Trapline Journal Weblog

By National Rifle Association , Everything Firearm Related - March 19, 2009

As we have reported, animal “rights” extremists like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) are trying to ban regulated trapping in Maryland. House Bill 831 would effectively prohibit recreational trapping in Montgomery County and also limit the authority of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to manage wildlife in that county. HB831 is scheduled to be considered by the House Environmental Matters Committee on Friday, March 20.

This is not merely a county bill, as it has been introduced into the Maryland General Assembly and will be heard by the House Environmental Matters Committee. If passed, it will not only affect Montgomery County, but will establish a statewide precedent that takes traps and trap-use out of the hands of DNR, trappers and landowners. If this precedent is established, it will become much easier to expand these prohibitions to include other counties or even statewide.

HB 831 would prohibit the use of live hold foot trap and body-gripping traps by anyone in Montgomery County except an authorized agent of the DNR. This will prevent state wildlife officials, trappers and private landowners from using the most effective and humane trapping tools currently available to manage furbearers.

This will influence the DNR’s ability to manage wildlife and nuisance wildlife complaints and also place an unrealistic financial burden on state government and private landowners. Landowners would no longer be allowed to use these tools to trap nuisance animals on their property; they would be forced to hire agents of DNR to handle their problems. A ban on trapping will also negatively affect game populations, as predator populations will not be effectively managed.

Please contact the members of the House Environmental Matters Committee TODAY and respectfully ask them to oppose HB 831. (Click here for contact information) The future of scientific wildlife management in Maryland may depend on it.  This is one step toward allowing emotion, not science, to dictate wildlife management practices. Maryland’s sportsmen must fight to ensure this precedent is not set.

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Game Commission publicly drew by computer the names of 1,435 individuals who each will be awarded one bobcat permit for the upcoming 2008-09 hunting and trapping season. The drawing was held at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters at 10 a.m. today, Friday, Sept. 12.

After a review of the 6,636 applications received for the drawing, the Game Commission disqualified 13 individuals for failing to follow instructions, including mailing in multiple applications and bounced checks.

Of the 6,623 eligible applicants in the drawing, an additional 20 applications were drawn as alternates in case the Bureau of Wildlife Protection declares any of the first 1,435 individuals ineligible during an application review.

Of the 1,435 permits awarded, 47 were awarded to female applicants and 70 were awarded to applicants under the age of 17.  As this was the first year in which nonresidents were permitted to apply, one permit was awarded to residents of Rhode Island, Maryland and Ohio.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe noted that preference points played a significant role in determining those drawn.  This year, for the first time, 286 individuals who applied were guaranteed a bobcat permit as they had accumulated the maximum number of preference points (six).

According to remaining results, 165 of the 444 individuals with five preference points were selected for a bobcat permit; 220 of the 655 individuals with four preference points were selected; 251 of the 990 individuals with three preference points were selected; 289 of the 1,611 individuals with two preference points were selected; and 224 of the 2,637 individuals with one preference point were selected.

Those selected in the random drawing will receive one permit for no additional charge to either hunt or trap one bobcat in the next few weeks.  The hunting season will run from Oct. 25- Feb. 21.  The trapping season will run from Oct. 26- Feb. 22.

Top counties for those receiving bobcat permits are: Lancaster (86); Bradford (66); Berks (61); Lycoming (57); and York (52).

Hunting and trapping bobcats is restricted to Wildlife Management Units 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 4D.

(Columbus, OH) - The nation’s leading advocate of sportsmen’s rights is announcing the creation of a fund with the sole purpose of combating the world’s number-one anti-hunting organization.

Money collected by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) through the new Sportsmen Against HSUS fund will be used in the continuing battle against the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its animal rights campaign.

The Sportsmen Against HSUS fund is designed to:

* mount a national campaign which will focus on educating the media, elected officials, the public, sportsmen and the many others targeted by the animal rights group, and

* fund the campaigns that combat the public policy threats initiated and supported by the HSUS. The HSUS lobbying machine claims to have played a role in getting 86 different state laws passed in 2007 alone. The group also filed more than a dozen new lawsuits in 2007.

Wayne Pacelle, who claims to be a vegan, and is an anti-hunting advocate and president and CEO of HSUS, recently said, “Let’s raise at least $10,000 right now, with $5,000 to go to pets who are the victims of foreclosures and an additional $5,000 to fight the horrible wildlife abuses that the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance loves.”

