The Sportsmen ’ s Alliance has long been recognized as one of the few organizations that will fight for all traditional outdoor pursuits , and this includes trapping . This nation ’ s history was forged , in part , by the development of the fur trade across the North American continent , and trapping remains as important today as it was then .
Over the past few decades , however , trapping has been under fire from animal extremists , with ballot initiatives , legislative restrictions , and an increasingly urbanized population that fails to understand the critical need for trapping to protect the overall health and abundance of wildlife on the landscape . In fact , the North American Model hinges on the ability of fish and game managers to successfully manage wildlife populations , and in many cases , well-regulated trapping remains the most effective means to do so .
MOST AMERICANS HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEIR SAFETY IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED WHEN WILDLIFE POPULATIONS ARE LEFT UNCHECKED .
ADOBE STOCK
Recreational trapping remains a strong tradition in many states , although trapper numbers have always been low compared to other outdoor pursuits . Trapping requires specialized equipment , knowledge and a dogged dedication that not everyone possesses . As with many of our hunting segments , trappers on the whole are growing older , and while the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance and other groups are working hard to implement new recruiting efforts to welcome a new generation into the field , the challenges are significant .
Many are surprised to learn that both state and federal governments employ professional trappers to control wildlife populations where and when needed . An overabundance of some species , such as raccoons and coyotes , can lead to the spread of disease , overcrowding and dangerous humananimal conflicts .
As a nuisance wildlife trapper for many years , I was personally involved in the control of wildlife populations that had far exceeded healthy levels and I took note of extreme levels of disease in such populations . Distemper , rabies and leptospirosis in wildlife are just a few of the nasty bugs I came across professionally , and left unchecked , these can have grave consequences for humans and domestic animals .
I would often get called when an animal was “ acting strange ” during daylight hours . I remember one such emergency where I was called by the sheriff ’ s office because a red fox was “ stalking ” a group of kids walking to school . When I arrived in the neighborhood of well-manicured lawns and large houses , I met with a deputy who directed me to the house where the fox was last seen , mere minutes before as it ran through an open gate to the backyard . I walked over to the fence , climbed up a tree and looked over , finding the fox pacing back and forth the length of the fence , exhibiting all the signs of full-blown rabies .
I quickly grabbed a catch pole , a 60-inch live trap and some evergreen boughs from my truck , setting the trap in the opening of the fence gate and staking each corner
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