And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:08:48 -0700 To: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Wild Rockies InfoNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Comments Needed: MTDFWP to change regulations on trapping From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Bob Muth) Dear Friend of all things wild, We are again at a critical time and need your help. Would you please take a moment and write a short letter, fax, or e-mail to the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Dept.? See the alert below for more information. Please forward this alert to anyone you think might help. Thanks for caring, Bob Muth, Chairman, Friends of Buddy URGENT ALERT! Friends of Buddy P.O. Box 7263 Kalispell, MT 59904 Last year, Friends of Buddy, (a group initially drawn together because of the violent death of a pet dog in a conibear trap while accompanied by his owner who was unable to free him) campaigned for changes in Montana's outdated trapping regulations. The tremendous amount of public input at that time influenced the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission to adopt some responsible regulatory changes that would help reduce user conflict. The Commission also directed the FWP Dept. to appoint a trapping advisory committee (TAC) to make recommendations to the commission. This committee (the makeup of which is dominated by trapping interests) has a pronounced bias against any responsible or meaningful changes. The committee's recommendations to the Commission include the deletion of the new regulations adopted last year that prohibit trapping on a public road right of way and requiring a 50 yard set back from the center of public roads. In addition, the entire scope of the TAC's recommendations shift the burden of proof away from the trapper and onto the dog or cat guardian when conflicts occur between domestic animals and traps-even after a recent survey of FWP wardens revealed accidental snare and trap mortality of numerous dogs, raptors, deer, moose, birds and others. Wildlife is held in the public trust. All citizens of Montana should have a voice in how the state's wildlife is "managed" and protected. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is accepting written comments on the committee recommendations until April 16. (Comments must be received by April 16) Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks comments may be e-mailed to: Trapping Advisory Committee Recommendations [EMAIL PROTECTED] P.O. Box 200701 please send us a copy at: Helena, MT 59601-0701 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 406-444-4952 PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO WRITE. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Points to include in your letter: TAC'S recommendation: Require use of offsets for leghold traps, size 1 3/4 or larger for ground sets. Response: There are no scientific data indicating offsets are more humane than steel-jaw leghold traps. Offset leghold traps may actually cause more injuries to certain species. TAC'S recommendation: Restrict assess to certain public lands and create "trapping only" areas and/or "trapping only" seasons. Response: There is no justification to restrict access to Montana's public lands when there are less than 2000 active trappers in the state and more than 315,000 Montana residents enjoy non-consumptive wildlife-watching activities, according to Fish and Wildlife Service. TAC'S recommendation: Oppose any mandatory trap check times! Response: Almost every state has a mandatory trap check time while 24 states mandate a daily or 24-hour trap check time. Montana is one of the only states to have NO required trap check time! State warden reports reveal that animals are frequently left in traps for days and sometimes longer. Montana should implement a 24-hour trap check time. TAC'S recommendation: Request that the Montana Trappers Association develop "Trapping in Progress" signs and make them available to trappers and landowners at cost. Response: Posting "Trapping in Progress" signs should not be voluntary; it should be mandatory at all access points to public lands. Forcing the non-trapping public to guess if traps are set in the fields, forests, and along the streams where they recreate is unreasonable. The design and potential danger of traps and snares demands awareness and protection for all outdoor enthusiasts. TAC'S recommendation: Delete the new regulation passed last year that would prohibit trapping on the right of way of publicly maintained roads. Response: This regulation was passed less than a year ago with overwhelming public support and should not be altered to appease the interests of trappers. ALL trapping should be prohibited near public roads, at a minimum, and preferably, all body-griping traps should be banned in high-use public land areas. TAC'S recommendation: Delete new regulation passed last year that would require that trappers set body-gripping traps at least 150 feet from public roads and replace with a compromised regulation reducing the number of feet to 30 and limiting requirement to Conibear traps that are 7x7 or larger. Response: This regulation was passed less than a year ago with overwhelming public support and should not be altered to appease the interests of trappers. All body-gripping traps -including Conibear type traps, legholds and snares -should be prohibited at least 500 feet from ALL public roads and within all high-use recreational areas. TAC'S recommendation: Require that Conibear traps 7x7 or larger be used in buckets or cubbies when used in ground sets on public lands. Response: There is NO scientific evidence that shows bucket or cubby traps reduce injuries to dogs or cats. In fact, the New York Department of Conservation's Trapping Educational Manual states a cubby set "can take domestic cats so it should not be used where there is danger of catching them." Because of the dangers inherent to kill-traps, such devices should be banned from ALL public lands in Montana. Please choose one or more of the above issues that you feel strongly about and write today. Thank you, Bob Muth Chairman, Friends of Buddy ************************************************************************ List-Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
