Severed off Mountain Lion paw found in trap set for wolves in Montana.
April 2015
Found in the Bitterroot mountains of Montana, was a Mountain Lion paw in a leghold trap, an MB750, set for wolves along with claw marks up a tree. It was found spring 2015 and long after trapping season for wolves in Montana had ended. How this cat must have suffered when attempts to naturally escape by even climbing up a tree were futile and it then tore off its own paw.
Irregardless of the suffering he knowingly caused this Mountain Lion, this "experienced" trapper continues to trap.
Mountain lion paw in wolf trap upsets Darby ex-houndsman
(Apr 10, 2015 - PERRY BACKUS of the Ravalli Republic)
Despite trapper's common claims of fake, forensic evidence confirmed this was real and the remains of a mountain lion trapped. The Mountain Lion is most certainly believed to eventually die as a result.
FWP confirms lion’s paw in trap is authentic
(June 16, 2015 - PERRY BACKUS of the Ravalli Republic)
48 mountain lions were reported "incidentally" trapped in a two year time frame 2013-2015 in Montana.
16 of those were caught in traps such as this one set for wolves. 1/3 of those mountain lions in "wolf trap sets" were dead.
32 mountain lions were caught in traps not set for wolves, ie smaller leghold traps, snares, conibears,
66% were dead!
84% were DEAD OR INJURED!
and these are just the ones we know about.
96% were deemed legal trap sets.
Over 75% were on public land.
Trapped Mountain lions in Montana DO NOT need to be reported if can be released "uninjured" unless caught in sets for wolves. This determination of injured generally falls upon the trapper to decide. We have no required trap check time interval in Montana other than trap sets for wolves must be visibly checked every 48 hours. These "incidental" killings of Mountain Lions are not figured into the annual quotas.
Reproduced for educational purposes
