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AZantlerhead

Trapping and ethics

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After seeing Amanda's awesome pics and video of trapped lion I'm thinkin this is an important but overlooked topic. What's ur 2 cents?

 

I personally am not into leg traps, But also I'm glad we have the right to if we want.

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No offense, but I only see this as starting an argument. :(

 

Keep it positive please guys. ;)

 

Touche my hunting brother,

An argument? NO,no,no. I just wonder how our community feels about this, ya-know. I'm simply looking for a good conversation. I know most will refrain from commenting on this subject for fear of being seen as either a "tree hugger" or a mindless killer. I'm niether and i'm sure none of you are. So I see it as a negative thing NOT to discuss this issue. Argument is a word my X liked to use whenever discussing important things. No what I mean Vern? ;)

 

What would this forum be without "arguments" as you say. :P

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That lion sent his AzGFD survey back and he had exceeded the, "Harvest Objective." His method of take was just modified!!!!!!! This thread could be interesting if not ugly! :huh: :unsure:

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I like snares, conibers and yes, legholds too. Many times a leghold works better for coyotes, fox and other predators, especially in a dirt hole or scent post set. Getting a yote or fox to stick their head through a snare can be challenging, to say the least. Snares and conibers do work well on cats, beaver, muskrats, etc.....

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I like snares, conibers and yes, legholds too. Many times a leghold works better for coyotes, fox and other predators, especially in a dirt hole or scent post set. Getting a yote or fox to stick their head through a snare can be challenging, to say the least. Snares and conibers do work well on cats, beaver, muskrats, etc.....

 

You have spent many a day and night trapping it sounds like. I respect the aquired knowledge you have and the challenge trapping could present. Like I said, were all killers. Sounds like theres more to it than I thought. :huh: thanks for the honest reply.

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Ok AZantlerhead. Maybe I avoided a legitimate topic. I trapped throughout highschool and college. I'll tell you that it is an incredible experience that requires a lot of knowledge and responsibility. I was very dissapointed to see the legislation regulating the use of leg hold traps on public land. I feel that legislation took away a very family oriented experience as well as did terrible things for our wildlife in Arizona. The regulation of trapping in the state, in my opinion, has started the AzGFD's overwhelming need for new regulations on the sport of hunting. Deer and antelope populations are on a steady decline, partially because of predation and not hunting. If it were hunting, it is because of monetary reasons and not harvest methods ie: bating, long rang shots, high velocity bows, good optics, you get the idea. Most of the predators in the state have few if any natural threats. I assure you that the lion in Amanda's video has probably never felt so uncomfortable in his life. However, the animal was relatively relaxed. That is because it is a predator and not a prey. The lion has no natural threats. On the other hand, anyone who watches a whitetail deer for any length of time will comment on how jumpy the animal is. They are like this all day and all year long. We as sportsman pursue them perhaps 10 weeks out of 50 weeks each year. Predators haunt them every minute of every day and every night. I don't feel bad for the predators and for that reason any animals taken by human means. They were placed here at the time of creation to provide for our needs. They need to be regulated! They need to be eaten! Calling and random kills during the open hunts are not doing it. I would bet that more predators are killed by vehicles on the highways than by hunters. Trust me, I see them every day.

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Ghostluvr I'm with you man. I ran traps all through high school and into college and 25 years later I still can recount almost every trap that had chains rattling. I was very saddened when trapping was banned on public lands in AZ. The fur market had dropped off and the number of licensed trappers in the state fell dramatically. The anti's reworded the bill and it passed the second time around.

A coyote is not an easy animal to catch in a trap, call in, try to spot and stalk one, yeah right. I have a pile of 3's and 4's gathering rust, if somebody thinks it's easy or unfair come get a few and give it a try. I guarantee it will be a thrilling, humbling experience. I still get excited catching gophers in the yard, the rock squirrel population on my place has suffered a serious setback, it's that powerful.

I feel like I'm rambling but like Scotty boy said, " every day was Christmas " dang it was fun!!

