Pulling Out Your Line at Season's End

Every trap comes home

A forgotten trap keeps working after you stop checking it. That's a risk to people, pets and wildlife, and a fast way to lose landowner permission. The goal of pull-out is simple: every trap you set comes out, and you can prove it.

Plan the pull

Pull-out usually happens over a few days as seasons close, ice comes or catches slow down. Before you start:

• Make a list of every set still in the ground, with its location and what traps are on it.
• Note any sets that are hard to reach after snow or high water, and pull those first.
• Bring a bucket or pack for gear, and a way to mark each set as done.

In Sprung Trapline, Pull out mode lists every set still out, nearest first, and counts down as you go. A set marked pulled with fewer traps than it should have gets flagged so you know to go back.

Pulling sets

• Spring each trap safely before you pick it up. Use your setting tool on body-grips.
• Pull stakes and cables, not just traps. Old cable left in the ground can injure animals and catch equipment.
• Fill in dirt holes and pockets and leave the spot the way you found it.
• Take down any markers or flagging.

Count your gear

Back at the truck, count everything against your list. Note anything lost or damaged so you can replace it before next season. Clean, dry and store traps so they're ready to prepare again in the summer.

Thank your landowners

Drop by or send a note to each landowner. Tell them the line is out and what you removed from their property. A short summary of what you caught on their land is one of the best things you can do to keep permission for next year.

Report your harvest

If your province or state requires a harvest report, file it now while it's fresh. Your fur log and season report have everything you need.

Review the season

Before you put it all away, look back:

• Which sets caught the most, and which caught nothing?
• Which lures and set types worked best?
• Which properties are worth going back to?
• Was the line the right size for your check time?

Write it down. In Sprung Trapline, your whole season stays on the map, so next summer you can start scouting from where you left off instead of from memory.