Category: Victims & Consequences

“Killed this here critter (M56 most infamous wolverine) out tormenting the cows yesterday” in North Dakota…..but didn’t know or care what it was. Praised for his popularity by imbeciles, he only wishes he could have the wolverine back for bragging rights with his buddies. There are no records of any wolverines in North Dakota since the 1800s. There are only 300, now 299, left in the continental US. How would this ranch hand know how valuable they are, alive that is. Especially this particular wolverine.

Despite his ignorance, the note worthy attention and popularity belongs to this, now identified, Wolverine M56. He was tagged in Wyoming Grand Tetons as a juvenile in 2009 and traveled 500 miles to become the lone wolverine, first in over 90 years in Colorado eliciting much hope. M56 later went MIA reportedly in 2012. What stories he could tell. M56 is believed now to be the wolverine spotted in Havre, Montana, a couple of months ago. In April, the lengthy journey over these last 7 years ended for M56 as he met his fate in North Dakota at the hands of a shoot em first, mount them later, whatever it is, sentiment but get some bragging rights with photos in between. Afterall, the cows had encircled the wolverine. Whatever else could he do?

It’s becoming quite the destiny of our most studied, instrumental, exceptional wildlife prohibited from living out their existence and dying instead intentionally at the hands of man. The laws fail our wildlife. We hate to think of the fate of those not known.

Graphic Warning! Here’s a letter a Veterinarian sent to us along with pictures. Dr. Tom gave us permission to share regarding the cruelty of trapping and thankfully the recent failed proposal (HB 12) to legalize trapping Mountain Lions in Wyoming. Trust, Montana trappers were watching and waiting.

“Dear Sirs and Madams:

I have been a veterinarian for nearly 50 years. Many times during my career I have had the misfortune to be presented with domestic animals who have suffered horrible wounds due to indiscriminant trap/snare injury. I would implore your Legislature to NOT pass the current Bill HB 12,allowing and or encouraging the use of traps/snares to kill mountain lions. I consider traps/snares in the same category as M-44 cyanide canisters; another mode of non select and non species specific instruments of death, pain and suffering for any number of animal species!
Many professionals in the biological and animal sciences and colleagues of mine, even hunters have said essentially my exact feelings, in that, ‘traps can never be made painless, safe or humane and we all know they are not species specific’.

A civilized society has no need to employ such archaic and barbaric methods which when used ‘as directed’ are more than capable of causing undue, untoward and unnecessary effects upon so many innocent animals…in the name of sport!

Charles Darwin said in 1863 a quote that I fully concur with and his words are as much or more poignant today as ever. “Few men could endure to watch for five minutes an animal struggling in a trap with a torn limb…Some will wonder how such cruelty can have been permitted to continue in these days of civilization”.

I send just a few examples of who could have been your pet or even your child…please eliminate traps/snares from our landscapes.

Curious cats and non suspecting dogs are particularly susceptible to injury. Snare 1 is a MN wolf who all but lost his left leg prior to his death. Snare 2 is a SD cougar mom who was tethered to the Earth while her cubs lingered close by…can you muster up enough compassion to understand how she felt being unable to care for or protect her babies?
We were told, ‘oh she did just fine’, pardon me if I have my doubts.
Thank you, Dr.Tom”

And thank you Dr. Tom for speaking out against trapping and sharing your experience with us!

Not so fast. A video of a trapper in Wisconsin who released a wolf he trapped is being made out as some kind of a hero, a great guy we should all thank. Here’s more to the story.

First off, he is a trapper.

Secondly, it is illegal to trap wolves in Wisconsin as they have returned protected under ESA.

This trapper happens to target coyotes.
In the process he has also trapped bobcat, badger and what is now circulating on pages, a trapped wolf he is releasing.

Rather than someone to be idolized…….

“This November, _ had his coyote trap lines out, but instead, a mistaken wolf wandered inside of it.
Dec. 09, 2015″

“A trap intended for coyotes yields a bobcat for a Wisconsin trapper!” The bobcat ran off then with the catch pole attached which was posted as “:comical”. The catch pole was then relocated without the bobcat in it.

“Huge badger trapped and released in Northern Juneau County, Wisconsin. _ assisted me in the release. The set was a basic coyote dirt …”

So, thankfully, this trapper reportedly released these “incidental” non-target catches and a “problem” coyote. His acts again showing all just how indiscriminate trapping is but why trap in the first place and put wildlife through this?

It is unknown how many coyotes he trapped. How many he killed. It is unknown how after the trap release these “nontargeted” animals fared, survived, suffered or died as a result?

Among all the disturbing often graphic evidence, we want to know of caring acts for trapped wildlife but they are either illegal or hard to find in this hidden darkened secreted world of trapping…. however let’s not be blind to the whole story and use caution who we may glorify.

This “problem” coyote he trapped was reportedly relocated…..we hope it fared well.
We hope all the coyotes he traps are released but more so that he wouldn’t trap in the first place.
Photo: Under Fair Use for educational purposes

A trapper targeted coyotes but catches reportedly his first bobcat.
Reproduced under Fair Use for educational purposes.

This badger was reportedly released by him but what at cost to the Badger? For starters, note the ground.
There is no excuse and sorry little, other than thanking him for releasing it, for us to show gratitude.

Photo reproduced under Fair Use for educational purposes.

Finally some justice and “Once again, someone’s crime against animals forces us to consider how such cruelty can serve as indicator of a person’s potential for other types of violence.”

“Remember that criminals like Jeffrey Dahmer and David Berkowitz (the “Son of Sam”) started out torturing animals.”

Perhaps it’s more “often a deep seated need for dominance over others.”

“narcissists, impulsive, manipulative and somewhat psychopathic — that is, demonstrating a lack of empathy or remorse for the animals. If that’s the case, it would actually explain quite a bit, wouldn’t it?” Sound familiar?

“The more excited someone gets over ending an animal’s life, the more you have to wonder what’s wrong with them.”

Read the article

Trap found by child was illegal. “City ordinance prohibits foot-hold traps from being placed inside city limits” of Missoula.

The small trap is being viewed as not posing any danger to pets and children, but would you mind if your child or pet was playing in dirt and their fingers or paw were caught?

Good some places, like Missoula city limits, prohibit animal cruelty, including trapping. Scary, as some pointed out, that Montana Trapper’s Association representative did not know this and instead wanted the parent cited.

For more on the story see: Northside trap violated city ordinance; mother won’t be cited for

Who should you fear more?

125 wolves have been reported killed thus far in Montana this season. 106 by hunting, and 19 since the Dec 15 opening of trapping.

The number of non-targets caught in traps set for wolves are not yet known.

Non-targets caught in wolf trap sets are REQUIRED to be reported to FWP whether injured or not.

The alleged transgressions of Jeremiah Long, an Indianapolis man accused of shooting a cat multiple times with blow darts, could eventually wind up as a statistic in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, which now includes animal cruelty as an offense category in its annual compilation of U.S. crime data. Read more.