Author	Topic:   poll-please read
vulpes	posted 10/3/02 5:33 AM     I am curious about what all posters here think about traps,it seems there is so much misinformation and lack of knowledge out there on this. Please take the time to answer the following if you wish and post it. Thanks. True or false: 1) animals in traps chew their feet off to escape,in fact 1 in 4 does this. 2) Fur trappers kill mother animals and orphan baby animals. 3) For every target animal, 3 or more nontargets are caught. 4) Animals caught in foot traps always suffer broken bones and have cuts and blood loss. 5)Foot traps pose a threat to children. 6)Trapping has no benefit to wildlife management,or wildlife studys. 7) Most trappers check traps every 24 hours or less,as according to laws. 8) A trap's jaws close tight enough to numb the animal's foot and cut off most feelings of pain to the paw,within a fairly short time.In fact many trapped animals quickly tire of fighting the trap and fall asleep. general answer: What is worst to a fox or raccoon- having mange or distemper and suffering days or even weeks ( mange),due to high animal population in an area,or being in a foot trap 8 hours on average,with a numb paw,and being quickly killed by being shot in the head? Is it better to let endangered ground nesting birds be wiped out instead of trapping out the foxes,raccoons,and other voracious nest stealing predators? ____________________________________ I know the AR-ists here will use AR points that say its wrong to kill anything and bring up humans vs animals(the old lets hunt people too thing),but if you could please use an animal welfarest stance,it would be appreciated.Remember all the dogs and cats killed each year in shelters becuase they are overpopulated.
Gene	posted 10/3/02 3:48 PM     Like most people, I don't know a thing about contemporary trapping. Who regulates it, the Game Commission? How are its rules regarding humane treatment enforced? Trapping is one of those extremely hot issues that will always upset people. It's an awfully rough subject for this board, which is mostly about agriculture and rodeo, but I acknowledge that you have every right to correct misconceptions about your profession. I know lots of farmers, ranchers, and hunters but haven't known any trappers since I was a kid. But the reality of trapping is awfully brutal for the suburban kids from PETA2. But when I say brutal, I recognize that everyday nature is brutal, so I'm not judging you. I'd rather discuss trapping than the sick, bloody fantasies so many PETAphiles are obsessed with.
Equinely Yours	posted 10/3/02 3:53 PM     Vulpes ~ I admit to knowing very little about trapping. I appreciate you giving us the trappers' view. I have actually not given trapping much thought, although I grew up in a small Pacific Northwest community, and quite a bit of trapping was/is done. I've heard the ARA's complaints about trapping and naturally blew it off as nonsense. Imagine that! :-D Anyway, thanks again, and I *think* that #'s 1-6 were all false. #7 true. I don't know if the #'s are quite right because I can't see your post as I type here. And, now I can't remember the questions after #7.
vulpes	posted 10/5/02 7:54 PM     Where are the replies from the AR's? I was curious about if they knew anything other than what the AR groups feed out. I guess the fur issue will heat up more as winter comes in. By then I will be running my trapline.
Gene	posted 10/6/02 1:39 AM     Vulpes, what area of the country are you in? How many traps do you set, typically? Are there trapping seasons? Are all your traps along riparian areas? Do you work mostly small rivers and streams? Any dry, open areas? How many species do you trap? Do you do all your own skinning, etc.? What happens to the body once it's skinned? Is any meat discarded, or does it all go for food for something? I know lots of Chinese and Tibetans who'll eat anything you got. So does Matthew.
vulpes	posted 10/6/02 6:27 AM     >>Vulpes, what area of the country are you in? How many traps do you set, typically? Are there trapping seasons?<< East coast USA, I will have about 30 traps set for fox this season, when doing coon and mink 30-40 traps is possible. I am not a "long liner",those guys might have 100 set fox traps,and 200 or more traps for mink or coon.Theres are seasons,they are in the fall and winter,with beaver season going into march,when fur is prime.The rest of the year the fur is shedding or too short and unusable,plus the animals are having their young and raising them at those times as well.There is no reason at all to fur trap at any time but nov-march,the only trapping occuring out of season is special nuisance control and only where the problem animals are. >>>Are all your traps along riparian areas? Do you work mostly small rivers and streams? Any dry, open areas?<< I trap farmland,including streams that run through them.The fox trapping is all on land and I catch some raccoons and possums in these as well as fox.Every so often some idiot lets their dog roam free and I catch the dog.I just let them go and they are fine.At the streams I trap for raccoon and mink. There are few muskrats here,so I don't really have any to trap. >> How many species do you trap? Do you do all your own skinning, etc.? What happens to the body once it's skinned? Is any meat discarded, or does it all go for food for something? I know lots of Chinese and Tibetans who'll eat anything you got. So does Matthew. <<< So far this is what I have caught and what I want to catch: I have caught- red fox,grey fox,raccoon,possum,mink.I intend to catch coyote,beaver and river otter,as well as some muskrats a woman wants me to thin out on her pond- she actually has a bunch of them and they are causing damage to her pond banks. I skin all my catches and even flesh and put up my fur ( thats to put on a wood or wire stretcher and allow to dry cure).I haven't had the nerve to try raccoon yet,but want to try muskrat and beaver. In general I pile the skinned animals up at a farm where the owner lets me, and the vultures have a feast.I put 30 carcasses out one time and came back a week later-they were picked clean.I save the skulls from most animals too,but not all raccoons,because ones caught live I shoot in the head to kill them.I use killer traps for raccoons too,and can take the skulls from those.
jason	posted 10/1/03 5:53 PM       I belive that trapping should be allowed and not disscused at all. Yea they might go through pain but it does not mean that tthey can feel it. #1 True, #2 False, #3 true, #4 False, #5 true, #6 False, #7 True, #8 True I think I got most of the answers right. Thanks for letting me say my opion. Jason Henry

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