[Jeeper]

I am curious about what people here think about trapping. I know there are some trappers here also. I would like to hear the opinions of those pro and con. I'll add my 2 cents later.

[Art Eatman]

Well, it's a useful way to get rid of varmints, although it's a bit much of "to whom it may concern" to really find favor with me.

If a trapline is worked on a daily basis, I have no problem with trapping as a source of fur. I admit to a bit of a problem of working an area until it's "trapped out", which to me means the population might have been over-harvested.

Art

[DFBonnett]

Personally, I don't like the idea of killing except for food or in defense of my person, my property, or my freedom. But that is just me. YMMV

[redneck]

I think its just like hunting or anything else, there's a certain code of ethics/morals you have to use and then its fine.

It really pisses me off to see somebody set a muskrat trap in an area where somebodies pet gets caught, or just leave it there and never check it again. If you expect other people to be around, you should mark it some way for them and you should do your best to only make it inviting to the animals you want to trap, not somebodys bird dog. You have to be fairly certain of what you might catch, particularly if your going to use traps that kill or injure.

And then you have to be humane about it. Check it often, so that trapped animals aren't suffering needlessly, kill them humanely (I prefer shooting but there are other methods that seem to work ok)

You just have to go about it the right way. I've caught 22 racoons and one possum here this summer. Only thing I caught that I didn't intend to was a neighbors cat, and because I use a live trap and check it first thing in the morning if I can, it wasn't even in there long. Actually walked up and down the bars purring as I opened the door, and then it just walked off unscathed.

[stevelyn]

For a lot of us in the bush, it's a source of income same as it was for the fur trappers of the mountainman era. Although I don't don't trap on a regular basis, I do when I have the time attend the sets. Like hunting, fur trapping is also a wildlife management tool and targets those game populations that you wouldn't ordinarly have success hunting such as marten, wolverine, and lynx. Wolves, foxes, and coyotes can be and are hunted successfully with either a trapping or hunting license. Wolves are classified as both furbearers and big game. No ethical trapper would place a set where it would catch pets or domestic animals.
However unlike most places in the Lower 48, a 15 minute snowmachine ride can take us far from populated areas minimizing the risk of catching untargeted species. I've used all types of traps including snares, leg-hold, and Conibear depending on the species targeted.
In Alaska you are required to mark the begining and end of your trapline with your license and contact information. It informs the public that the trail they are about to enter is a trapline and it provides FWP with your information if there is a legal issue.

[submin]

I favor anything that helps manage wildlife in a way that encourages/preserves the pioneer spirit. My state has a very bad beaver problem and I’d rather people trap them than to have the state set out poison or shoot them. Both of which is wasteful.


The surge in rabies cases is going to force the state to do something, I just hope it’s the right thing.

Doug
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/165680/sniper.gif

[JerryN]

Trapping is simply another way for mankind to stay attuned to the cycles of life and death in the natural world. If we do not remain in touch in such a natural manner, we will have no idea how the natural cycles work. Participate.

Be a part of nature, not apart from nature.

The vast majority of trappers, like ANY other groups of humans, including bird watchers, mountain bikers, buddist monks, etc are ethical. Bigoted stereotypes portray them as less than savory.

Its really sad that most people who are anti-trapping have never, ever actually talked to any trappers or seen a trap line or have any experience whatsoever regarding trapping other than what they've seen on the six o'clock news.

[only1asterisk]

I've trapped in the past; the only thing stopping me now is that there is no incentive. Fur prices are low, people steal your expensive traps, and the Korean deli that bought meat from me is out of business. I miss it.
Trapping is important to keeping animal populations in check. Humans have killed off most of the predators and must themselves reduce the numbers of prey species to keep the populations healthy. I never gave to much thought about ethics; I used killer traps and drowning sets, checked them on a regular basis and trapped overpopulated areas. I never even used baited traps, although I don't really consider this unethical, just more likely to produce a feral cat or dog than the target animal.

Slob trappers and slob hunters are people to be shunned. I see nothing wrong with hunting or trapping by any method so long as the prey is given proper respect and a good death. I don't know anyone that traps with a dry leg hold set or uses a drag. Neither choice has ever appealed to be because of the high loss rate and extended time between capture and kill. Just because I don't use these sets don't mean that there is anything wrong with them, I simply prefer do use killer trap and sets.


David

[Smoke]

Done right....no problem.

Gunsels and abusers....problem.


Smoke

[asdaf]

Don't forget- Unlike petroleum based "fleece" or that cool polyester parka; fur is an environmentally friendly, renewable resource. And supporting trappers helps maintain the many diverse Native American cultures that have been clothing and supporting themselves this way for thousands of years.

[Sunray]

Trapping what? Trapping for a living or hobby is one thing but trapping because one doesn't like cats or tree rats or whatever is another.

[Tommy Gunn]

Trapping is an effective way to harvest small game and furbearers.

Don't let the anti's ban trapping, they will go after the dove hunters next. Eventually the anti's will ban everything. There is no middle ground but a long yellow line and a dead skunk, so don't even try to appease them.

[Art Eatman]

Sunray, I get the impression that so far, folks are talking about trapping for fur or removal of predators. "Doing it right", IOW.

Art

[JShirley]

Older brother used traps often. These were the large, baited traps that did not injure the trapped.
He checked 'em often, too. He was good with anything involving animals. (Even using blowguns. ;))
I remember the time someone saw a large rat run through our back room (converted garage). Someone said, "Its tail looked really odd." Bro rigged up an impromptu trap with a box and an apple.

Caught a little oppossum a few minutes later. It was about as long as your hand. We took it 'bout a half mile away, and let it go in the woods.

John

[Duncan Idaho]

Do you favor trapping?Yes, I do.

Doesn't matter though. The "environmentalists" (people that can't tell a mountain beaver from a woodchuck) banned it, both here in my adopted home state of WA, and also back in my home state of the People's DemoRATic Republic of Massachewsh*ts.

Give the MA department of Fish and Wildlife a call some time. Ask them how many billions (that is right, I said billions) of dollars it has cost the state in flood damage, water quality/treatment issues (MA has a HUGE reservoir system that has been hammered by the Giardia parasite a.k.a. "beaver fever"), and agricultural damage.

The people that favor a ban on trapping are no different than the scumbag gungrabbers, in fact they are often one and the same blissninny. In short, the only people that would ban trapping and/or guns, are the mental midgets that know nothing about them.

:fire: :fire: :fire: :fire:

Everybody feel free to tell me why we must ban trapping for the Chhhhiiiiillllddren. :rolleyes: :barf: :cuss:

[243_shooter]

The trappers that I've had the pleasure of getting to know have had a better understanding of the local woods, and higher ethical standards than 99% of the firearm hunters I know..

I plan on doing some limited trapping this year, mostly because it really forces you to be "in tune" with your enviroment, and it's good exercise. In this area it's a dying art, very, very few people trap.. A few go after the beavers by the road but very few are true trappers.

I don't find it to be inhumane, let's face it, how many wild animals come to a humane end, nature is cruel. I do think that traps should be carefully set to only catch the target species, checked regularly, and most definately NOT catch domestic's..

Leo

[kudu]

I trapped quite a lot when I was younger, still set out a few sets now and then to keep my hand in it so I won't loose the skill. Made a bit of money at it when the prices were up and kept some of the varmint population down. And yes I used foot hold traps but tried to make it so they would drown the critters or made every effort to check them twice daily to prevent unnecessary sufferring. It's too bad kids today don't learn how to make do with a trap line like my dad and grandfather did. You get a better understanding of wildlife and it's cycles and how cruel it can be even without mans help when you deal with them one on one.