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.
98% Sarcastic. 100% Overthinking things and making up reasons for buying a new firearm.
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.
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...
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