 

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How easy or hard is it to get a liscense in this state? You guys have my curiosity, sounds like fun if you have the time. We've got coyotes that surround our place nightly i bet I could rack up some serious dogs. Or do I even need a liscense to trap on my property?They're a pest, keep me up all night some times cause they get our pet dogs all ramped up and howlin, and no I don't feel bad for that devil cat, and no she didn't look scared of Amanda and the camera either, also that close to the picnic area, no bueno! Good ridance

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I love trapping.. Its awesome. My Dad was a HUGE trapper when I was a kid (back when the fur prices were thru the roof).. there was NOTHING more exciting to a 10 yr old boy than walking up to a set and seeing it all trashed out with the drag marks headed out!! You just KNEW that there was gonna be a big 'ol bobkitty on the other end!! I never got tired of seeing that. I remember getting taught how to set the diff kinds of traps (snares, conibears,etc), learning how to boil and care for them, how to make a good set, etc. It was a great hobby. I havent done it in years, but if I had the time, I'd dang sure fet back into it!!

 

Last time I really was trapping was my 1st 2 yrs of college.. I paid for 2 yrs worth of apartment rent and beer money with bobcat, ring tail cat and coon skins!!!

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I've trapped since I was a kid , still do occasionally . It is a shame that trapping seems to be such an easy target for anti's ; more hunters should support it more strongly .

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I've trapped since I was a kid , still do occasionally . It is a shame that trapping seems to be an easy target for anti's more hunters should support it more strongly .

 

 

That said I think their might be a need for a Trapping In AZ column? What do you think Amanda? I think the AZ Trappers Assoc. would appreciate it. And many others...... Ruffcountry is right , they need support to keep our right to trap in the future.

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Ok AZantlerhead. Maybe I avoided a legitimate topic. I trapped throughout highschool and college. I'll tell you that it is an incredible experience that requires a lot of knowledge and responsibility. I was very dissapointed to see the legislation regulating the use of leg hold traps on public land. I feel that legislation took away a very family oriented experience as well as did terrible things for our wildlife in Arizona. The regulation of trapping in the state, in my opinion, has started the AzGFD's overwhelming need for new regulations on the sport of hunting. Deer and antelope populations are on a steady decline, partially because of predation and not hunting. If it were hunting, it is because of monetary reasons and not harvest methods ie: bating, long rang shots, high velocity bows, good optics, you get the idea. Most of the predators in the state have few if any natural threats. I assure you that the lion in Amanda's video has probably never felt so uncomfortable in his life. However, the animal was relatively relaxed. That is because it is a predator and not a prey. The lion has no natural threats. On the other hand, anyone who watches a whitetail deer for any length of time will comment on how jumpy the animal is. They are like this all day and all year long. We as sportsman pursue them perhaps 10 weeks out of 50 weeks each year. Predators haunt them every minute of every day and every night. I don't feel bad for the predators and for that reason any animals taken by human means. They were placed here at the time of creation to provide for our needs. They need to be regulated! They need to be eaten! Calling and random kills during the open hunts are not doing it. I would bet that more predators are killed by vehicles on the highways than by hunters. Trust me, I see them every day.

 

+1.... ;)

 

It was the main source of income in my home during the winters growing up. It is part of the balance. My dad used snares and conibers back east as a young man, but we always used legholds here. I have had my hands caught in them... :blink: ... it does not hurt after a second. A very humane way to manage predators if done right. Truely a shame that this state could not see the big picture on predator control.... and the renewable fur resource. :(

 

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I've trapped since I was a kid , still do occasionally . It is a shame that trapping seems to be an easy target for anti's more hunters should support it more strongly .

 

 

That said I think their might be a need for a Trapping In AZ column? What do you think Amanda? I think the AZ Trappers Assoc. would appreciate it. And many others...... Ruffcountry is right , they need support to keep our right to trap in the future.

 

 

It wouldn't be a bad idea, but I figure with the ban on trapping on State and Federal lands that there isn't a lot of trapping going on anymore and therefore a forum dedicated to it wouldn't be very active. Right now anyone trapping can (and do) post in the Predator hunting section. I could change the title of that forum to included trapping to give it some more PR.

 

Amanda

 

 

 

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Yup, did lots of trapping as a kid in Southern New Mexico, go home after basketball practice in the dark with flashlight in hand and trail a drag left by a trap. Definitely a rush of sorts, lots of fun, plus releasing the neigbors beagle hound and having to go explain to them that I may have set traps a little too close to town, but it was in their best intrest as I was getting rid of the coyotes that were going to have their hound for supper if it kept running wild.......

 

and yes you do need a license here in AZ, 50 bucks I think........

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