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Animal trap ban
"The Washington State Legislature is discussing the repeal or amendment of Initiative 713 which bans the use of body-gripping traps to capture any mammal for recreation or commerce in fur. In your opinion what should they do?"
Following are samples of comments
received from this week's issue; to ensure people's privacy the comments
have been posted anonymously.
"Body-gripping traps are a tool of the
fur commerce and therfore needed.
Should we ban Baseball Gloves since
they are made from an animal hide?
What about your car? You might kill a
wild animal on your way to work or
school! DO NOT BAN TRAPS!"
"Scienitific has proven that to harvest
animals is the best way to control the
spread of diease brought on by the
overpopulation .If it is wise to
control the population then it makes
sense to use the animal for the wises
uses.The issue of trapping ,it has been
proven that the foothold trap etc. is
the best way to control the animals.
Thankyou"
"Do not repeal the amendment. The traps
are to dangerous to domestic animals
and pets."
"The legislature should never repel an
initiative that has been approved by
the people. That is the process, and
if the voters approve then the
initiative should stand as law. I
believe this even for initiatives that
I personnally do not agree with but
have passed, because the premise of
demcracy is majority rule. If an
initiative is to be repealed, it should
be repealed through the intitiative
process. This initiative is one that I
agree with so from that standpoint also
I do not want the legislature to repeal
or amend the law. Thanks"
"The ban should be repealed because
animal management must be done in a
realistic manner to be affective and
trapping or hunting are the only
logical remedies. I speak as a certified wildlife
manager in 3 states. True conservation
is control of population, period!"
"Many animals that are the focus of
trappers left unchecked drastically
affect birds and animals in the same
eco system.body gripping traps by
definition are the quickest to dispatch
the target animals and are humane due
to minimal pain and suffering."
"I strongly believe that Initiative 713
should be repealed."
"Trapping is a fundamental element of
wildlife control, so why not use the
fur. It is a renewable resource if
managed properly"
"It is important to have local control
over this issue. The
needs/requirements are vastly
different for metro and urban vs.
rural, wilderness and farming areas."
"This is an extremely poor written
initiative. The voter's were mislead by
emotional TV ads. I'm trying to figure
out who I can sue for the damage to my
property by moles due to this stupid
initiative."
"Leave the trapper's alone. They keep
the population of furbearers/predators
in check along with the regular hunters
activities."
"There are alternative ways to make a
living besides violently/sadisticaly
killing something. Re-educate these
people to do something for the
environment, not against it. I am not
against culling but there are
better/humane methods. Does the
Washington State Legislature always
react with a knee jerk reflex to the
laws they have enacted? To them I say
please keep your laws humane and just."
"Isn't it funny how the people who chose
to ban animal traps can't even
accurately describe the difference
between a body-gripping trap and a
foothold? Could it be that if a true,
factual understanding of how these
traps work were to be used in the
decision making process, those that
oppose traps would not have an
arguement?"
"The damage from moles, raccoon, and
opossum to my yard and garden is out of
control. Have-a-heart traps do not work
well on the raccoons, and opossum and
none of the trapping alternatives that I
have tried on moles works."
"Trapping is a sound management tool.
When wildlife populations are not
controlled large populations of animals
die a very slow painfull death of
disease etc..Wild animals do not have
access to doctors/veterinarians. In
reality "Mother Nature" is the cruelest
mother of all. Anyone who feels that
trapping is worse than mother nature is
actually stating their own ignorance of
how nature works."
"In my previous comment, I realize I
invited legislators to visit a Web site
with info on the steel-jaw leghold
trap, while the initiative deals
with "body-gripping" traps.
Nevertheless, I reiterate my plea to
each of you to make a decision that
says yes to life and no to cruelty and
killing. Please vote to keep the ban in
place. Thank you."
"It is unconscionable that the State
Legislature is even considering a
repeal of this initiative, which
protects, in at least a small way,
innocent, living , feeling beings from
pain, suffering and death at the hands
of the human species. I suggest each
legislator visit http://www.wildlifeprotection.net/bobcat
/animalslegholdtrap.html , then look
into his or heart before casting a
ballot."
