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Petition to ban all trapping in Colorado

How much commercial trapping is there? I mean trying to catch a coyote in a have-a-hart is pointless...

Is real trapping allowed on private (I mean with leg-holds, snares, coni's, etc.)?
I think a decent amount of bobcats are trapped in cages to be sold and I believe ranchers can get permits to use legholds.
 
Private land used for livestock or ag has a small exemption for livestock/crop damage.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section 12, the owner or lessee of private property primarily used for commercial livestock or crop production, or the employees of such owner or lessee, shall not be prohibited from using the devices or methods described in subsection (1) of this section on such private property so long as:

(a) such use does not exceed one thirty day period per year; and

(b) the owner or lessee can present on-site evidence to the division of wildlife that ongoing damage to livestock or crops has not been alleviated by the use of non-lethal or lethal control methods which are not prohibited.
 
Isn’t this, in some degree, part of the problem? The chip-away process? Granted like Buzz said the numbers (com trapping) are likely relatively small so the efforts to stop such leg pales in the broad sense. Then suddenly there’s yet another thing “banned” and the hunting core of most of us look around and say how’d the F did that happen? Wash, rinse, repeat... and the next thing you're California!
 
I believe ranchers can get permits to use legholds.
In theory, (same as wolf predation will be compensated) the devil is in the details, they don't have to give you a permit, and they don't. But in theory the permits do exist.
 
This is troubling. I wish I knew how to combat large majorities thinking they know how to manage wildlife and landscapes and have the money and will to force it down people's throats with the ballot initiative process.

Trapping is the thing that has provided me with more hunting and woodsmanship skills than any of my life activities. This weekend I ordered another dozen beaver traps for a mind-clearing week of beaver trapping pleasure. I hope there is a way to resist this in Colorado.
 
This is troubling. I wish I knew how to combat large majorities thinking they know how to manage wildlife and landscapes and have the money and will to force it down people's throats with the ballot initiative process.

Trapping is the thing that has provided me with more hunting and woodsmanship skills than any of my life activities. This weekend I ordered another dozen beaver traps for a mind-clearing week of beaver trapping pleasure. I hope there is a way to resist this in Colorado.

I'm afraid Colorado is a lost cause already Randy, it's sad. I have numerous good friends who came here to stay but are now looking to leave because the things they love to do are being whittled away...
 
Bummer, perhaps prop 114 opened the door for many more ballot initiatives driven by animal rights groups to be put to a vote and have a strong chance of passing. I really think these groups could do a lot of good for conservation but they are just too idealogical. Maybe, if they truly cared about wildlife (and not just optics) they could do some good work on CWD or other diseases (that result in unnecessary and brutal death of wildlife)? Just a thought.

It really kills me that we undercut the biologists, wildlife managers, etc through these votes. I really hope 114 is a one off, but I suspect it is not.
 
Bummer, perhaps prop 114 opened the door for many more ballot initiatives driven by animal rights groups to be put to a vote and have a strong chance of passing. I really think these groups could do a lot of good for conservation but they are just too idealogical. Maybe, if they truly cared about wildlife (and not just optics) they could do some good work on CWD or other diseases (that result in unnecessary and brutal death of wildlife)? Just a thought.

It really kills me that we undercut the biologists, wildlife managers, etc through these votes. I really hope 114 is a one off, but I suspect it is not.
It always seems bizarre to me that you can hunt beavers in CO but not trap and that you can trap beavers in MT but not hunt them.

Arguably MT has the more ethical regulation, as you greatly reduce the risk of losing the animal and therefore can utilize the hide and meat.

Not sure how you package that to the general public. Seems that most folks are perfectly happy using tax payer dollars to pay for problem beavers to be destroyed instead of allowing local trappers or hunters pay for the opportunity.
 
Im not suggesting anything. Just sharing my understanding of the truth. Am i wrong?
Yes. You are wrong.

This American experiement says that wildlife is a public trust, held for all, not just hunters or anglers. Not just for ranchers and farmers, and not just for industry to bulldoze. It's for ALL of us. THat means we have to have respectful, passionate debate with those who think differently than we do, regardless of their beliefs or approach.

We've gotten in to the mindset that political differences are massive insult if left unchallenged in the most aggressive way. The idea that we have to be constantly outraged & have our back hairs up creates fewer advocates long term for things that are important, like maintaining trapping as a recreational pasttime.

We don't win hearts & minds by being a bigger asshole than our adversaries. We win by being thoughtful, pragmatic & kind.
 
I have been troubled by the all out media blitz Wyoming Untrapped has been on lately. Their op-eds have appeared in numerous Wyoming papers in the last few months. Seems like the kind of outward advocacy hunters should do more of.
 
I have been troubled by the all out media blitz Wyoming Untrapped has been on lately. Their op-eds have appeared in numerous Wyoming papers in the last few months. Seems like the kind of outward advocacy hunters should do more of.

Op-eds are fluff. They don't do much other than cause noise. WY's voting populace isn't going to follow them. Knowing your audience is a key point in being successful in this world. Wyoming Untrapped doesn't know their audience.
 
I think the issue is that hunters aren't as good at working through the system.
I think it's that most normal people like to use their time to participate in activities they enjoy. It seems to me that for the opposition the activity itself is the activism. Recreational activism if you will. They don't love the animals they love fighting "for" the animals. If all the animals were saved from us savages there would just be something else they would fight because activism is the preferred activity.

If hunters really want to stand a chance of halting the barrage of anti hunting legislation were going to have to cut back on our time I'm the woods in a big way and organize far more groups to compete with all of the antis.
 
Op-eds are fluff. They don't do much other than cause noise. WY's voting populace isn't going to follow them. Knowing your audience is a key point in being successful in this world. Wyoming Untrapped doesn't know their audience.

I'm not so concerned about Wyoming in the short term. Lots of people seem to eat up fluff these days though.
 
I'm not so concerned about Wyoming in the short term. Lots of people seem to eat up fluff these days though.

Yes they do, but it often times doesn't make any difference when it comes to counting votes. Fluff, without meat, is still just an impossible burger.

The grassroots side of the equation is where the power lies. For CO, that balance of power is much tougher than other Rocky Mtn states when it comes to anti-hunting sentiment, but it doesn't change the base calculation that 50% plus 1 wins.
 
Being aggressive towards people with opposing views will not change their view of what we do as hunters/trappers. Education with sensitivity or kindness will get us much future in our objectives. Like them or not people like Steve Renella, Joe Rogan, and our favorite Randy Newberg have done a great job of swaying people with opposing views on what we do.
As long as society continues to be disconnected from where their animal protein, leather, fur, and wool comes from the harder our battle will be. So getting the militia together just proves their beliefs, as false as they are, that hunters/trappers are blood thirsty killers.
You want to help? Have a calm discussion with people who see things differently, show compassion for their point of view. Better yet join a group or become a Hunter Education Instructor and be sure to include those who may never decide to hunt/trap. You won't win everyone but you can always politely agree to disagree. That is what makes this a great country (for now) we have the right to our opinions.
 
Make sure that you are active in your local politics. Reach out to your local representatives, commissioners, etc. that is the only way for them to know what the people want.

When it comes to the people leading these attacks on trapping and hunting, there isn't much you can do to convince them to our side of the debate. What we as the hunting community can do is portray a respect and immense knowledge for all wildlife to those who are in the middle. No we won't convince everyone that they should go out and hunt for their own food but we may be able to show people that there is value in our nations hunting heritage.
 

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