Trapping Laws
Old Custom Trapping Laws
Wallace McLean, Northwest River
1. Any trapper working a trapline (or several - he could have a shareman working them) it was his.
2. If someone come on your ground, you could hang trap in tree. If found second time you could 'beat up' trap.
3. If a trapper's line along the shore extended to a neighbour's trapline, he must move trap 100-200 yards from neighbour's trap.
4. When shorelines were taken, one must go 5 miles inland or over the hill before starting a line.
5. If a trapper must cross a trapper's line before going the 5 miles inland, he must ask the permission of the trapper.
6. If you left trapline for two years, trapline was no longer yours, but traps couldn't be taken. Tilts belongs to former trapper - these could be sold or burnt.
7. If someone put a tilt on your trapline you could burn it (never occurred).
8. If you come to a trap with animal alive in it, you kill animal and hang it in tree or nearest tilt and must reset trap. If you stole you were a 'carajou' (wolverine, Indian expression).
9. Shareman was to give one-third of what he made. Shareman found his own grub. If using own canoe, you were paid rental (e.g. $5.00) or used owner's. Sharemen used trapline traps.
10. Indians were free to go where they liked - nothing you could do about it (they usually took a few traps, used tilts and grub. They always left a bit, or left meat in its place).
Labrador Law - as long as trap chains didn't cross, all okay. - Wallace McLean, "Old Custom Trapping Laws," in Tim Borlase, Songs of Labrador, p.123
Wallace McLean, Northwest River
1. Any trapper working a trapline (or several - he could have a shareman working them) it was his.
2. If someone come on your ground, you could hang trap in tree. If found second time you could 'beat up' trap.
3. If a trapper's line along the shore extended to a neighbour's trapline, he must move trap 100-200 yards from neighbour's trap.
4. When shorelines were taken, one must go 5 miles inland or over the hill before starting a line.
5. If a trapper must cross a trapper's line before going the 5 miles inland, he must ask the permission of the trapper.
6. If you left trapline for two years, trapline was no longer yours, but traps couldn't be taken. Tilts belongs to former trapper - these could be sold or burnt.
7. If someone put a tilt on your trapline you could burn it (never occurred).
8. If you come to a trap with animal alive in it, you kill animal and hang it in tree or nearest tilt and must reset trap. If you stole you were a 'carajou' (wolverine, Indian expression).
9. Shareman was to give one-third of what he made. Shareman found his own grub. If using own canoe, you were paid rental (e.g. $5.00) or used owner's. Sharemen used trapline traps.
10. Indians were free to go where they liked - nothing you could do about it (they usually took a few traps, used tilts and grub. They always left a bit, or left meat in its place).
Labrador Law - as long as trap chains didn't cross, all okay. - Wallace McLean, "Old Custom Trapping Laws," in Tim Borlase, Songs of Labrador, p.123