With Trapping Season in Full Swing
By Buckmasters
With trapping season in full swing, I think it’s a good time to talk about some of the myths of trapping. I (along with many other trappers) often get criticized about this practice being “unethical”, “inhumane”, and “causing pain to the animals”, among other accusations. So, here's the truth about trapping...
Trapping has been a way of life since the 1500s as our nation was founded on the fur trade. Unfortunately, the market is almost nonexistent these days. With more and more pushes of “going green” and saving the environment why is real fur the exception? Fake fur is derived from non-renewable resources like plastic and oil. The material wears out quickly and is often not as full or durable as real fur. Real fur comes from a renewable source and is often softer, fuller in appearance, and can last for generations. Fake fur is just another additive to this “throw-away” world we live in today.
Not only can trapping be used for fur, but also for population management. Our cohabitation with animals requires us to keep the population and a safe and healthy size. When predators are overpopulated, they will diminish the population of prey. When prey becomes overpopulated, the vegetation becomes scarce, and disease can spread quickly. It is so important to have a healthy balance and trapping can help to regulate that.
The equipment trappers are allowed to use is so heavily regulated in most states. Studies have been done to evaluate the most ethical ways to dispatch an animal and which type of trap can dispatch them the quickest and most efficiently. This doesn’t mean that all traps are lethal. Many traps in the lower 48 that are placed on land are meant to simply hold the animal like a leash or handcuff. Cable restraints, for example, are a common trap used to catch coyotes and foxes in the Midwest. A cable restraint is like putting your dog on a leash. The only difference is the leash is attached to the ground to hold the canine in place.
Now as you can see in the picture, foot holds are like handcuffs. They simply apply pressure to the leg of the coyote (or in this case my fingers). I am not losing the circulation to my fingers, my hand will not go numb, and there is no open wound with bones sticking out. The same goes for a coyote or fox that has its leg in a trap.
Traps are regulated to be ethical. No legal trap has teeth or is large enough to break bones. And trapping is an important method of managing the ecosystem. Population management is so important on all land but especially important for your recreational land. If you’re not trapping raccoons, your turkey and duck population is hurting. If you’re not trapping coyotes. Your deer population is hurting. You can take matters into your own hands, learn about the importance of trapping, and you’ll see a difference.