While some in Montana try to preserve trapping claiming it’s a heritage, the trapping of dogs has become an increasing fact in trapping tradition. At least two of the traps found last week were about 200 feet from a maintained, designated walking trail, Whiskey Gulch area west of Montana Tech. One trap was tripped by a human — who wasn’t hurt. In another incident, a dog was caught. And in yet another, a skunk had been snagged. Until we achieve trap free Montana public lands, this is not the first or last we will hear of trapping holding us hostage from our right to safely recreate on our public lands. In the same vicinity, Bandit, pictured below, was trapped Dec 2013, behind Montana tech, more on the Rocker side off of Browns Gulch road during a short walk just a few feet from the road as his owner stopped to grab treats. In releasing the trap from her traumatized Bandit, the trap slammed shut causing a good deal of swelling to her finger and she wound up with cuts and bruises on both hands. A month later her hands had healed but her finger was still very sore. She ripped the trap out in her fury and turned it into the warden. Especially for her, “Seeing the pain and terror my dog went through just being caught in it for a minute was horrible.” She said she would never walk there again.