I’m in a situation where I have more land to trap than steel to set. The primary animals I trap are bobcat and marten. How often would you move your trap sets to a new line? One week, two weeks, a month or let them sit all season? I’m looking for a time that catches fur most effectively.

Thoughts? (Besides buy more traps)

Two weeks but I still like the idea of more traps.

Where I am If your sets are in the right spots,for marten you will pick up dispering juveniles(which are the ones you want to target) in your sets throughout November.Where I am,juvenile marten disperse from core habitat along timbered drainages that connect with other core habitat.If setting later in the season,in the core habitat,spread out your boxes farther apart to exclude some resident females.3 or 4 checks in core habitat,on a 5 day check will be enough.
With cats,set on sign.Cats will travel between feeding areas,sets on those travel routes will take travelling cats,or you can set up on fresh sign where they are hunting a pocket.These sets produce quicker if a cat family is working there.
It may be different in your area.The main thing is to really know your trapground well.This sort of knowledge does not come overnight.Spending time out on your line is key.

What Boco said about knowing your area is key. You can waist a lot of steel setting in the wrong spot in a good area. Spend time scouting over and over and it will pay off for you. I have a note book I take with me everywhere in the summer. I’m in an elevated position in the tractor, sprayer etc.. and it allows me to get a better perspective on where animals are traveling. Take lots of notes and go get them.

Let’s assume I know the areas, I have access to more land than I have time and steel to cover. What’s the optimum time to slim the easier catches and then move onto fresh territory?

3 days
If you know the land that well you should be able to guess when then critters will pass through any particular section and plan for first night catches. You know for example that the coyotes cross a particular water course about once every ten days, so you predict when they will be there next based on fresh scat and time your set accordingly for first night catches.
Or if you are like me and just vaguely familiar with the section, about two to three weeks or until you have caught the number that are expected from that section, example; you catch five coyotes the first night and check empty traps the next three days, I'd move. Coyotes on the section that I live on are fairly predictable in that they will be here two or three nights about every14 days and then gone again for another two weeks.

And don't forget to gang set if your moving traps quickly.

Stupid question... what do you mean by gang set?

Gang set meAns to put more than one trap down at one location. A great example would be how Clint locklear uses two traps on his cat drags in teachers of the night cat addition. Some who have the traps put four down. Two on each side of a road at one set location. Another tactic is if your doing a set on the hill side you put one high and one low. Either way you double or even quadruple your chances of contact.

^^^this would be a gang set I think. If not it is a good way to roll.

Correct=tjm.

My preference would be around a week. After all the work of making sets I like to give them at least 7 days. I do move DP’s after 3-4 days when trapping coons at feed lots, but they are set heavy. Maybe 20-40 sets on 40-80 acres. That being said 3-4 nights in good locations set properly would be fine. Don’t be in such a hurry you get sloppy. Dad always said “Be quick but don’t hurry”

I have many sections I take 12 to 14 a year. I wouldn't do that in 3-4 days if I pulled traps. My formula is different than most, miles vs catches.

There are many,many variables.

I would agree. Besides it is more important to me on how many I sell not how many I tossed in the ditch.