With so much invested into this large-scale study , it seems that any issues or concerns regarding animal welfare and unnecessary damage caused by traps would have been identified . AFWA now offers the BMP study results as recommendations for trappers and wildlife managers on its website ( furbearer management . com / bmp ).
Creech regularly uses foothold traps and offers a little more context to level off the myth that trapped animals are traumatized and tortured . “ On occasion , a coon may chew off his numb toes if he ’ s caught in an oversized foothold that was meant for a coyote or bobcat , but it ’ s a very , very small number ,” he claims . As for restrained animals under stress , he adds , “ If you have the correct type of trap , it ’ s very common for that animal to curl up and fall asleep .” He mentions finding animals sleeping in footholds is something he sees all the time on the line .
MYTH 4
Snares are illegal , primitive and inhumane . Yes , snares are considered legal traps in many states , up to 40 total according to AFWA . There are different regulations everywhere you go for how , where and when they can be used , and there may be species-specific restrictions .
With so much more to sort out on snares , I connected with Bob Sheppard , education coordinator for the Montana Trappers Association . Sheppard has been trapping for more than 60 years , regularly uses snares , and enjoys trapping education and outreach . He affirms that when used properly , snares are extremely effective , kill cleanly , and are just another tool in the trapper ’ s toolkit .
For starters , let ’ s be clear on what a snare is and how it works . Sheppard explains a snare is a piece of metal cable anchored in place with an open loop that is set to catch an animal around the head as it ’ s walking along . As the loop falls around the animal ’ s neck and begins to tighten , a one-way lock holds position and becomes tighter and tighter as the animal moves , closing down the loop , and eventually cutting off blood and oxygen to the brain and killing the animal within a minute or two .
Sheppard also shared how modern snares are highly sophisticated devices with a difference between a killing snare and a cable restraint . “ There are two types of snare cable that come in different sizes , ranging from 1 / 16 inch to 1 / 8 inch or bigger ,” he adds . “ There are also many types of locks , stops , springs , triggers and breakaway devices , and that ’ s where you get into cable restraints and lethal snares .”
Sheppard outlines how the various components of snares can be used and interchanged to make snares lethal or non-lethal depending on their intended use . Relaxing locks are used to restrain an animal which can be released ( cable restraint ), and non-relaxing locks that are meant to quickly kill an animal ( lethal / killing snare ).
“ Primarily when I set a snare it ’ s designed to be lethal and I want that animal dead as quickly as [ possible ],” he asserts , “ But I have also and still occasionally use them for the capture and relocation of animals .” Sheppard also mentions how there is typically a breakaway device in or near the lock that opens the loop at a certain amount of pressure , allowing for larger , non-targeted deer , elk , mountain lions or livestock to break a snare and make a clean getaway .
Trappers set traps in specific locations to target particular furbearing species . Regulations often dictate what type of traps may be used where .
CHRIS INGRAM ( 2 )
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