several swivels in the chain. All of the dogs I caught were released vertually unharmed. Most experienced trappers that I know use similar setups. The only expirience that I have with wolf traps is with a couple that I used for trapping beaver under water but those traps came with rounded offset jaws also. It is counter-productive for trappers to break bones or cut up legs, so as long as the dog isn't left out there over night in sub zero weather, I would be optomistic that things would work out alright.

Of course there always seem to be some jerks around that just don't seem to give a @%#$ about any body or anything, but they are out there with or without traps.

I would worry more about them dang wolves than the traps or snares!

[timothy]

Deff you sound like you know way more about trapping than I ever will, but I was under the impression that you snared in areas where animals traveled so that they would be moving faster than a slow walk. if they are moving faster than a slow walk wouldnt it instantly tighten around their necks causing them to choke if they get into one?

[timothy]

Oh I am sorry you are talking of foot traps and not snares.

[Deff]

If the hound is running full out it could be bad news alright, but mine don't generally do that unless the kitty is right ahead of them!
Generally snaring requires you to direct the critter's neck into the snare so most of the time they are not traveling much faster than a trot. I'm not personally a big fan of snares but back when I was trapping coyotes I did snare a neighbor's blue hound on a couple of occasions. Each time found him sitting there wagging his tail waiting for his ride home. It really takes a great deal of struggling and pulling to pull a snare tight enough to choke a dog down (especially the thick muscled neck of a hound). Wild canines will panic and throw all their weight into and expire quickly, but MOST domestic dogs will just pull until it gets a little uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't worry about traps or snares, but would a lot rather deal with them than the wolves.

[dwalton]

Dogs are real easy to teach to avoid traps or snares. If the dog has been tied it will be OK most of the time in snares. It is best just to teach them to avoid them. Get with a trapper in your area and set some sets just to catch your dogs with week traps or snares. A couple of times and you won't be able to catch a smart dog.Dewey

[Redneck]

i use to trap racoons fox with the old victor double spring trap or the jump trap never used snares but well mentioned as before if a dog is leash broke they wont fight back they will sit there till ya get there but plan on taking a blanket and depending on dogs size a bottle of ib proffin to go with you but never give your dog more then 800 mg of it my dog was trapping fox and had a good set out he got out and went back to investigate caught him in the victor double spring trap gave him an 800 mg ib proffin and that all we could do ...

[bay'emup]

The trapping season is a long shot. I think the fish and game will see how many wolves will be killed by hunters with guns and such before they allow trapping. Taking the quotas off of most zones is a BIG step that has been heavily criticised by the anti's and i don't believe they are going to stick their necks out much further. As for the wolf hunts- gun 'em up boys!

[Cat track]

here in Minnesota trappers use Alot of conibear Traps during Cat season. This was mentioned before, but the trappers make cubby boxes or most use white 5 gallon buckets and set the conibear in the bucket with bait behind it. (just like the buckets most of us use to feed dogs with.) In the past we have set a conibear and bucket with the springs wired together so there is no pressure. through some meat scraps in there and set it buy the dogs and let them poke there head in there. theres enough pressure even with the springs wired together for it to pop open on them and it scares the $h"t out of them. Make sure the springs are very secure. seemed to work for us. I know that they wont be using bucket sets for wolfs but thought i would share that.

[Huntin Hounds]

Thanks for all the replies. This may be a dumb question but my state outlaws anything fun like trapping and hounding. So how does a conibear trap work? I've seen pics of them and I think I know how but just not quite sure. Do they make them big enough to trap wolves?

[ZeluvaRIP69er]

Do you know any info on what out of staters need in order to hunt wolves? I have wanted to hunt them for a while and Arizona protects them more then its own citizens so that may never happen here.

If the price is right I will go up there and kill one, get revenge on some of the hounds the evil creatures have taken from people.

Thanks

[Huntin Hounds]

$154.75 for for a non resident hunting license and $186 for a wolf tag. I think they might offer a reduced tag price of $31 in certain areas. come on up and bring all your friends, we got lots to go around. Unit 4 has tons along with every other unit in the panhandle. If you decide to come up let me know I will try to get you as much info on where to go as I can. I would wait for the snow though. I think that's going to be the best way to hunt them because of the terrain here.

[raxntrax]

The problem with dogs and traps is that there is usually 1 or 2 dogs in the bunch that will jump on the one in the trap when he starts squalling and hitting the end of the chain. Your dog ends up hurt more by the fight than the trap. Once you get all of the other dogs pushed back, throw your jacket over your dogs head. This gives him something to bite instead of your face when you kneel down to let him out of the trap. Usually the dogs pulls back hard on the trap and you dont have to compress the springs much and their foot will pop out. Not sure how big wolf traps are but it might be a chore to compress those springs.

[ZeluvaRIP69er]

$154.75 for for a non resident hunting license and $186 for a wolf tag. I think they might offer a reduced tag price of $31 in certain areas. come on up and bring all your friends, we got lots to go around. Unit 4 has tons along with every other unit in the panhandle. If you decide to come up let me know I will try to get you as much info on where to go as I can. I would wait for the snow though. I think that's going to be the best way to hunt them because of the terrain here.

Ok, ill talk it over with Kyle and maybe we will make a trip up there, definitely would be fun!!!