Letter to the Editor: Nothing sporting about trapping

Editor,

I am compassionate, yet realistic — my husband is a hunter and fisherman.  

I heard outrageous lies when approached by a trapper at his booth during a recent fair saying that animal rights people are trying to outlaw hunting and fishing and I-177 is just to get a foot in the door. The trapper bragged that he sells his services to ranchers who want to get rid of coyotes, wolves, and foxes.  

I asked him about the domino effect of killing these predators, i.e., being overrun with mice and voles, and he stated that he kills those too.  

For those who are concerned about trapping please realize that trappers can still trap on private land. Public land is for everyone to enjoy and not have to worry about their child or pet being caught, mutilated and/or killed in a trap — and being helpless to save them. I took a class to learn how to release my dog if he became trapped and found that I could never free him in time, especially from a conibear trap.

I am compelled to include my concerns about the indiscriminate deaths caused by trappers: Species that are endangered and non-target victims of trappers actions.  

In closing, as mentioned above, my husband is a hunter and maintains that trapping is not fair chase. There is nothing sporting about setting a trap and baiting it.

Amy Greer

Corvallis