Does anyone know if state game and fish departments ( maybe some do, some don`t ?) will assist private land owners with predator control ( trapping, perhaps ). That may be too expensive an endeavor, but was just curious. It could well be the sole responsibility of the land owner/lease holder in most, if not all, states.
I think some states do offer services. I would contact your local dnr and ask. If not they can probably get you some local trappers in your area.
In Missouri, if you have nuisance animals, they will come out and trap them for you. Under that umbrella falls many predators, whether it be they're killing people's livestock, attacking their animals, or just being a "nuisance" they will come out and either provide you the equipment to trap the animals, show you how, and write you the proper permits. In some circumstances they just trap them, themselves based on a situational basis. I.e. a very able bodied younger man is likely to be taught and given the equipment to handle the situation himself, as opposed to the old lady having her chickens go missing and can't do much about it, will have it done for her.
They don't really do much along the lines of predator population control with individual landowners, as if that's a concern for the landowner they assume they're taking the initiative. This is just Missouri, but I know many states operate similarly.
I'd assume as someone else mentioned a warden could get you in touch with a local trapper if it's not something you want to dive in on yourself. Otherwise go take a cable restraint/trapping class and get certified, get your permit, and go get some steel on the ground. Cable restraints for coyotes, and a half dozen dogproof coon traps can be had for a reasonable cost and is an excellent place to start.
Lots of trappers that would love more land access. I gave 3 different people permission to trap my place.
Quote from: nativeks on December 17, 2019, 01:18:52 PM
Lots of trappers that would love more land access. I gave 3 different people permission to trap my place.
x2 We are always looking for new places.
I recently had some guys try to muscle onto my lease to trap. Went over my head to try and get their way. I put a stop to that but it happens every couple years or so. Not to mention this occurred during deer season. There is a severe lack of sense by some people.
A good place to start is your states Trapper Association.
I agree with the advice above. State trappers assoc. Should be able to get you in touch with someone local. I'm always looking for more area to trap and I bet most other trappers are too.
My brother is actually a Federal Trapper. He works for USDA not the fish and wildlife. The sub agency is called wildlife services and is there to assist with the control of wildlife that impacts agriculture. Now sometimes he's had a loose definition of agriculture like he has caught skunks that lived under the same house as the farmer or pigeons from the restaurant that the farmer ate at.
Quote from: mtns2hunt on December 24, 2019, 12:43:11 PM
I recently had some guys try to muscle onto my lease to trap. Went over my head to try and get their way. I put a stop to that but it happens every couple years or so. Not to mention this occurred during deer season. There is a severe lack of sense by some people.
Why not let them trap it after you're done deer hunting.
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Quote from: mtns2hunt on December 24, 2019, 12:43:11 PM
I recently had some guys try to muscle onto my lease to trap. Went over my head to try and get their way. I put a stop to that but it happens every couple years or so. Not to mention this occurred during deer season. There is a severe lack of sense by some people.
We had the exact opposite problem, we had been trapping the land for years and guys tried to tell us we were not allowed to trap it, they did not know it was my friends relatives land, so they got shut down kinda quick.
Quote from: BigSlam51 on December 25, 2019, 09:42:19 AM
Quote from: mtns2hunt on December 24, 2019, 12:43:11 PM
I recently had some guys try to muscle onto my lease to trap. Went over my head to try and get their way. I put a stop to that but it happens every couple years or so. Not to mention this occurred during deer season. There is a severe lack of sense by some people.
Why not let them trap it after you're done deer hunting.
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I like to hunt coyotes, why would I let them in to trap. In the past many individuals have shown no respect for the land.
Here in NJ they have area specific permits for just such a reason but you're just dealing w trappers the state that won a lottery and are trapping your land. I used to do some beaver control trapping for the state and we'd be assigned land.
Why don't you just let a trapper trap??