Check out this response:
In response to John Smith's article complaining that activists (like himself) haven't yet targeted trappers, you are wrong on all counts there John.
Activists HAVE been targeting trappers (and hunters and fisherman and ranchers and research labs) forever in this country. Activists long on emotion but short on facts or the truth have been showing up at state and county wildlife board meetings for last 40 years. They claim, as you do, that dogs are caught and maimed (yet no veterinarians can be found who have ever treated such an injury). They claim, as you do, that trapping is self regulated (yet there are reams of regulations pertaining to trapping and an entire force of wardens hired to enforce these laws). They claim, as you do, that the number of non target animals reportedly caught is extremely conservative. Yet the opposite is true. If you had bothered to check with the biologist who manages this program you would have learned the numbers are actually skewed drastically in the opposite direction. The biologists readily admit that they get survey returns from a minority who are the very active and successful trappers but modeling requires them to adjust survey results upward for those who do not report meaning those who did not trap at all in a given year or trap very little. The results you quoted as fact may be off by as much as 90%.
And why John, does an experienced journalist like yourself provide space to quote an activist (and neighbor of yours), Stephanie Meyers, yet not one word was allowed from a trapping or conservation organization for an opposing viewpoint? A little bias maybe?
Since you didn't ask, John, and didn't bother to look it up, I will give you a few reasons why trapping is alive and well in Nevada and every other state in the union. "Trapping is an effective method for managing or studying furbearers, controlling damages caused by furbearers, and reducing the spread of harmful diseases." -The Wildlife Society. "The professional wildlife conservation community universally endorses traps and trapping as critical and essential wildlife management tools." -Nevada Dept. of Wildlife. And concerning your activist friends: "some special interest groups oppose trapping of animals in general, but this can actually compromise animal welfare". - The American Veterinary Medical Association.
Wildlife in Nevada today is abundant, healthy, and on the increase in almost every area and species. So much so that we have seen a rash of pets being killed and eaten by wildlife in Las Vegas in recent years and school shutdowns because of menacing predators. Our wildlife is managed carefully by professionals in our state wildlife department. As quoted by them, hunting and trapping are critical and essential wildlife management tools that are used to maintain this healthy balance.
-Mary Maguire
Las Vegas, NV
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