# Frustrated with DNR



## bay.chris (Nov 12, 2010)

Well yesterday found a bucket set fully exposed with a 220 in it. As it was after 5:30 called the poaching number talked to a lady that said she would have my local co get in touch with me. As of today no call so I called a branch office in Cadillac at 4:30 left a voicemail and still no calls back. I guess tomorrow will go back out there and leave a note and set trap off. There's still a lot of coonhunters out and trap is on a crick about 100 yards off dirt road


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## charlie1969 (Jan 2, 2011)

Don't feel bad I called the rap hotline on Monday to report deer poaching and haven't heard back from them yet even though I was told a CO would get back to me. This is the second time in the last few years I tried reporting something. The one a few years ago a CO did call my house a few days later but I was not home and never did talk to one. Can't imagine if you caught someone in the act how you would ever get a hold of a CO.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Unfortunately there are not enough hours in the pay period (80) to be available for every call when they come in. Figure someone is going in to two days off or maybe a few days of annual. Just not enough people working these days to have complete 24/7 coverage. 

Posted from my iPhone.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Guess I should add that I'm not trying to deprecate your feelings and frustration. I have probably caused the same sort of frustration and discontent on more than one occasion in the past 15 years. Just know that it's never intentional and we also have a home life, band concerts, dance, piano, athletics schedules, and other last minute changes that can cause a "delay" in response time. 


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## bay.chris (Nov 12, 2010)

So should i wait for c.o response. Or set trap off asking for removal of trap with a note inside bucket. or take trap leaving my contact info inside. Give him the riot act we've gone to far for some to foolishly set a exposed 220 accessible to dogs


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Do what you feel. I have met a lot of trappers that would have set it off like you mentioned just so there were no "incidental catches". I have met trappers that also leave notes, and I have known trappers that pick ip illegal sets and they find their way to me eventually. 


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## misupercooner (Nov 14, 2009)

My friend in indiana throws illegaly set conis in the river as he is a coonhunter...i myself would set it off and leave a note....would hate to lose a dog to a coni....
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dave Lyons (Jun 28, 2002)

Is this stateland????

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

dead short said:


> ........ I have probably caused the same sort of frustration and discontent on more than one occasion in the past 15 years. Just know that it's never intentional and we also have a home life, band concerts, dance, piano, athletics schedules, and other last minute changes that can cause a "delay" in response time.


Maybe this could be made a sticky.

L & O


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

I only trap on public land and I know that set is not legal on public. I don't want to dig through the regs to find it but is that set legal on private land?


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

220's are usually 7 inch jaw spread so it is a legal set on private land. The pic is a clip taken out of the guide. The max is 7.5 inch draw spread. 

Sorry about the angle. I screenshot it with my phone. 

Posted from my iPhone.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

Thanks for the post. 

I guess the next question then is are you sure this is on public land? If it was then I would say tripping it or placing the safeties on would be appropriate along with a note. 

Obviously if its on private land then its legal.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Is it private land or not? If it is private land this could go the other way. Trespassing, messing with a legal trap. Seriously throwing a trap in a river? If it's legal that is wrong and a crime, if it isn't there goes any proof for the CO.


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## 2 Kids And I Trap (Jan 5, 2010)

If this is on public hunting land, call your rap hotline again. Tell them what you are planning to do. Get the persons name that your talked to at the DNR. Ask them if it ok for you to do that? DO NOT leave a note with your name on it. 
IF a CO catches you tampering you could get a ticket. And if the trap does not have a tag on it you could get a ticket for the trap. 

Just my two pennies

Jon


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## hillbillie (Jan 16, 2011)

If this is Public land it would be a shame for someone to loose a hunting companion over someone's ignorance/stupidity or greed.


If there is no CO or LEO available to at least call the person making the report and set a time frame I think I would have to spring the trap with a stick and leave a note saying simply "Illegal Set"


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## Diggdug (Sep 20, 2001)

I remember a few years ago the DNR announced that licence fee's were set to doudle in price and all the cry babies came out of the woodwork and stopped that from happening. I would gladly pay triple the current price if it meant that there were at least 50% more officers on duty at all times. I am so sick of violators!


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## lang49 (Aug 1, 2005)

I'm not sticking up for whoever set this trap but...

Bare in mind that since the revision to regulations that occurred prior to last season, a 220 in a cubby on public land is not illegal if the opening of the cubby has a height of no more than 6 inches and the trap is set back into cubby by the new minimum setback (8 inches I believe).