"To whom it may concern: I am a animal control agent for the
state of W. Va. If you do away with
trapping, you will have no way of
controling the animal population. Also
no way of taking care of sick and rabit
animals. You should also be able to sale
the fur. There is no use to kill
something and have to waste it instead
of useing it. If you stop trapping and
the animal population gos up so does
the fact that you have more Diseased
animals."
"If th euninformed PUBIC is allowed to
vote for or against anything, then they
may as well go in with a blindfold and
vote. As to the people who think
that "MAN" is the nuisance on this
earth, then take yourself out of this
country. I'm sure they can find
another country that is as free to
speak out! Or if they think that their
a "Blight", do whaatever.....!"
"It says a lot that people seem to
gravitate to one side or another and
summarily reject any sort of middle
position. This polarity is EXACTLY one
of the biggest challenges facing not
only this state, but America as a
whole. No one wants to compromise and
I think that's just foolish. This
inability promotes factionism and
weakens government's ability to serve
the public interest."
"Trapping is sound wildlife managment
and makes use of a renewable natural
resource.I think it should be repealed."
"One only has to look at Mass and see the
mess the trap ban has created. Because
of the overpopulation of beaver servere
health and safety problems have occurred
resulting in the wasteful killing of
more beaver now with the use of the
restricted body-gripping traps, issued
by permit only, than before the trapping
ban. Doesn't make any sense."
"How can you have proper Wildlife
Management if you take away the tools.
The alternative is more cost to tax
payers for the control of Wildlife"
"Since the "repeal" vote was winning there must be some blood thirsty, cruel people out
there. Hopefully one of them will step in a trap."
"1st:With traps&info we have nowdays
trappin is more humane than
ever,considering trappers keep animals
numbers in check&prevent widespread
disese.2nd:Fur is a natural resource
makes no sense to waste it."
"animal trapping and hunting are a very
necessary tool of wildlife population
reduction.Much more humane than letting
nature take her course."
"Body gripping traps ae just one more
way in which we show that might is
right. They should be illegal because
they are cruel. Animals feel pain or
else why would scientists use them to
test painkillers? We have no reason and
right to make these innocent creatures
suffer. When will humans cease being so
violent and so species-centered?"
"The legislature seems to be doing
everything except FIXING THE BUDGET/TAX
CRISIS."
"This initiative is supported by a
majority of the state's voters. Do not
allow special interest groups that are
chartered out-of-state to circumvent
the will of the people. Stand on the
side of reason and humaneness; respect
the will of the constituency or we will
express our dissatisfaction at the
ballotbox."
"The right to harvest animals is a God
given right,and you know what??? IN GOD
WE TRUST is the heart of America. Alot
of people are missled by animal right
groups (wich are considered Terrorist
Groups by the FBI). The people that
voted yes for the banning of traps
think that a trap is cruel and
inhumane,these people need to look
around and see how important it is to
use a natural resource. How many people
have shoes made frome leather
(suede),how many people eat at McDonalds
(Meat),how many people wear perfume
(musk from a mink,Skunk),How many
people use soap(fat from animals)?
Really I could go on and on. Animals
are made by God for us to harvest,fact
of life. Keep the law intact or wait
until we have an overpopulation of
animals wich will cuase disease and at
the same time waste a very usefull
natural resource. It's time for a new
law."
"
They should leave it alone. I daresay
that virtually anyone, except the
cruel trappers themselves, who knows
what body-gripping traps do, supports
Initiative 713."
"55% of voters approved I-713. It is a
good initiative...not perfect, but
accomplishes it's goal of banning
body gripping traps to capture
mammals. Leave it alone!"
"Who is the misinformed "jag" who said
these body grip traps cripple and maim
children? "Nutcases" like you need to
stop the world and get off. You are
absolutely clueless."
"Ballot Box Biology" is an absolute
joke. The general public has no
business "voting" to decide whether or
not a renewable resource such as fur,
can or cannot be trapped. If the
professional biologists hired to survey
the numbers of animals available,
confirm the necessary numbers to allow
harvest.....then harvesting better be
happening. I don't give a "rats" if
that is by firearm, trap, or archery.
repeat after me...."Renewable resource
and equal access, regulated by science,
NOT EMOTION"."
