NTA Action Alert on Grey Wolf Legislation

Hi folks.  Maybe you've received this email from the NTA, but in case you haven't I'm passing it along in the hope that many of you will contact your legislators. 

 Action Alert

The NTA needs your help!

Big Game Forever, a coalition of several organizations, including the NTA, is currently working with friends in Congress to remove the grey wolf from the endangered species list. We have the antis worried! They have called for their supporters to contact legislators to oppose these bills, S. 249 and H.R. 509. We need you to counter that effort with one of our own! Please contact your Congressman and Senators and show support for this precedent setting legislation. Help return wolf management to the states! Any letters, e-mails or phone calls to Washington will help. If you need addresses just go to congress.org for contact information for your individual representatives, or log on to biggameforever.org and add your name to their petition. Karen and I will be in Washington DC Feb 16th making visits but we need you to help! If you have received this e-mail, you are just a few mouse clicks away from showing your support as well.

Please help us fight the fight!

Dave Linkhart, Director of National and International Affairs, National Trappers Association

Some Good Press for Trappers

The Canadian Times and Transcript newspaper recently ran an excellent article by reporter James Foster, who took a trapper's education course and reported on it.  Trappers are Mostly Misunderstood is a very fair and informative editorial that looks at trapping as both an art and a science.  Here's one quote from the article:

"If I took away nothing else from the course, it's that trapping requires a whole lot of knowledge, a ton of common sense and a sense of duty to our furbearing wildlife that goes far beyond that of the ordinary everyday citizen."

Utah Rejects Extended Trap Check

The Wildlife Board of Utah recently rejected a proposal to change the ordinance that requires coyote trappers to check traps every 2 days.  The proposal, put forth by some hunters and landowners concerned about coyote populations, sought to extend the trap check to 7 days.  Frankly, I'm glad the proposal failed.  An entire week is way too long between trap checks when using footholds.  I can't imagine why anyone would propose such a change, but the only result was negative publicity.  This is a case of asking too much, and giving the anti-trapping crowd a chance to call into question our commitment to humane practices.  No matter how wrong the antis are, we need to be committed to reasonable and humane trapping laws.

Read the story here:  Utah Wildlife Board Rejects Proposal.   

First PA Fisher Season in 90 Years

Ron Weller with a PA fisher

Jeremiah Wood over at Trapping Today posted a link to a good story on Pennsylvania's first fisher season in 90 years.  I thought I'd pass it along here.  The five day season was designed to limit any great impact on the small but growing fisher population in PA, but it's great to see new opportunities opening up.  This is a hopeful sign for the future for PA trappers.  I don't trap in the areas where the season was limited, so I didn't get a crack at fisher trapping this year.  I'm hopeful that opportunities will expand and I'll have my chance soon enough.  With the ongoing battle we need to fight to preserve the opportunities we have, it's a bit of good news to see those opportunities expand, even if it's just a little step.

Trapping and Christian Ethics



Dr. Stephen Vantassel


I recently had the pleasure of corresponding with Dr. Stephen Vantassel, who is dean of students and tutor of theology at King's Evangelical Divinity School.  Dr. Vantassel has done extensive writing and research on human-wildlife relations from a Biblical perspective, and one of his articles will be of particular interest to trappers.  "Should Wildlife Trapping Have a Place in a Christian Environmental Ethic" is a scholarly, Biblical critique of some of the main claims of the animal rights movement.  It is an excellent article, and I highly recommend that you read it and share it with others who are interested in this subject. 

Dr. Vantassel's website can be found here, which includes information on his book Dominion Over Wildlife?  An Environmental-Theology of Human-Wildlife Relations.

We can be thankful that Dr. Vantassel is shedding the light of sound scholarship on the animal rights debate.

Chicago Hires Coyotes for Rodent Control

Lately the news is filled with stories of coyotes roaming urban areas and causing a stir among protective parents, so I was a little surprised to come across this story.  Officials in Chicago are actually releasing GPS collared coyotes on city streets at night in order to combat the rodent population.  In reference to concerns about this tactic, one Chicago animal control official said of the coyote, "He's not a threat.  He's not going to pick up your children."

So, while some cities are hiring animal control specialists to trap and remove them, Chicago is actually employing them.  It's a funny world we live in.....

 

Trapping Class at 4-H

My kids are involved in the local 4-H group here in Washington County, Pennsylvania.  My wife is usually involved in planning activities, so I floated the idea that she suggest I teach a trapping class.  The idea was very well received and, as it turns out, very popular with the kids.  My first class on Thursday afternoon had 22 eager students with lots of questions!  I think we have some young trappers in the making....