Based on what the original poster has said, I take it that the opening of this cubby far exceeds 6 inches in height. In general though, cubbies using 220's on public land aren't automatically illegal.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

Again if it's public the person who owns the trap is the violater, if it's private the person who messes with the trap is the violater, along with poss. trespasser. The devil is in that one detail. Time will tell, assuming that the trapper has permission.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I always used to use leg holds on high ground for ***** and set them in a safe place where dogs could not get into them. The dog hunters would always seem to find a few of my sets and when I checked my line I would be missing traps and *****. That was when **** prices were high. You would lose a **** that was worth $20+ and a trap that cost another $10. I always had a lot of respect for the dogs and hunters that were out there and took great care not to catch a dog. I wish that the jerks who stold my gear and animals would have given me the same respect.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I always used to use leg holds on high ground for ***** and set them in a safe place where dogs could not get into them. The dog hunters would always seem to find a few of my sets and when I checked my line I would be missing traps and *****. That was when **** prices were high. You would lose a **** that was worth $20+ and a trap that cost another $10. I always had a lot of respect for the dogs and hunters that were out there and took great care not to catch a dog. I wish that the jerks who stold my gear and animals would have given me the same respect.


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## bay.chris (Nov 12, 2010)

This trap is on state land. and the 220 is just stuck in a bucket with nothing to prevent a dog of any size from sticking it's head into trap/bucket. not even recessed to legal measurements just enough cut out to get springs in bucket.
Did finally get in touch with a c.o the c.o on the claim is off for 3 day's i then told the c.o on the phone i would go out friday and set trap off and he ageed and i would confirm the name on tag incase the trapper pulls the set when he see's the foot traffic to his set.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

bay.chris said:


> This trap is on state land. and the 220 is just stuck in a bucket with nothing to prevent a dog of any size from sticking it's head into trap/bucket. not even recessed to legal measurements


This is what I was envisioning when you said totally exposed. 




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## springdale (Dec 19, 2007)

This isnt good, there should be someone on call at all times, and no call should go unchecked! With the amount of licenses sold it wouldnt take 1 or 2 bucks per license to have some more law inforcement.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Without adding any additional OT or increasing the amount of coverage area which would also result in an increase in response time, you would have to more than double the amount of officers in the field to achieve 24 hour coverage. Not feasible in this economy, even with a minimal license increase. Actually I am not aware of any states that try to achieve this with wildlife officers. Even back in 1997 we had quite a few more field officers than we do right now. Retirements without even paced recruitment will do that to any "company".

In 1998 the RAP room received 4,543 complaints, in 2004 6,328 and in 2011 (to date) they have received 5,872. Like everyone else we are doing more with less, just takes a little more time to get it done. 

Posted from my iPhone.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Rounding numbers, you get about 30% fewer officers doing about 30% more work with a 7% reduction (not including loss of time in the field due to furlough days and banked leave time) in overall work time in the field for each individual officer. 

Frustrating as it all is, we still do it because we too are stewards of the resource, hunters, fishermen, backpackers, kayakers, campers, etc., and love what we do and can always see the importance of it. 

Anyhow, hopefully you get that trap thing settled.


Posted from my iPhone.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

It is probably a rookie trapper. When I used to trap I always used leg holds on dry land to avoid catching dogs. Then ***** were worth $20+ and traps cost about $8. I made my sets so as I would not catch a dog. Plenty of dogs found my sets and I was always minus a trap and an animal. Makes me also wonder if this is not an intentional set, if the guy running dogs is stealing it could be intentional. I hate to see a dog get hurt but I sure did not get any respect from **** hunters.


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## DIYsportsman (Dec 21, 2010)

dead short said:


> Rounding numbers, you get about 30% fewer officers doing about 30% more work with a 7% reduction (not including loss of time in the field due to furlough days and banked leave time) in overall work time in the field for each individual officer.
> 
> Frustrating as it all is, we still do it because we too are stewards of the resource, hunters, fishermen, backpackers, kayakers, campers, etc., and love what we do and can always see the importance of it.
> 
> ...


We appreciate everything you do dead, and thanks for being so helpful on the forum, the questions forum would be left full of unanswered questions without you... 

Do what you can, when you can, with what you have...
Thats all you can do



_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## Tom Zoet (Jan 5, 2011)

Dead Short I have had the opportunity to meet our local DNR officers up here in Grand Traverse and Benzie.I know the hours you and your fellow Officers work.They have no Problem giving us their Cell Nos. so we can contact them directly.Thank you for your info. on this Post.I for one would have no Problem paying more to have more Enforcement if the Money went to that and NOT the General FUND !!! That could be a Thread in itself.Thank YOU !!!!


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

You're quite lucky in that area, I think, to have the officers there that are there I've always given my cell out. Lately, quite a few time on here through PM's. 

It just becomes a lifestyle after a while. 

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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

You can also call your local department regarding violations. I have home and cell phone numbers for both our CO's and have on several occasions seized property and issued citations with their input.

I have also seized property, gathered information and turned it over to them when they came on duty.

On more serious calls I have held the scene while they responded.

Call the RAP line, if you get a recording and need a quicker response call your local jurisdiction. We by no means take the place of our CO's, but we support them just like they do us.




_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

2PawsRiver said:


> You can also call your local department regarding violations. I have home and cell phone numbers for both our CO's and have on several occasions seized property and issued citations with their input.
> 
> I have also seized property, gathered information and turned it over to them when they came on duty.
> 
> ...


Yep. 


Posted from my iPhone.


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