"I-713 should not be repealed. It
should be amended only to clarify that
traps may be used to trap moles and
gophers. I-713 was never intended to
ban mole and gopher traping."
"These types of traps are cruel, causing
pain and suffering of not
only 'nuisance' animals (WE are a
nuisance to the animals) but also many
pets are caught in them. Ask yourself,
would you like it done to you? I
wouldn't. "The question is not, can
they talk, or can they reason, the
question is CAN THEY SUFFER?" Can't
remember who said it but it's true just
the same. Thank you for hearing me."
"kids that trap, hunt and fish dont mug
old ladys"
"Animal Rights Groups lied to the public
to get I 713 voted in so it should be
repealed!"
"By banning trapping, you have
eliminated a method to control the
population of some fur-bearing
animals. As in California where they
banned mountain lion hunting (and then
had a significant increase in mountain
lion attacks) and Colorado (ditto for
bears), removing a tool used by
wildlife biologists to control
populations, simply because the animals
are cute furry critters, is a mistake."
"Please do not repeal or amend
Intiative 713...trapping helpless
animals is cruel and inhumane. How
can anyone possibly be in favor of
body gripping traps? I beg you,
please ban animal traps!!!!"
"Let the trappers "do their thing", they
know what they are doing and, besides,
the trapping tradition goes back
thousands of years on this continent.
It's the American thing to do. I
personally do not trap, but as a hunter
I support the trappers."
"We must ban all these harmful things
because is evil and it kill nontargets"
"My vote is to ban all these cruel
product because trapping is soo inhuman
and trappers they have no remorse no
feelings and careless on other species in my ways trapper are savage cannibals
so i vote ban all these barbaric
products"
"I'm a professional wildlife biologist,
leghold traps have everything to do
with wildlife management and nothing to
do with cruelty. If you don't use
wildlife management tools you have
unmanaged wildlife!"
"Should never of taken away sound
wildlife managmant practices, politics
and wildlife don't mix"
"Managing wildlife resources by the
ballot box is not science. I-713 has
helped further polarize rural and
urban Washington. Voters were lied to
by HSUS and other "animal rights"
extremists."
"All of this whining about the moles and
gophers is not relevant. The city
people who are/were foolish enough to
vote for this bill will kill the
mole/gophers which destroy their
manecured lawns whether it is legal or
not. The bill was put forth by the
animal rights nazis. Face it, if you
fall for this drivel, then you are
guilty of the consequences that the ban
will cause. If you need proof of what
these consequence are, just look to MA
and see what happened there. Many
people got sick because the foolish
folks there outlawed the trapping and
the beaver population got out of hand
and infected the water supplies of many
towns. This is documented and you can
find many sites on the net if you want
to look. The animal rights people who
pulled this fast one on the people of
MA promised to do what it takes to
control the numbers of animals that
were being controled by the trappers
prior to the ban. The animal rights
people lied! They packed their bags and
left after the ban was passed. On to
the next set of suckers.
Many people who have never been out on
a trapline claim to know all about how
cruel these devices are, well they
clearly have no clue what they are
talking about. For those of you who
have 'heard' how terrible these traps
are, I encourage you not to allow the
antis to lie to you and perhaps you
should ask a trapper to take you out
and show you how easdy on the animals
it really is. Remember that a lion
kills by eating the animal to death,
the trapper kills by shooting the
animal or drowning the animal causing
conciderably less discomfort than is
found in nature. You all do need to
decide what you will vote for, but
please do not allow lies and emotion to
outweigh scientific fact. And remember
that the horror stories that the animal
rights people tell you are mostly
outright lies or gross exagerations. I
promise that what I have said is the
truth, I have to tell you the truth as
the best way to be discredited is to be
caught lying. Thank you. My name is
Foxtail."
"I think that we are systmatically cruel
to animals and that such activities are
immoral. 713 is a moral law. Leave it
alone."
"Although recreational fur trapping does
not bring large amounts of dollars into
the economy the money saved in animal
control is large. Fur is a renewable resource, fake fur
takes oil (nonrenewable). The children of today won't toss a
styrafoam cup into the landfills but
they will send young soldiers to die to
keep the oil flowing."