So, just a heads-up to all you trappers out there with a local 4-H group nearby....this can be a great venue for introducing the next generation to trapping.  If you want to get involved in preserving our rights and our heritage as trappers, this is a great place to start.  Teach some kids!

Here's a few pics of me and the class:

A Victory for Maine Trappers

 A great bit of news from Tom Remington over at the Black Bear Blog.

     Trappers in Maine and sportsmen nationwide scored a huge victory after a Federal Court of Appeals rejected an effort from anti-hunting groups seeking to use the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to stop trapping in the state. This decision reaffirms a lower court decision that set a precedent against manipulation of the ESA to stop hunting, fishing, and trapping.

     “We are ecstatic and relieved that this lawsuit is no longer a threat to our lifestyle as we prepare to open the 2010 trapping season,” said Skip Trask of the Maine Trappers Association. “The Maine Trappers Association couldn’t be happier with this decision. It is much more than just a victory for Maine. This decision will help protect all trapping and other sports from coast to coast. We appreciate the support and guidance of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) legal team and all of our partners.”

Black Bear Trapping in Alaska

Maine is currently the only state that allows bear trapping, but it looks like that may soon change.  Jeremiah Wood over at Trapping Today brought this little tidbit of news to my attention:

"The Alaska Board of Game is expected to vote on a Fish and Game proposal setting trapping seasons for black bears in half a dozen large areas. If passed, bear trapping and snaring by the public would effectively become legal for the first time in Alaska's history. The board quietly took the first step toward legalization - reclassifying bears as furbearers - in January."

 

Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Alaska Game Board poised to legalize black bear trapping

 

I have no bear trapping experience (yet) but it is definitely on my list of things to accomplish in my trapping career.  While trapping rights are being challenged left and right, it's refreshing to see a state expanding its trapping opportunities.   

Fox Attack!

Here's a strange story:  A woman taking a walk in Pennsylvania was attacked by a red fox and had to strangle it with her bare hands, then suffocate it with a garbage bag.  Now there's a dispatch method I've never tried!  Authorities are testing the fox for rabies, of course, and with behavior like that it's probably infected.  As the season approaches this is a timely reminder to be careful with animals exhibiting weird behavior, and to take protective cautions when dispatching or fur handling. 

This is the best quote from the woman's interview:

"I want that fox's pelt.  I think I deserve it."

Read the whole story here.

More on Muskrat Populations

Numerous articles are popping up about the drastic decline in muskrat populations.  I've noticed this but wasn't sure if it was just me or a real trend.  Looks like it's for real, but nobody seems to have any answers explaining why.  In a recent Tribune-Review article I found this statistic amazing:  In Pennsylvania the muskrat harvest went from 621,111 in 1984 to 74,059 in 2008.  A huge drop, and the article reports that the number of muskrat trappers has remained about the same throughout that time.  You can read the rest of the article here: Muskrat Population Suffers Drastic Decline.

F&T North American Trapper Show Update

Alan Probst recently announced that the F&T North American Trapper TV show will return the week of September 27th on the Pursuit Channel (DirecTV channel 608). The airtimes are Tuesdays at 8:30am, Fridays at 11:30pm and Saturdays at 7:30pm EST.  The sponsors of the show are F&T Post, Duke Traps, the NTA, Outdoor Edge Knives, Trapper & Predator Caller magazine and Excalibur Crossbows. USAFOXX has declined to go forth with their sponsorship of the show so Excalibur Crossbows has taken their place. Lastly, the show will also broadcast on Dish Network starting in late December.

Coyotes in the City

The stories about coyotes roaming urban neighborhoods are coming fast and furious over the news wire.  The latest example is from Chicago, complete with a video of a coyote walking around a playground in broad daylight.  Of course, "concerned parents called Animal Care and Control," says the story (link).  I think it's a sign of the times that the perceived solution to an increasingly bold overpopulation of predators is concerned urbanite parents calling a government agency called Animal Care and Control.  I wonder if they took good care of the coyote?  But I digress.  Here's the video:

 

A Teachable Moment in Maryland

Legislation was introduced in Maryland earlier this year that would have effectively banned trapping in Montgomery County, MD.  The bill did pass through both the House and Senate committees but did not receive the full vote of the Senate, thankfully.  Although Maryland trappers breathed a sign of relief, this should be a teachable moment for all state trapping organizations.  If the anti-trapping crowd carries enough weight to bring up such baseless proposals to the floor of the Maryland legislature, you can bet they are devising plans to try again and also target other states.  Trappers are such a small community that we can no longer afford to be silent and take our way of life for granted.  Please, get involved and actively support our national and state associations.

