Know
More
About It. . .
Community Education
Programs
The North Carolina Trappers Association (NCTA) offers a Trapper
Education Program. We teach young and old how to be responsible and
ethical trappers. The program instills the wise use of and respect for
our fur bearing resources, as well as consideration for other's and to
insure that trapping will remain an outdoor activity. The history and
heritage of trapping is explained. All trapping laws and regulations
are reviewed. Safety and proper handling of animals are demonstrated.
The trapper's ability is upgraded to reduce catching non-targets and
educate them about the most humane traps and methods available to reduce injuries.
This program is generally run in the spring and is open to all ages.
Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no charge for the program. All
you will need to bring is paper, pencil/pen, and outdoor clothes. There
will be demonstrations in the field. We try to make the class available
at least once sometimes twice every year.
Youth Educational Programs
The NCTA educates our youth every year at the Fur, Fish, & Game Camp held at the 4-H
Camp near Hoffman conducted by the NC State University. If you would like to
attend the Camp, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service.
Best Management Practices (BMP)
Tests are being conducted to determine which traps, under which
conditions, perform best on which animals. NC trappers are involved
with this program. The BMP program, conducted by the International
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, is testing the traps we use
today for their humaneness and effectiveness so that if needed we can
make any necessary improvements. There are several criteria for judging
the performance of traps, including capture efficiency, selectivity,
user safety, practicability, and injury to the animal.
Common Traps Used In NC
1. #11 Double Longspring - Trap used to catch river
otter alive and unharmed. Without this trap, otter would not have been
stocked in the mountains.
2. #1 ½ Soft Catch Coilspring - Trap used to catch
fox. Trap chains can not be longer than eight inches when staked on dry
land to reduce injury. Trappers add swivels and shock springs to
prevent damage.
3. # 1 Single Longspring or Coilspring - Most common trap
used to catch muskrat, mink, and raccoons. They have been used to catch and relocate
animals alive to be restocked or relocated elsewhere
unharmed.
4. Snare - Can only be used to catch beaver.
5. # 330 conibear - Trap used to catch beaver. Must be at least ½ covered by water.
Can not be set on dry land to avoid catching pets. .
Trapping Regulations In NC
A weather resistant permanent trap tag must be attached to each trap
legibly giving the trappers name and address. This is required by law.
Trapping upon the land of another without having written permission
issued and dated within the previous year by the landowner or his agent
is illegal. Traps with a jawspread over 7 inches and those that contain
teeth/spikes are illegal. It is also against the law to remove or disturb any
lawfully set trap or remove any furbearing animal from a trap without permission of the
trap owner.
Facts About Trapping
Despite what is said, trapping does not harm wildlife populations.
Trapping is regulated and enforced by the NC Wildlife Resources
Commission. Trapping provides the public a service of removing
overpopulated species that threaten public safety, cause property
damage, or are a nuisance. A wise use of a natural renewable resource.
Traps are not a public safety hazard. Documented cases of injury by
traps are rare if not nonexistent. Traps are being improved to make
them as humane as possible. Where trapping bans have been implemented, serious
animal damage problems occur, with no way to control them. A wildlife management
system (with traps) that works, is replaced by a very impaired management system that
requires tax money to respond to increased complaints.
Educate our youth that some animals must be removed and that is o.k.
You owe it to our wildlife to manage them properly which includes
trapping. Only common and abundant animals are trapped. Trapping
provides parents quality time to spend with their children. Not only is
trapping challenging and a healthy exercise, you develop a deep respect
for wildlife. Trapping teaches discipline and responsibility. Provides
an activity for our youth that may otherwise turn to drugs and alcohol.
Death must occur in nature. Why not replace disease, starvation etc.
that is cruel with proper management that includes trapping as a
management tool.
Trappers Needed
Most of the information you see, read, or hear about how trapping is bad
comes from the Animal Rights industry. Be careful about what you
believe to be true. Ask our professional State Wildlife Biologists.
Animal Rights groups only want one thing - your $$$. Do they truly care
about our wildlife? Can their information be verified? The FBI has
several of the top Animal Rights groups under investigation for their
illegal activities.
The number of people who engage in an activity that does not impact
others is irrelevant. Trapping provides a desired occupation. Have you
ever been on a trapline or seen the equipment we use? How can you make a decision
without first knowing what it is you are voting on? Trappers have been involved with
the restoration of endangered and threatened animals like wolves and otters here in NC.
Trappers would be the first to know and speak out to change the regulations to
ensure the best for the animals we pursue. Our skill and commitment go unappreciated
and often scorned by most until their home is flooded or invaded, pets are killed,
drinking water is contaminated with diseases carried by animals that are overpopulated, or
children s safety is threatened. It won t be until then will you realize the need of
a trapper.
TRAPPING
Animal Rights vs. Animal
Welfare
NO
YES
We should all believe in the welfare or well being of animals. To
sustain lives, necessitates the loss of others. We live in a
dangerously death denying society. Trapping is an uncomfortable
reminder of death. Don't be ignorant about the natural world. Death is
not the exception, rather the daily rule.
Problem?
Animal rights have a zero tolerance...
Animal rights only want to stop any and all use of animals period...
All the talk about pain and suffering is a smoke screen...
Solutions!
Trapping has come a long way...