"Would any of you sweet, kind, caring
people like to come out to our farm
and listen to a chicken being killed
by an oposum or a raccoon or a feral
cat or a ... How about a hundred
chickens, one by one, night after
night, screaming, slowly dying, their
intestines torn out and eaten while
they cry out in agony."
"The group that pushed for the
initiative broke campaign finance laws
during their push for the initiative's
passage. OLYMPIA (AP) -- The state's campaign
finance watchdog fined the backers of
Washington's voter approved animal-
trapping ban Tuesday for illegally
concealing massive purchases of
television advertising time. The case against Protect Our Pets and
Wildlife -- which stems from the 2000
election season -- has been pending for
more than a year. Last winter, the
Public Disclosure Commission referred
the case to Attorney General Christine
Gregoire because the panel's authority
to impose fines was too limited to
punish the violation. But Gregoire's office sent the case
back because Protect our Pets and
Wildlife -- the campaign committee for
Initiative 713 -- was broke. On
Tuesday, the commission fined the group
$2,500, the maximum allowed under
law. If Gregoire had pursued the case,
she could have sought fines of as
much as $10,000 per violation. "The record clearly indicated ... that
there were repeated violations,"
Commission Chairman Michael Connelly
said. Shawn Newman, an attorney for Protect
Our Pets and Wildlife, promised an
immediate appeal. "It really boils down to an issue of
free speech," said Newman, who contends
that PDC investigators essentially made
up the rule in question after the
fact. State law requires regular disclosure
of campaign spending, in part to give
election opponents and others some
insight into campaign strategy. For
example, big spending on television
time indicates an impending advertising
blitz, and learning of such a push can
give opponents time to respond. Near the end of the 2000 campaign,
Protect Our Pets and Wildlife reported
a
single $535,205 expenditure for
television time in its Oct. 26 report
to the
commission. The commission's staff contends the
purchase -- actually multiple orders
placed over several weeks by a
consultant -- should have been reported
in
detail on Oct 17. The time was ordered
as early as Aug. 31, although the ads
ran in the crucial final stage of the
campaign -- late October and early
November. Campaign officials contend there was no
obligation to pay the stations until
a few days before the commercials aired."
"I think I713 should ba repaled in its
entirity. I don't think the trap is
inhumane nor do I think it captures
none targeted animal if used properly.
There were and are rules governing
placement and use of body gripping
traps as there is for others and as
long as the rules are followed it is a
good safe means of trapping. If the
problem was the breaking of regulations
then it is an enforcement issue. Just
my two cents."
"Initiative 713 was perpretrated by lies
and information spewed by animal rights
groups who care nothing about animals. Please REPEAL it."
" trapping should be allowed in
washington state,and all other
states.it,s the best way to help
wildlife stay heathly.without trapping
animals die by natures hand.they
strave,sick,ran over by cars,die from
fighting with each other.you cna have
jsut so many animals in any given
area,before then die off.1!
rabies,distemper is a much worse death
then any trap.mange makes the animal
itch os bad they lose there fur..then
they die when it gets cold.
i,ll take trapping over sick,flattend
animals any day."
"Perhaps amend the law to allow
trapping by private parties of gophers
and state trapping of nuisance beavers."
"Trapping is necessary as a wildlife
management tool. Trapping seasons are
regulated by sound biological studies
by trained people and not emotional
views which in most cases totally
ignore the facts."
"Last summer a few of my neighbors
and myself had mole trouble in our
yards. A wide varity of methods were
tried with no results. When I
sugguested I had a mole "trap" and
could take care of the problem. One
neighbor insisted that due to
Initiative 713 I would NOT do that and
that she would report me if I did.
After much damage the moles
moved on to greener pastures. But
not until considerable time, effort and
damage had been put into the
situation. Another issue is the
number of cougar sigthings and
confrontations since the Inititative
was passed. A friend of mine saw a
cougar that had been hit by a car on
Hwy 18 going over Tiger Mountian.
The cougar recovered and ran off,
but people were getting out of their
cars and approaching to get a closer
look and take pictures! Lucky no one
was hurt in this encounter. As urban
sprawl continues this will increase!
Initiative 713 was too far reaching
and not throughly thought out as to
the ramifications of the Initiative."
