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Why this Initiative?Download the Initiative >> Traps undermine the safety of public land. Montana's public land should be safe for all citizens and their pets. By the placement of tens of thousands of concealed traps on public land, trapping directly endangers adults, children, and pets. During furbearer trapping season, traps can be placed as close as 50 feet to public trails, while no setbacks are required for certain species that can be trapped year-round. Montanans should not have to compromise peace of mind, welfare of children, and pet safety when using public land. Trapping is in conflict with hunting ethics. The first rule of hunting is to “be sure of your target!” Trapping violates this rule by its indiscriminate killing of many species, including endangered, threatened and sensitive species, such as Canada lynx and American bald eagle. Species targeted by trapping, such as marten and otter, are severely depleted, while wolverine and fisher are at risk of extinction in Montana. Trapping is a leading cause of the steep declines in these species. Trapping undermines sound wildlife management. Currently, tens of thousands of traps are camouflaged on public lands throughout Montana. Since trap locations are known only to trappers and not to professional wildlife managers, traps cannot be accurately monitored. As a result, no reliable data exists that documents the species and numbers of animals killed in traps. There is no “fair chase” in trapping. Trapping does not honor the hunters’ ethical code of “fair chase,” or the time-honored principles of quick and efficient kill. Tens of thousands of untended, unmonitored traps lure wild and domestic animals with bait. Trappers are not required to check their traps in any specific period of time. Trapping creates wanton waste. For every wild furbearer killed, many more non-targeted wild and domestic animals are killed and discarded, in violation of hunting and outdoors ethics. Offspring die of starvation or dehydration when their nursing mothers are trapped, further increasing the number of discarded animals, and endangering the survival of rare species such as lynx, wolverine and fisher. Trapping commercializes wildlife. Contrary to the noncommercial legacy of hunters, trapping promotes the private commercialization of publicly owned wildlife. In Montana, fish and wildlife belong to all and need to be managed in noncommercial ways that ensure healthy species populations will be sustained forever. Trapping kills public wildlife for fur and not for meat. Hunters and anglers are not allowed to sell the meat of wildlife and fish. Profit-driven trapping for exotic fashion markets is in conflict with conservation and managing wildlife as a public trust. Trapping is largely unregulated. While hunters and anglers abide by strict management policies, regulations pertaining to trapping are extremely lax. As a result, trappers are able to set an unlimited number of traps. Warning signs are not required and trap checks are not mandatory. Trappers are allowed to trap certain species (such as fox, coyote, and badger) year-round without any regulations at all. Only four species (otter, bobcat, fisher and wolverine), out of the 14 species pursued (beaver, otter, muskrat, mink, marten, fisher, wolverine, weasel, bobcat, fox, coyote, skunk, raccoon and badger) have any quotas. These quotas are determined in the absence of detailed scientific data concerning species populations and how affected species are distributed across Montana. Trapping contributes little to the Montana economy. In Fiscal Year 2008, trapping brought in a total of $94,000 in revenue to the State of Montana. In comparison, over the same fiscal year, hunting generated direct revenue to the State of $45 million and fishing generated direct revenue to the State of $20 million. Federal studies show that wildlife watching brought $376 million into Montana in 2006. If trapping were limited to private land this financial contribution would likely increase as rare species become more abundant and visible on our public lands. Trapping adversely affects aquifer levels crucial to Montana’s agriculture and communities. Trapping beaver in upstream publicly owned forests and drainages directly reduces water retention and storage critical for agricultural irrigation, wildlife and fish habitat, public recreation, and drinking water. The natural water storage activities of beavers are nature’s way of sustaining healthy watersheds and wetlands. Beaver ponds also act as firebreaks, a critical contribution given the increased wildfire activities in recent years. Traps are cruel. Scientific studies show animals caught in traps suffer from fear, anxiety and physical pain for prolonged lengths of time. Traps cause dehydration, starvation, severe swelling, lacerations, dislocated joints, broken bones, and even amputation. Some animals chew off their own limbs in order to escape traps. Animals still alive upon the trappers’ return are strangled, clubbed or stomped to death, or shot. The most commonly used trap, the steel-jaw leg-hold trap, is condemned as inhumane by The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the World Veterinary Association, and the National Animal Control Association. |