Trapping is a humane use of our natural renewable resources...
Fur is beautiful and environmentally friendly...
Trapping Is Animal Welfare...
Maintains animal populations in harmony and balanced...
Our responsibility and service to our wild animals...
Appreciate the abilities and aptitude of all wild creatures...
Respect nature, understand the environment, and help conserve our
wildlife...
Desire WISE-USE Not Non-Use
TRAPPING
MYTHS and FACTS
MYTH:
Animals are being trapped to extinction.
FACT: No endangered or threatened species are trapped. Due to the success
of trappers and appropriate wildlife management all species trapped are abundant in spite
of declining habitat. Several are
overpopulated like beaver, raccoons, fox, coyote, groundhog, etc.
MYTH:
Animals should be protected so there
will be more animals for all to enjoy.
FACT:
If trappers don't control the annual
surplus of animals, natural controls will. Starvation and disease are
very cruel. The quality of available habitat controls the number of
animals that will survive during stressful conditions. Most animals
trapped have a rapid reproduction rate that produces an annual surplus
that can either be harvested or wasted.
MYTH:
Natural control of animals is kinder and
preferred to trapping.
FACT:
Natural control (i.e. starvation and
disease) is not kind and certainly not as humane as hunting or trapping
methods.
MYTH:
Harvesting has no effect upon animal
diseases.
FACT:
All animals have regular territories
during specific times of the year (i.e. raising young). If populations
are high, the territories overlap and are reduced in size. The
resulting close contact provides an increase in the opportunity for many
diseases to spread. Managing the population will decrease the chances
for the spread of diseases.
MYTH:
Animal diseases are really not a
problem.
FACT:
Livestock and pet diseases like
distemper, mange, and heartworm are incubated and spread by a variety of animals that are
trapped. Tularemia, giardiasis, rabies, and tapeworms are also a threat to humans as
they multiply in stressed animal
populations.
MYTH:
Animals are trapped for profit.
FACT:
Muskrats and nutria are trapped to
control populations before they expand to the point that wetlands are
destroyed and suitable habitat for shore and song birds, waterfowl, etc.
is lost. Predatory animals (coyotes, mountain lions) are less likely to
prey upon pets and children when their populations are controlled.
MYTH:
Trapping is cruel.
FACT:
Trapping is far less cruel than starvation, predation, and disease.
Regulated trapping allows for removal of surplus animals to be taken humanely before the
entire population is hurt. Trapping allows the survivors a much better chance to be
healthy and happy.
MYTH:
Trapping conflicts with animal welfare.
FACT:
Trapping Is Animal Welfare. If trapping
were not allowed, animal welfare would require states to remove animals
to balance the habitat and reduce disease outbreaks with taxpayer money.
MYTH:
Trapping is outdated and irresponsible.
FACT:
Maintaining animal populations in
harmony and balanced is a responsibility and service to our wild
animals. Fur is beautiful and has value. Unlike mineral or petroleum
resources, fur is an annually renewable resource.
MYTH:
Man should not interfere.
FACT:
Man accepts a responsibility to manage
our wildlife populations. Without trapping several threatened and
endangered species would not have survived. Relocation would not be
possible without trapping.
TRAPPING BENEFITS EVERYONE
It has not rained for several days, but I-85 has water standing on the
road. Is it from a hurricane? No, after closer inspection we find
beaver have stopped water from going through the culvert by packing it
full of mud and sticks. The problem is reported to the Department of
Transportation (DOT) and they remove the beaver dam. But wait, three
days later water is back over the road. Those flat-tailed carpenters
keep coming back, determined to stop water from going through the
culvert, thus forcing the water to cover the road. Each time the DOT
comes to remove the beaver dam; it costs the taxpayer over $600.
Something needs to be done-fast.
You have a raccoon in your back yard. It bites your family pet. You
play with your dog and discover the bite. You take your dog to the vet
which costs over $200, only to find out the raccoon had rabies. Each
family member must now have the rabies post exposure treatment costing over $1,000 each.
You have that raccoon removed and a year later you realize you have another family
of raccoons living in your attic. You call your local pest control operator to see
if they would be able to
remove the raccoons for you. They tell you a law was passed last year
that banned the use of several types of traps. Those traps were needed
to manage our wildlife populations. The pest control operator tells you
that they would be happy to remove the raccoons but the price would be
double because of the limited number of legal traps. More important,
the agency will not guarantee that they will be able to catch all of the
raccoons. This could lead to having rabid raccoons living in your attic
again.
What does trapping do for you? Those are two good examples how trapping benefits
everyone. Trapping is one of the most regulated activities in NC. There are
more laws governing trapping than any other outdoor activity. Whether you are a fur
trapper or removing nuisance animals, you must have written permission to trap on another
person's property. This reduces the number of un-wanted catches and helps prevent the
chance of catching domestic animals.
Trappers use the most humane traps available on the market today. Those large bear
traps with teeth are illegal. The traps used today are very humane and not designed
to cause damage or suffering to animals, such as Conibears, Snares, and Foothold Traps.
Trappers don't dislike animals but see the unavoidable need to remove some to
manage the overall population. The US Government tested these traps to ensure that
the animals caught have little damage or suffering.
To keep wildlife under control, out of your house, and your children
safe, allow trapping to continue. Say No to those who oppose trapping. |
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