The HSUS is America’s leading opponent of hunting, fishing, trapping and scientific wildlife management. It led the charge in a 2006 ballot campaign to ban dove hunting in Michigan, contributing $1.6 million to the effort. Among other voter issues, it also took the lead in the 1994 ballot campaign to ban cougar and bear hunting with hounds and bait in Oregon. It opposes hunting on National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands. It has filed lawsuits to impede the management of gray wolves and grizzly bears.

Some current policy attacks on sportsmen’s rights by the HSUS include:

* the launching of a campaign to address so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog rescue shelters in the state.

* a mandatory spay and neuter bill in California, which would require all dogs be spayed or neutered by the age of six months, making it nearly impossible for sportsmen with mixed-breed sporting dogs to remain in business.

The USSA is taking the fight to the HSUS after its continuous attacks against sportsmen’s rights.

“The name Humane Society disingenuously implies that the organization is in the business of taking care of stray dogs and cats,” said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. “The HSUS does nothing to make the public think otherwise when tugging at the heartstrings of Americans when asking for donations.”

It is more important than ever that all sportsmen unite to combat the principal enemy of American conservation and the outdoor sports that make conservation possible, he said.

Pacelle has a sordid history of leading the anti-hunting crusade. When he was the national director of the Fund for Animals, which has since merged with HSUS, he was quoted as saying, “We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States …”

Pacelle has let the public in on the agenda of the HSUS, saying, “More money will mean more pet protection, but also more ballot initiatives to restrict inhumane and unsporting hunting practices, more state legislation, more local ordinances.”

To contribute to the Sportsmen Against HSUS fund, please contact the USSA at 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, Ohio, 43229. For more information call (614) 888-4868, or email info@ussportsmen.org.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website www.ussportsmen.org .

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This site is no longer on the Trapping WebRing. In WebRings April Newsletter, they announced their support and encouraged others to support the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Trapline Journal will not support a group whose goal is to outlaw trapping, hunting, fishing, rodeo, circus and other legal uses of animals.

From West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

The Division of Natural Resources strives to provide hunters and trappers with an accurate, well-designed and informative regulations brochure each year. However, given the complexity and number of changes that must be incorporated into each year’s regulations, errors or omissions do sometimes occur.

The 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary contains one trapping error and several deer hunting errors or omissions. Corrections, by page number, are detailed below.

On page 4, the regulations booklet says it is illegal to set conibear or Mohawk type traps for terrestrial trapping, but incorrectly states that they may be used in underwater sets. The regulations should read that these traps may be used in water sets.

On page 17, the Antlerless Deer Season table indicates that only those counties in the first column have an antlerless season on December 26-29, 2007 on private land. The season dates December 26-29 should have been included in all four columns. All counties or portions thereof with an antlerless deer season have a 22-day season which includes December 26-29, 2007 on private land only.

Page 25 contains several errors on the Muzzleloader Deer Season map. Contrary to the coloration on the map, Braxton and Tucker counties and the western portion of Pendleton County are open to either-sex muzzleloader hunting on the base license and to antlered deer hunting only on the Class RM and RRM Additional Muzzleloader Deer stamps. Barbour, Taylor and Ritchie counties and the eastern portion of Pendleton County, along with Monroe County (except for Potts Creek WMA) are open to either-sex muzzleloader deer hunting on both the base license and on the Class RM or RRM Additional Muzzleloader Deer stamps.

Hunters and trappers are urged to visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov to view or obtain corrected pages of the 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary. Deer hunters are also advised that the White-tailed Deer Hunting Seasons table on pages 12-15 of the 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary is correct and should take precedence over any discrepancies which occur elsewhere in the text.

The Division of Natural Resources apologizes for these errors and omissions and any inconvenience or confusion they may have caused. Hunters or trappers having questions about regulations are urged to contact the appropriate DNR district office, the contact information for which is located on the inside front cover of the 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary.

VIENNA, MD -The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Service is currently accepting Trapping Bids for the 2007-2008 trapping season at LeCompte Wildlife Management Area (WMA) for the following WMA’S in the Eastern region of Maryland: LeCompte, Linkwood, Taylor’s Island, Fishing Bay and Idylwild.

The bid packages are available at LeCompte WMA with a closing date of October 26, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. The sealed bids will be opened at 1:00 p.m. on October 26, 2007 to determine the individual with the highest bid. For additional information please call 410-376-3236.