"This initiative was ill-conceived and
marketed strongly to voters by
organizations like HSUS and PETA using
deception. The initiative takes away
flexibility and necessary tools from
professional wildlife managers, both in
government agencies and in private
business. Leave the decisions
regarding best management practices to
the professionals, who really do
endeavor to accomplish their tasks in
the most humane way possible. The
initiative does nothing to prevent
animal abuse. Those unprofessional
people who abuse animals don't bother
to get permits or pay attention to
laws, and will continue to do so no
matter how many I-713's are passed.
The only thing I-713 has accomplished
is to make life more difficult and
expensive for those who suffer the
consequences of poor wildlife
legislation."
"It's obvious that this banis causing
problems with wildlife encroacking
into urban areas, there needs to be
balance. It must be repealed. It's
also obvious that this poll is heavily
inflated from all the animal rights
kooks."
"this is an illegal law, it has more
than one subject. 1. it deals with foothold traps 2. poison baits(most of which were
illegal to use) 3. the sale of an item( raw fur)"
"There should never be a law enacted
that takes away a person's freedom of
choice. Enacting laws that bans
trapping by any means, will by all
means enhance the problems of disease,
overpopulation and starvation. It would
become a domino effect in the animal
kingdom. Trapping by all means suports
the control and mangement segment that
is needed. Leave the laws of trapping
and hunting to the states Dept. of
Natural Resources. They are the people
that have the knowlege and animal
population figures, they know how many
and what methods should be used(by the
sportsmen) to control and help the
population survive."
""c. Allow use of body-gripping traps
for nuisance wildlife & population
control" The original I-713 already allows for
"body" gripping traps for "nuisance
wildlife."
"without trapping or hunting there
will be an increase in rabies &
distemper amoung the wildlife. the
state of Mass. has had damage increases
due to overpopulation in beavers, just
to name one."
"I-713 was a completely volunteer
driven initiative and one that
Washington citizens care deeply
about. WA is not alone in banning
barbaric, cruel steel jaw traps! I
live in Sen Jacobsen's district, a
district that OVERWHELMINGLY voted in
favor of eliminating these devices
from recreational land in WA - who is
my elected offical listening to if not
his own constituents?! My taxes pay
your salary - I want what I voted for
to stay in effect!"
"My biggest problem with I-713 wasn't
that it was promoted by groups with
ulterior motives employing deceitful
and deceptive tactics. No, my biggest
problem with I-713 is that many well-
meaning but naive city dwellers out
voted the numerically inferior but
knowledgable farmers and ranchers who
are the real victims of I-713. You and your constituants (of which I
am one) may worry about your
playgrounds and flowerbeds, but our
State's farmers and ranchers are
bearing the brunt of this poorly
thought-out initiative. Many are
suffering financial hardships because
of the un-informed votes of King County."
"The animal rights folks lie about traps
and trapping. They have been doing so
heavily for over 30 years now.The thing
about children being caught and maimed
by traps is a lie, since when are
little kids running around in the woods
or wildlands in winter? On their hands
or bare footed? Larger children
wouldn't get any more than bruise from
the trap, if they indeed somehow got
into 1. As for the animals, why did
biologists use large foot hold traps to
capture wolves for relocation to
Yellowstone Park if these types of
traps are so bad? How about otter
restoration projects, they use these
traps for that too( a smaller model
though).The traps do not cause the
damage the animal rights folks want
everyone to think they do.They gather
up a handful of examples of when
trapping goes awry and use that in a
manner to promote their agenda. They
make it look like that is what happens
all the time. Animals do not generally
chew off their foot to escape,its
extremely rare. As for nontarget
catches, most are free roaming dogs and
cats.If poeple would keep their dogs
from roaming the countryside, they
would not get caught.Free roaming dogs
are a menace to wildlife as well,often
chasing and biting at deer.As for the
cats, most are feral cats that idiots
dump off.The actual number of
nontargets caught in traps is actually
pretty low.Its more like 1 in 10 to 1
in 20,NOT 3 out of 4. And most of these
animals are released from foot traps
with little more than bruising in the
paw."
"Awaiting the repeal of the Bear Baiting/
Hound Hunting initiative. Let's
generate more income for the State of
Washington through HUNTERS dollars! To
accomplish this we must repeal the Bear
Baiting/Hound Hunting Initiative in it's
entirety!"