On the bright side, the incident in Maryland prompted some good exposure of the facts by the Maryland Fur Trappers Association.  From their press release earlier this year:

     "Whenever and wherever anti-trapping legislation is introduced on a municipal or larger statewide scale, the goal is always to ban the primary tool of the trade, the so-called “leghold” trap. This misnomer refers to the “live-hold foot trap” used predominately to hold land-based furbearers without injury in case the captured animal need to be released.
     For years, animal activists have portrayed the tradition and heritage of fur trapping as a cruel, primitive craft that indiscriminately targets any unwitting creature, including domestic pets that happen to step into the waiting jaws of a bone-crushing “leghold trap” only to suffer anguishing torment until killed by the brutish trapper. Nothing could be further from the truth.
     In fact, the use of the humane “live-hold foot trap” is the preferred tool of trappers for the very reason activists decry its use. Any non-targeted animals can be and are routinely released unharmed. In addition, the live-hold foot trap is used in the propagation of threatened species including the Canada lynx and the red and grey wolf. In Maryland, this method has been used in the reintroduction of the river otter with much success. On a larger scale, the live-hold foot trap is used to protect nesting waterfowl and endangered sea turtle eggs from ravaging predators.
     Time and time again during legislative hearings, the typical live-hold foot trap used for most furbearers has been sprung on the hand or finger of a trapper to demonstrate the strength of the device. No pro-trappers were ever injured during the demonstration."  (link)

And an excellent quote by Ron Leggett, the president of Maryland Fur Trappers, Inc.:

“It’s easy for opponents of fur trapping to advance an emotional plea against the practice. The benefits of fur trapping are misunderstood by many in the modern age. Most Marylanders are unaware of the protections afforded to them by trappers and wildlife control agents.  Detractors refuse to consider the facts about trapping and its methods and wage unrelenting campaigns using 'compassionate' messages, with no real proof to back up their claims, to garner support from the uninformed majority of urbanized citizens.” (link)

Although the legislation failed, the Maryland Fur Trapper's Association is not ready to rest on their laurels and celebrate.  Their website has a warning that all of us would do well to heed:

"So, before the back slapping begins, a moment should be spent thinking about how fortunate the MFTI is to have dodged the bullet in this legislative session and to start planning now for time off and a cohesive, coherent offense for next session. The skirmish for now has been won, but the war is far from over. The enemy has all year to plan their next offensive which they will launch.  Money will be raised; meetings will be attended; alliances will be forged; politicians will be coddled and informed. The questions remain:  will the MFTI put as much effort into saving trapping as its opponents will spend trying to destroy trapping? Will the MFTI rise to face the challenge or again let others stand in for them? Will the trappers in Maryland become proactive or reactive - on the offense or on the defense?  It's your decision." (link)

   

Raccoons in the Big Apple

It seems that more and more urban population centers are having trouble with furbearers moving in.  I've noticed the past few years on my modest 'coon line that the little suburban woodlots I trap here and there are always more productive than the big, wide-open rural areas.  It seems that raccoons especially thrive in or near human population centers, being attracted by the easy meals from garbage cans and dumpsters, and grow in numbers because of little trapping or hunting pressure.  Suburbia may be the new raccoon trapper's paradise, not to mention the increasing demand for ADC work.

Case in point:  A bill has been introduced in New York that would require the city to trap raccoons upon request in any of the five boroughs.  "People have been calling my office complaining that they have been seeing a lot of raccoons," said councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, the originator of the bill.  Dozens of raccoons trapped in Central Park tested positive for rabies, a sure sign of an unhealthy overpopulation of the critters.  One wildlife specialist, Bobby Horvath, basically called it a losing battle: "They are in the city, and you have to learn to live with them.  They will have less contact with us if we don't invite them."  The full story is available here and also at the Camo Underground.

This year on your 'coon line try getting permission to scout and trap a few wooded lots in suburban areas.  The owners will probably be more than happy to have some raccoons removed from the area, and chances are you'll find a few little hot spots with big, concentrated populations.  You'll also be providing a valuable service to your community, even if your only reward is your fur check.

Edited to add:  Raccoons aren't the only problem in NYC.  Two more coyote attacks were recently reported in the suburbs.  Read the story here.

