Victims & Consequences

Trapping season on wolves in Montana closed on Feb 28

by Kate Boyd

Unlike all the other trapped animals, Montana regulations require trapped wolves to be immediately killed only by gunshot. *

Trappers care the most about preserving the pelts. They frequently refer to how beautiful these indiscriminate, unfortunate, suffering, trapped wolves are.

Notice the consistency in the lack of blood from the required gunshot in many photos.

*A trapper must immediately dispatch any uncollared wolf captured that may be legally possessed unless the trapper is otherwise authorized not to do so by FWP prior to wolf trapping efforts. A trapper with an unfilled bag limit may release an uninjured collared wolf. If a wolf trapper incidentally catches a wolf beyond the legal limit and the wolf is uninjured, the trapper must contact FWP within 24 hours to potentially have the wolf fitted with a radio collar and released.

ALL incidentally captured wolves that are injured must be dispatched by the trapper immediately.

The Wolf Harvest Reports can be viewed on the following page.

Victims & Consequences

Over 61,276 beaver were reported trapped and killed last 9 years in Montana

by Kate Boyd

While Montana allows almost year round, unlimited and non-reported trapping of beaver, for a mere $28 single trapping license purchase, other states and countries convened to discuss and utilize the many benefits of beavers, alive.

“Beaver ponds make for cooler, slower, more complex streams that are conducive to habitats the fish and a variety of species depend on, including red-legged frogs and pond turtles.”

“One single little dam made out of grass, sticks and rocks restored stream flow for two-and-a-half miles of the river,” Houston said.

Beaver-created ponds and riparian habitat are critical to the success of healthy watersheds and species ranging from moose to songbirds. Their riparian zones provide essential browse for elk, deer, moose and cattle.

Beaver ponds create wetlands which are among the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world and provide habitats for plants, insects, amphibians, fish, waterfowl , song birds, and mammals. . U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Functions and Values of Wetlands, EPA 843-F-01-002c, September 2001.

In Montana’s last 9 years of recorded furbearer harvest reports, 61,276 beaver were reported trapped and killed from basically just 1/3 of trappers voluntarily reporting. Where again is the science?

Conference highlights importance of beavers

Victims & Consequences

In the past 5 years since Montana opened a season on wolves over 1,000 have been reported shot or trapped for recreational purposes.

by Kate Boyd

In the past 5 years since Montana opened a season on wolves over 1,000 have been reported shot or trapped for recreational purposes.

701 were reported shot by hunters. Trappers reported killing 336.

This does not include wolves killed for depredation purposes or under SB200 in which private landowners can kill under conditions including a perceived threat.

According to Montana FWP, 39 wolves were killed to address depredation issues in 2015, the lowest number in a decade and 18 fewer than last year. We applaud those ranchers that are taking responsible measures by implementing proven non-lethal methods to prevent losses.

Montana has no quota on the number of wolves that can be killed other than no more than 5 per person. The exception applies to 3 units out of 18, i.e. units 110, 313, 316. One unit by Glacier and two are on the outskirts of Yellowstone park, a major increasing and economic draw for people wanting to see wolves alive. Meanwhile, trappers, as well as some hunters, wait across the imaginary park lines to target and kill these iconic universally popular wolves.

Montana’s hunting season on wolves opened 9/3 and ends 3/15 through the breeding, pregnancy and birthing season.
The trapping season opens 12/15 and runs through 2/28.

The blatant promotion of SSS, poison, gut shoot, poaching and other illegal acts against wolves is prolific. We do not know how many wolves succumb to this obsessive ignorance and we’ll never know. Meanwhile, wolf haters publicly celebrate the crimes committed and the criminals never get caught.

To date, this season, 83 wolves have been reported legally shot and killed in Montana by hunters and unit 316 went over quota.

An annual average of 60,000 animals are reported trapped and killed by recreational trappers in Montana. “Incidental” trapping victims and the collateral damage to orphaned and unborn young are not included or factored in.

For example: 48 mountain lions were reported “incidentally” trapped in a two year time frame 2013-2015 in Montana. 16 of those were caught in traps set for wolves. 1/3 of those mountain lions in “wolf trap sets” were dead. FWP does not report the number of trapped “non-target” wildlife that were injured in wolf trap sets but given what we know and the damage these larger leghold traps do, it’s a given injuries occur.The other 32 mountain lions were caught in traps set for other animals and 66% were dead!
84% were DEAD OR INJURED!

What animal is a danger, whose first response is to kill, who kills out of hatred at all costs including to other species, and kills for fun, knowing it to be so, that we should fear or at least be the more concerned with?

Victims & Consequences

Folks agree wildlife are a treat to see alive for many rather than in traps and snares

by Kate Boyd

Known as a symbiotic relationship in a display of mutualism. The coyote assists the badger in catching prey and the badger assists the coyote who waits at times at the exit hole. The interrelationships of species is something to be honored and understood. Unequivocally, folks agree wildlife are a treat to see alive for many rather than in traps and snares elected by a selfish and powerful few. Wildlife are what draws residents and tourists to Montana and are our most treasured resource.