"The people of Washington state voted
this bill into effect, and to repeal
it would go against the will of the
people of the state. We elect
polititians to make representative
decisions for us; to repeal this ban
would mean the legislature is not
doing their job. Expect a new
initiative if it is repealed."
"Trapping is a valuable tool for use in
animal management. No other method is
as more effective and cost effective at
controlling the population of nuisance
animals."
"Trapping for "sport" or business is
cruel and unnecessary. If such a thing
has been made illegal, why make it
legal again? The Initiative should be
allowed to stand."
"I think the entire ban should be
repealed. Trapping is part of our
american heritage and should not be
subject to an animal Rights adjenda to
end sportsmens rights."
"The I-713 initiative was a feel good
measure that should have never been
placed on any ballot. Most of the
people who voted for the initiative
have no idea the true ramifications of
there actions. It is not a petty issue
now that the golf courses are riddled
with gopher mounds, pets are
disappearing due to the boom in varmit
populations, property damage caused by
mountain beavers. All of these
situations would not have existed to
this extend if people would have based
there decisions on facts and not vote
on their feelings. I believe that all
initiatives having to do with wildlife
management should be left to the
experts. I also believe that the people
who make the decisions on hunting and
fishing regulations should participate
in one of these areas."
"Sir, The sportsmen and sports women in
this county and country have contributed
more funds to conservation than any
animal rights organization ever will, We
are part of the eco system and perform a
significant role through trapping,
hunting and fishing in conjunction with
the state Department of Fish and Game
and scientific management of our
valuable wildlife resource. We are not
barbarians or butchers, we are
outdoorsmen that appreciate what the
Lord has provided us. But without good
wildlife management there will be no
wildlife. Repeal I713, it is not in the
best interest of the community, wildlife
or the future generations in this state,
it was and is a poorly conceived piece
of legislation which needs to be
terminated."
"What "civilized" human being would
trap an animal in one of these
barbaric devices and call it
"recreation"? Humanely trapping animals for
relocation purposes (or humane
destruction if absolutely necessary)
is one thing, but most trapping is
done to capture fur-bearing animals
and we definitely don't NEED to trap
animals for fur. People who still insist on wearing fur
care only about frivolous fashion;
they care nothing about the suffering
the animals endure. Let the law stand! The people have
spoken."
"I don't think anyone has a good reason
to be against I-713. The initiative
simply bans cruel body-gripping traps,
not all traps. With I-713, animals are
saved from the suffering when being
caught in these specific kinds of
traps; instead, they are captured
humanely without pain. What is
controversial about reducing suffering?"
"Leave the wildlife management issues to
those that know wildlife and dont assume
mister bunny is friends with mr fox.
ridiculous. Soon you will be overrun
with racoons with rabies, muskrats
digging into golf ponds, and beavers
flooding everything - just look to mass."
"The use of body-gripping traps is cruel
because it causes suffering and often a
slow, painful death to animals."
"I have been trapping since I was a
young boy. No time for trouble, no
time for drugs. I learned
responsibility and hard work at a very
young age. I have also had a great
respect for every animal I have ever
harvested. These values have led me to a very
successful life. There need not be
voids in today's children by taking
their choices away. There will always
be something there to fill them."
"The majority of wild fur is exported.
The trap ban in unconstational. How can
the State of Washington nullify a trade
agreement that is passed by congress
and signed by the president?"
"WHY WOULD A GEORGIA RESIDENT BE
INTERESTED IN THE PROBLEMS CAUSED
BY THE PASSAGE OF I -713? First of all, I am a professional
trapper, and when bad
legislation concerning my profession is
passed, and/or
allowed to continue uncorrected in any
jurisdiction,
it becomes my business. The enormous damage done by beaver to
our timber
reserves is only held in check by the
trappers of Georgia.