Comprehensive Outdoor News

Camo Underground is a fantastic source of outdoor news, with many stories on gun rights, hunting and other outdoor interests.  What I love about this site is that it's set up just like the Drudge Report and packed full of news stories that will interest trappers, hunters and shooters.  Check it out!

Camo Underground

Israel to Debate a National Ban on Fur Trade

The Israeli Knesset is set to debate a bill on September 2 that would place a national ban on the production, processing, import, export and sale of animal fur products.  Although the Israeli fur trade is tiny, animal rights activists are hailing this bill as an example for other countries to follow.  "A ban on all fur throughout the country would be a world first -- a major stand against the animal cruelty inherent in the worldwide fur trade -- and it would set an example that other countries would look to and follow," says a statement by Humane Society International, an animal rights organization which sent two officials to testify before a Knesset committee in Israel this year. 

Ronit Tirosh, the originator of the bill, is confident it will pass.  "The chances of it becoming law are very high. I started a long time ago, and we took it step by step," she told AOL News. "I hope that many other countries will follow us. The world is moving forward regarding the rights of animals."  The story at AOL news can be read here.

This is a stark reminder about how much ground the animal rights crowd is gaining.  If it can happen there it can happen here, and you can bet that the leftist wackos already have a strategy in place to push similar legislation in the USA.  It is now more important than ever for trappers to support the fur industry and become active members in local trapping associations.  Make your voice heard.  If we are silent, they win. 

F&T's North American Trapper Show UPDATE

Alan Probst recently announced the following.  This is great news and should provide better exposure for the first all trapping show on TV!

The show will not be running on ICTV from this point on. The show has been taken off the air and will now run the entire 4th quarter and then re-air 1st quarter for a new 26 week schedule on the Pursuit Channel, which is DirecTV channel 608 and Dish Network (TBD), as well as an additional 9 million households on Time Warner Cable systems starting in January. The total reach of this program will now be around the 50 million household mark and on a much better outdoor programming carriage system.

There is a distinct difference with Pursuit network and the show will be running two basic prime slots which should provide even more exposure. The times the show will be airing are Wed 11:30am, Fri 7:30pm and Fri 11:30pm during the 4th and 1st quarters.

Temporary Trapping Ban in New Mexico

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, Gov. Bill Richardson issued an executive order that bans trapping for six months in a large portion of the New Mexico side of the New Mexico-Arizona border.  Ostensibly, the ban is to allow wildlife biologists the time to study the effects of trapping on the endangered Mexican Gray Wolf population, which has been reintroduced to the area by the federal government.  Of course, animal rights groups are calling it a victory.

The story at this link, however, goes on to say how ranchers have suffered loss of livestock since the Mexican Gray wolf was reintroduced.  One may wonder why federal dollars are being spent to reintroduce a predator that hurts the local economy, then trapper's rights are taken away to avoid the off chance of an incidental capture.  Loss of livestock and trapping rights seem to be the only results of our tax dollar funded efforts to coddle the Mexican Gray Wolf.

The article goes on to say that two such wolves were so severely injured by traps that they had to have legs amputated.  Anyone who has any real knowledge of trapping probably will find such a claim very suspicious at best.  Sounds like more animal rights propaganda parading as news.  Send an email off to Governor Richardson and ask him to support the rights of ranchers and trappers over a handful of animal rights lobbyists.  Contact information can be found here.     

Ever Heard of John Richardson?

Probably not, but this Tennessee trapper is a great example to the rest of us.  Mr. Richardson recently took the opportunity to give a talk about trapping to his local historical society, and did what he could to dispel the myths generated by the animal rights crowd.  If you are a trapper and want to preserve our heritage by helping the general public understand what we do and why we do it, consider getting involved like Mr. Richardson did.  Maybe your local Boy Scouts, 4H group, or historical society would welcome a talk by a trapper.  The opportunities are there, we just need to look for them.  In Mr. Richardson's case the local newspaper even ran a story about his presentation, giving him even more publicity.  You can read the article at this link.  Here's a short take from the article:

"Do you ever hear from PETA?" asked an audience member, referring to the radical organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  "The National Trappers Association takes care of that," Richardson said. "I think (PETA is) a little bit misguided, but I still try to talk to them and not get too upset.  I think I'm helping people. I thin (nuisance) animals for farmers. If you stop all trapping, you can forget farming anything."

Hats off to John Richardson, a good example of a trapper who gets involved for the benefit of trappers everywhere.