Spotted! A Coyote and Badger Hunting Together

A rare treat to see, but not for trappers to destroy.

Victims & Consequences

No ethical hunter would support trapping!

by Kate Boyd

What would happen to a hunter if they set salt licks on animal trails or by water holes, along with loaded guns, as in “setguns” to shoot and injure or kill whatever animal and as many as possible that came by for their thrill at their discovery days, even weeks, later?

“Incidental” non-target victims are inherent in trapping, legal and condoned as such in Montana.

Trapped protected species do not have to be reported if the trapper decides they can be released “uninjured”.

Trapped Non-target Montana Wildlife Reports

Victims & Consequences

Wildlife Services is still killing plenty of animals in Montana.

by Kate Boyd

Wildlife Services is still killing plenty of animals in Montana.

“Steuber said coyotes cause the most livestock damage of any predator, by far. His agency claims that in 2015, coyotes killed almost 1,500 lambs, 212 calves and 240 chickens in Montana. So in 2015, Wildlife Services employees killed 6,600 coyotes, shooting about half of those using helicopters. They also shot black bears and mountain lions believed to have been involved in livestock damage.”

Over 52,000 coyotes were voluntarily reported killed by individuals in Montana by shooting and trapping in the last 3 recorded years.

“Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks pays Wildlife Services $110,000 a year to deal with problem wolves. In 2015, WS killed 31 wolves, but that was fewer than in previous years, Steuber said.”

A minimum of another 210 wolves were shot or trapped by laymen during the 2015/2016 season.

“The number of sheep in Montana has dropped by half since 1997.”

For 2016, Montana is home to 2,550,000 cattle.

At the end of 2015, Fish, Wildlife and Parks reported that 44 cattle had been killed by wolves in Montana,

While losses to predators were almost 1/3 of what they were in 2009 , i.e. 133 in 2015 vs 370 in 2009, the Montana Livestock Loss Board paid out the highest reimbursements amounting to $146,745 in 2015 to compensate for their increased value.

http://bit.ly/2d4XS7B

Non-Targets Trapped Elsewhere

Moose gets its nose caught in a coyote snare

by Kate Boyd

Trapper finds a dead moose in one of his snares. His intended victims were coyotes. His response? “Shit happens”.

He says he can’t wait to get back and try to trap and kill more coyotes, hoping to avoid snaring any more moose. He believes these coyotes will be fattened up from feeding on the moose the wildlife officials told him to leave serving as more bait for coyotes.

There are no words.

Victims & Consequences

Tell us again where the science is in all this?

by Kate Boyd

Most of Montana, i.e central and eastern, districts 4-7, opened for the legal trapping of beaver on September 1. For 9 months, beaver can be trapped in unlimited numbers with the closure being May 31.

No one knows how many of these critically necessary keystone species there are in Montana. No one knows how many are trapped and killed annually either. Trappers are not required to report. The small percentage that voluntarily report state they themselves trap and kill in Montana over 6,000 beaver on average, annually. The cost to a Montana resident is just $29 for the purchase of a trapping license and they can trap and kill as many beaver as their little heart desires.

Beware trappers often use large body crushing conibear traps along the water to trap beaver. These are unmarked and a death sentence to your dog as well.

Conibear traps, 7″x7″ and larger, need to be set recessed 7 inches in a cubby or enclosure with an opening of 52 square inches or less. This does not apply if they are submerged 1/3 or more in water.

The legal trapping of beaver opens in the rest of the state, western and southwestern Montana, districts 1-3, on Nov 1 and closes April 17.

Victims & Consequences

Too Many Illegal Trappers, Not Enough Bobcats

by Kate Boyd

“Too Many Illegal Trappers, Not Enough Bobcats” by Larry Rose, Darby, Montana, Chief of Police, a trapper, licensed taxidermist, licensed fur buyer since 1966, from Trapping Region 2.

“Here is what is going on, when Region No. 1 fills their quota, many of the trappers just keep on trapping, they can say they are trapping fox or coyotes, when a bobcat is trapped in these so-called sets, they turn them in as trapped in Region 2 or 3; quickly filling the quotas in those areas.”

”A warden made the comment that there are about five cats a day turned in to Region 2, until Region 1’s quota is filled; then Region 2 jumps to nine or 10 per day.”

Regions 1, 2, 3 together KILLED 187 Bobcats OVER QUOTA in the last 5 years! These bobcats can be kept by the trapper as long as it was within the opened season.

Prices from $225 to over $1,000 per Bobcat pelt are reinforcers.

According to Montana FWP reports a minimum of 8338 bobcat were killed, overwhelmingly by trapping, in Montana in the last 5 years with 6 of the 7 regions going over quota.

Please SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT Opposing Region 2 increasing Bobcat quotas from 180 to 200 that can be killed:

http://fwp.mt.gov/…/publicCommen…/2016/furbearerSeasons.html

Learn more:
http://www.trapfreemt.org/…/action-alert-montana-trapping-p…

Ravalli Republic opinion “Too many Illegal Trappers, Not enough Bobcats”
http://bit.ly/25CDwt5