Our beaver as furbearers are of a low
value, while the
beaver found in your state are a
superior product,
providing even more inducement to
Washington
trappers both professional and
"recreational" to pursue
them. This will be a great boon to your
own timber industry. I reside in South Georgia, and because
of my proximity
to Florida, I am well acquainted with
the animal damage
in that state resulting from its
outlawing of all foot hold
traps and killer type traps. That damage
includes
beaver damage to timber; and
a huge increase in the raccoon
populations resulting in
numbers of raccoons invading urban
areas, and bringing
with them distemper and rabies. Florida, as you know, depends on tourism
as a great
part of its economy. One of the larger
sources of
revenue is both resident and
non-resident hunting.
Numbers of hunting plantations,
particularly in the
northern areas of the state cater to
that business, and
contribute to strong economies at the
local and State
levels. These plantations are plagued by
predators,
especially those that prey on the bob
white quail.
Without effective trapping, this
business has slowed,
and some plantations have been forced
out of business. In Georgia, raccoon trapping above our
fall line is illegal.
Atlanta and its huge metropolitan area
consisting of
several counties, and cities are
experiencing a rabies
outbreak of nearly epidemic proportions.
While the
Centers for Disease Control was
exploring this, they
expressed shock and concern that the
raccoons in this
area were off limits to trappers, and
have strongly
urged the repeal of the Georgia statute
that set in place
this restriction. All of the above are a direct result of
the outlawing or
restricting of regulated trapping. In
other states such as
New Jersey, ecologically delicate salt
water marshes
have been severely ravaged by musk rats
as a result
of that state's trapping ban. In that
state not only has
the ecology been damaged, but numbers of
trappers
left the state in order to pursue their
occupation in
other states. Their actions had direct
negative effects
on tax revenues, and their consumer
spending at
a local level. The trap line cruelties alleged by
animal extremists
are myths. In general, if this cruelty
existed it would,
among other things, limit the trapper's
harvest by
allowing trapped animals to escape. If
this were the
case, if a trapper's income were limited
by
the escape of trapped animals, he would
not and
and could not afford to continue
trapping. Furbearers are a valuable, renewable
natural resource.
To prohibit or unduly restrict the
harvest of this resource
will result in economic problems both to
your state, and to
the trappers who depend on this harvest
for their income
in part or in whole. It will adversely
affect your timber
industry. To outlaw or severely restrict
trapping by taking
away the trapper's efficient tools, will
result in wildlife
management and population problems of
such
devastating extremes that you might, at
present, not be
able to imagine them. The furbearers that trappers take are
the excess of the
population, and their harvest limits
the damage
that many of these animals cause, while
improving
furbearer populations and habitats. Please, consider the recommendations of
your
professional wildlife managers, and the
experience of
of Washington trappers as you consider
passage of
Senate Bill S-5129 as written, or the
amending of
S-5179 either of which will go a long
way in solving
many of the problems created by the
passage of I-713. The correction of the defects of I-713
will be beneficial
to your State, its citizens, wildlife,
and economy. Thank You Gentlemen for the time you
have taken
to consider my thoughts and concerns
regarding
this matter."
"Live trapper is very cruel to the
animals. Also costing counties,
cities, and citizens more for removal
of nuisance animals."
"By no means am I an animal rights
activist trying to save every blade of
grass and tick that lives in it, but the
use of traps endangers innocent
wildlife as well as hikers and in the
worst case.... children. Please think
about it carefully before you give in to
the financial pressures of
commercial trappers."
"Traps are inhumane and unneccessary, they should continue to be banned."
"If you poll is not scientific and will not be used by the legislature or any other body, It appears to be usless, Why bother???"
"The voters have spoken; Listen"
"Why would Washington want to repeat
Mass. mistakes? Why would citizens want
to pay big bucks for the services
that "Fur Trappers" are willing to pay
a license fee to do? Will stupidity
prevale?"
"Population controls such as trapping
and hunting are vital. Without such
measures, overpopulation and disease
take charge. As the lawmakers are
finding out, trapping is NEEDED. THe
harvested animals (which are a
renewable resource) should be used for
food, fur or whatever humans deem fit."
"Repeal the initiative. Washington has
long been used as a anti-hunting poster
child to disrupt conservation and
wildlife management. Science needs to
be used instead of emotional data from
animal lovers."
"Poles are in some cases nessesary but
in this case it will permit stacking or
cheating, so is not of much value. We
know the anti trapping members will do
anything to keep I-713 as law and not
use common sence."
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