Wolves: Controversial Conversation

[Hmac]

Messing with a criminal’s property sounds like a good way to get dead. She can’t report this to Fish & Wildlife?

Yeah. Hang on and I’ll ask her if she worries about that....

Edit... no, she doesn’t worry about that

[gunnerblue]

My wife hikes the woods with our three Golden Retrievers almost daily, all seasons. She has come across snares, leg holds, and once even a conibear. She has become adept at dismantling these traps, detaching them and pitching them in the nearest swamp or bog.

You may wish to check your local regulations, she would face hefty fines for doing that here.

[Hmac]

You may wish to check your local regulations, she would face hefty fines for doing that here.

Naturally, she’s aware of that.

[WickedWillis]

I would ban snares and leg traps.

I generally feel like all trapping and snaring of predators is straight ***** hunting myself. If you can't hunt and kill them with all your thermal, and baiting, and being able to clap them from 600 yards then maybe you don't need to be hunting? "But predator hunting is hard!" I literally don't care. Man up.

[BuzzinSATX]

My wife hikes the woods with our three Golden Retrievers almost daily, all seasons. She has come across snares, leg holds, and once even a conibear. She has become adept at dismantling these traps, detaching them and pitching them in the nearest swamp or bog.

If she's messing with legally set traps (in season, allowed traps, public or private property where trapper is allowed), then she is committing a crime. No different than actively screwing up someone's legal hunt.

[BuzzinSATX]

Messing with a criminal’s property sounds like a good way to get dead. She can’t report this to Fish & Wildlife?

The traps are quite possibly legal...which would make the person messing with them the criminal.

[BuzzinSATX]

I generally feel like all trapping and snaring of predators is straight ***** hunting myself. If you can't hunt and kill them with all your thermal, and baiting, and being able to clap them from 600 yards then maybe you don't need to be hunting? "But predator hunting is hard!" I literally don't care. Man up.

Trapping serves a purpose just like many other wildlife control methods like hunting seasons and bag limits. Trapping is an American institution that is, unfortunately, fading fast in many places inner Nation. When I was stationed in Alaska and Montana, I trapped for several years, both water trapping for coon, mink, muskrat, and beaver, as well as dry land trapping for fox, bobcats, coyote, etc. There is nothing easy about trapping if you are doing it right, but it is a challenge, and can be profitable if you are successful. I used snares, leg hold, and body gripping traps. All were legal where I was.

I ran across situations where I was setting traps in locations folks prefer I stay away from, usually due to pets or just preferences. I always moved traps when asked even though I had a right to be where I was...it was simple common courtesy. On the other hand, I ran across several other folks who asked me to come trap other land to help them reduce the numbers of coon, badger, and coyotes around their property, so it works both ways.

I never messed with wolves and lions but as we see with lions in CA, when left unchecked, they can become a dangerous critter to have around. Hunting and trapping is a good tool to help try and keep them in check, but it doesn't always help....ask any moose in AK how wolves can get out of hand fast.

[Hmac]

The traps are quite possibly legal...which would make the person messing with them the criminal.

Don't. Care.

[BuzzinSATX]

I feel it's a statistical anomaly, and if it was my choice, Wolves would be open game at a hell of a premium for a license to be a controlled game just like it should be. Poachers will poach, and still do today illegally, but I wouldn't mind having a pelt and experiencing that hunt one day in a completely legal manner.

What-say-you?

Am I an evil person for deeming wolves a potentially dangerous species to the Natural Resources, as we know it today? Or am I one of the meat heads blocking "Natural Progression" even if it means I might not get the opportunity to get a deer or elk in a decade or two?

I am moderately intrigued to see how our generally conservative board feels about this topic. Should Snaring be outlawed? Is there no valid use for Snaring? Or should it be left alone? Should wolves be added to the license registry?

Wolves are NOT easy to hunt...they are an extremely smart animal. Most wolves that are shot are taken because they were in the wrong place, wrong time. They are not an animal you will likely be able to stalk like a deer. They generally have large territories and make unpredictable movements. They are largely nocturnal, and do not come to calls as easily as a coyote or fox.

There are ways to minimize (but not eliminate) catching nontarget animals in snares, like mandating the use of deer-stops, which prevent the snare from totally closing, and allowing animals like deer to get out.

FTR, I am no longer an active hunter or trapper, and have almost completely eliminated animal protein from my diet, so I'm not someone who currently has any personal interest in killing a wolf. But the folks in MN need to be cautious about having too many large wild canines running around...as they will always go for the easy meal, which might include their livestock and/or pets...

[BuzzinSATX]

Don't. Care.

So...above the law...or just proud to be a criminal? Kinda sound like these little POS kids who run around and screw up shit when they don't get their way...