ALBANY, NY (09/13/2007)- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today issued emergency regulations that will help reduce or eliminate the capture or killing of pets in body-gripping traps. New York’s 2007-08 trapping season opens on Oct. 25 in most areas of the state and the restrictions will apply to the setting and use of body-gripping traps.

In recent years, a few dogs have regrettably been caught and killed in body-gripping traps set on public or private lands. These types of traps are mainly used to catch animals such as raccoon and fisher. After careful review of the current trapping regulations, DEC determined that additional regulation is needed to minimize the chance that dogs will inadvertently be caught in these traps, while maintaining their effectiveness in catching targeted animals.

DEC provided an original proposed rulemaking for public review on May 30, 2007, to restrict the type, setting, and use of body-gripping traps. Many comments were received from trappers, dog owners, and other concerned citizens during the public comment period. As a result of this input, the Department made significant revisions to the original proposal and will be providing a second comment period to obtain additional public input before making these regulations final. The revised proposal will be published in the New York State Register - http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register.htm - on Oct. 3, starting a 30-day public comment period that closes Nov. 2.

In the interim, DEC has adopted the proposed regulations on an emergency basis, effective today, Sept. 13. The emergency regulations and proposed regulations include additional designs for body-gripping traps set in dog-resistant containers used with baits; contains restrictions on body-gripping traps set without the use of baits in so-called “blind run sets”; and requires a new setback restriction for body-gripping traps set on public lands near trails. Body-gripping traps will be prohibited on public lands within 100 feet of public trails.

At their annual convention in Herkimer County, the New York State Trappers Association (NYSTA) unanimously passed a resolution calling on trappers to voluntarily and immediately adopt measures similar to the Department’s proposed regulation to avoid the capture of dogs.

Following the adoption of their resolution, David Leibig, President of NYSTA, stated: “Today we have a regulatory proposal that I believe will ensure the continued responsible use of these important tools, body-gripping traps, throughout New York, and I am pleased to announce that the NYSTA Board of Directors has unanimously voted to fully support the language of the proposed regulation.”

DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis applauded NYSTA’s proactive policy. “NYSTA is to be commended for supporting this important regulation and for calling on their membership to adopt measures immediately to prevent the capture of dogs. The methods in DEC’s revised proposal will significantly improve trapping selectivity in New York and we believe that having the measures in effect for the upcoming trapping seasons is an important and responsible action needed to avoid the capture of pets. ”

While this emergency regulation and proposal is considered an important improvement to New York’s trapping regulations, it is also important that members of the public recognize that dog ownership brings important responsibilities. With trapping season approaching, pet owners are reminded to make sure that dogs are not allowed to run at large, and to obey local leash laws where applicable.

A link to the emergency regulations will be posted to the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov soon. Details of the revised proposed regulation and a link for submitting comments electronically will be available at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html on approximately Oct. 3.

Public comments may also be submitted in writing to:
Gordon R. Batcheller
NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife
625 Broadway
Albany, New York 12233-4754

Kraig Kaatz, president of National Trappers Association is interviewed on Episode #43 of HuntCast - The Outdoors Show. HuntCast is an online outdoors show using MP3 format. The NTA interview starts around the 16 minute mark. Dialup users beware.

HuntCast can be found at http://huntcast.blogspot.com.

Fur Harvesters Auctions has free information for trappers available on their website http://www.furharvesters.com.

There is online pelt handling information at http://www.furharvesters.com/pelthandling.htm which also includes castoreum handling, beaver tail handling, pelt sizes, stretcher board sizes and fur grading terms.

Two free PDF files can be downloaded from their website home page titled “Pelt Handling for Profit” and “How To Remove Inner Ear Cartlidge”. PDF files require the free Adobe PDF Reader which can be downloaded from the TJ website download page.

A beaver board pattern and the pelt handling manual can be sent via postal mail free of charge using the contact information on their contact page http://www.furharvesters.com/contactus.htm.

Many cases of rabies in furbearers, bats and pets are being reported around the US.  Wisconsin, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, California, Tennessee, Florida, New Jersey and Ohio.

Take care this and every fur trapping season when handling your catch by wearing gloves and washing your hands thoroughly after handling animals. If you see or catch an animal acting strange, report it to your states Department of Health.