It isn’t very surprising to hear that many people are very unsure or pessimistic when they think of trapping. Many individuals whom are isolated from rural communities or are just unsure of trapping practices hold a negative image of trapping practices. When individuals imagine trapping they think of the large bear toothed traps or clips from Disney’s film The Fox and the Hound. Surely if trapping is as depressing as it seems in these examples why then do people trap, and is it really the way as it is in the movies? Trappers are not just the man in flannel brutalizing animals for his own wealth, but are individuals closely accustomed to the ways of wildlife management. Trapping helps us learn more and more everyday about furbearing mammals which we trap relating to behaviors, numbers and home ranges so we can effectively manage species. Trappers help regulate and manage furbearers to create a balance among all the aspects of the ecosystem. Trapping animals can be classified as compensatory mortality by taking the surplus of animals from the population which would otherwise perish due to limiting factors, which are then used positively for things such as educational purposes, clothing, oils, medicines, food and much more (Trapping and Furbearer Management 2001). Muskrat populations for example, can and often decrease by 75% during the winter season but population explodes in the spring and summer, to be stable in the fall the next year (Smith, Sloan and Walton 1981). This is why trapping is such a sustainable and manageable practice, where trappers in this case, can take the surplus of the population with virtually no effect on future population numbers, to use these animals as valuable resources. Furbearers are a renewable resource which we can use and thrive on with correct management of the species which we are selecting. Is the quote “Fur is Murder” often chanted by people against wearing fur as clothing, really accurate? Animals perish every year due to limiting factors such as food, space and habitat. Not trapping, but urban sprawl presents itself as the number one cause of furbearing mammal mortality and decrease of sustainable populations. For the fact that numbers rise high in such small areas, is the reason trapping is such an effective management tool. Trapping is a very species specific practice where trappers use different types of traps, trap set locations and scents to harvest the specific animal they are targeting. Most trapping is done with foothold traps for dry land mammals, these traps cause little to no pain to the animal after it is caught in the trap. In many cases dogs are caught in trap lines and released with no harm done. Trappers targeting canine animals can release wolves, fox or coyotes which they do not have a tag for or that they don’t desire. Trapping is used also remove nuisance animals like the raccoon in your attic or the snake in your garage, and can effectively remove and relocate animals to their natural habitat. Trapping is a highly regulated practice with a large array of specific rules which need to be followed by trappers. Sometimes trappers may have an accidental trap in a set like an otter in their beaver trap, these animals are turned in and used for education purposes which many benefit greatly from. Trapping isn’t brutal or murder, it’s a practice of effective management of a species which many people often no little about. Trapping is a way of recreation, management, resource use and education which should be encouraged by all. Picketer’s and animals rights activists need not target trappers or renewable furbearing animals used for resources, but narrow their campaigns to the endangered species which need protection. Like the bumper sticker on my truck says. “I’m Pro Choice: I choose to Hunt, Fish and Wear Fur.
Smith, H. R., R. J. Sloan, and G. S. Walton. 1981. Some management implications between harvest rate and population resiliency of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). Worldwide Furbearer Conf., Frostburg, Md. 425-442.
Trapping and Furbearer Management in North American Wildlife Conservation 2001.
1 comment:
Well, this is another blog that I completely agree with. However on this subject I may be a little bias because of my outdoor lifestyle. To me trapping animals is a practice that is extremely important from many aspects. For instance the first and probably the most important benefit of trapping is the management this provides for animal populations and densities. Populations of certain animals for instance raccoons were mentioned in the blog, are dependent upon trapping. Otherwise the amount of nuisance animals would just explode. Another aspect of which trapping is important is because it is a practice passed down throughout generations. If the practice of trapping would be lost we would lose a piece of our heritage that was a huge influence to the survival of humans. Another very important reason for trapping is that people depend on it to make a living. Trapping for fur has been a custom to this country for as long as anyone can remember. And most trappers that are experienced do not only take the fur of the animals but also use the remaining parts of the animal for other tools or baits. However as stated in your blog it is very hard to get people to see both sides of the story. For instance people like me or kids that were raised outdoors have very little or no problem when it comes to trapping. The portion of people that believe this is extremely cruel are those who have never experienced it first hand or are never around that type of thing throughout their life. Then like you stated these people see movies or hear stories from people describing the worst events that can happen when people trap. If people are going to say trapping is cruel, well they mite as well try to ban hunting also. Because just as trapping has those moments where everything didn’t go as planned, hunting also does. Each time a person attempts to shoot an animal they will not instantly kill the animal in one shot or maybe a poor shot was made. Can you call that cruel? I think its all how people judge trapping by stories they have heard and not the stories they have experienced first hand.
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