Nevada Faces Trap Ban

A pair of bills soon to be introduced into the Nevada legislature would eliminate trapping in the state. The bills, SB 364 and BS 365 will:

* Prohibit the use of traps on public lands (Nevada is about 86% public; the remainder is residential and metropolitan areas);

* Require trappers to post signs in any area where they have traps set, whether on public or private land;

* Allow the public to tamper with, remove or disturb traps that are lawfully set if they deem it a matter of “public safety;”

* Require trap registration;

* Impose a 24 hour trap check requirement;

* Require the public disclosure of a trapper’s personal information;

* Impose a sales tax on trappers and require every trapper to report the amount of any profit made in the state;

Some have pm'd me and asked what they can and should do.

1. Go on the State Website and register your opinion on both of these bills. Here is the link: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/79th2017/A/.
Scroll down to SB364 and SB 365 and vote "Oppose". You don't have to be a resident of Nevada but it will ask you for an address so they know whose district you reside in. Legislators read these polls and test the political breeze before voting. If they see the antis have overwhelming support, they will go along with them. Then get your neighbors, family, friends, kids, spouse, etc. to go register their vote as well.

2. Contact the members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee (a 5 member committee). If this committee passes the bills (it only takes three of them to vote in favor), then the bills will go to the full Senate floor for a vote. You can reach every member of the committee at this email address:
SenNR@sen.state.nv.us




3. Show up at the hearing that will be held on both bills before the Senate Natural Resources Committee and voice your opposition. You usually get 2-3 minutes so its best to have something prepared in advance. The hearing will be in held in Carson City (remember Kit Carson, the trapper? Ya, we named our capital city after him), and video conferenced to Elko and Las Vegas. ITS A MUST THAT YOU ATTEND AND VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION. Don't wait for "the other guy" to do it. He's counting on you to be there.

4. If you are a Nevada resident, find out who your Senator and Assemblyman representatives are and write or call them to voice your opposition.

Just went to the website and gave my opinion and opposed both bills. These bills sound an awful lot like discrimination against a particular group of individuals and a belief system. Very disturbing, I used words like discriminatory and targeting in my comments against these bills. Good luck and keep us posted.

Average:

You hit the nail on the head!!! How come its so obvious to us ?? Trappers were the first white men in this state. They paved the way for settlement, livestock and the railroad. Our rights have been shaved down and whittled down just like the Native Americans, and now they are telling us to get off the land. Cultural geonocide, plain and simple.

Some talking points: Current trapping regulations and practices have been a huge success story in NV. Our DOW has the best bobcat and furbearer data in the country. It indicates our furbearers are abundant, healthy, and sustainable. SB 364 and 365 will end trapping as we know it. Trapping will be become extinct and the furbearing animals will suffer with the absence of regulations and data. And it will hurt hundreds of people who enjoy this activity which allows them to get outside and enjoy nature in the winter months and make a little money on the side. Please vote against SB364 and 365.

Good points John. And trappers are just the current target. These same folks already have Facebook pages and websites dedicated to eliminating the bear hunt, mountain lion hunts, coyote hunts, etc. Once trappers are gone, it will be these sportsmen who will be eliminated next. Then archery, etc. Look at Arizona and California. They are the models the antis use.

The only way we can sustain this fight year in and year out is to organize a sportsmens alliance that swings it's political clout and large memberships to bear on any threat against any of it's members. Kinda what montana did last year, but a make it a permanent organization. Both of those Bills they are trying to pass have some major, major issues with them, just the ability of anybody to tamper with your traps should make it a cinch to beat. Lots of potential physical altercations that could happen due to that bill. I really can't believe that any senator or representative would even dare sponsor a bill that egregious. I personally think that our state trapping organizations have a need for a couple full time political lobbyists and bill writers. The antis have paid full time employees in their organizations that focus on these things. They are never going to stop, because if they do, they lose their job. We need to think about having some permanent paid employees as well.

Email your senator directly--if you are a Nevadan, here is where to find your senator. http://mapserve1.leg.state.nv.us/whoru/

Polls are good--direct email and phone calls are better.

John,
Does NVTA need money to help support Joel lobbying?
Paul

NVTA has the funding right now to pay for the lobbying. With that said, any donation at anytime is always appreciated and goes to defend trapping.

I would also suggest contributing to the Southern Nevada Coalition for Wildlife.

Some addresses to send donations:

NVTA Secretary
12701 Carson Highway
Fallon, NV 89406

Southern NV Coalition for Wildlife
PO Box 752632
Las Vegas, NV 89136

So 2 of the committee members are sponsors or co-sponsors (Manendo and Ratti). 25%of the senate has sponsored or co-sponsored these bills.

That means the swing vote is the chairwoman Yvanna Cancela since the 2 Republicans are ranchers and supporters of wildlife management. Her email is Yvanna.Cancela@sen.state.nv.us

Perhaps a deluge of email will make her sympathetic to us.

Correct you are Doc!!

If you prefer to call her, here is the number:Yvanna Cancela 775-684-1427


Be polite, be respectful and be direct.

Paul,

Your are correct. Senator Cancela is the chairwoman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and is the swing vote. And I hear she is thoughtful and open minded.

The antis hit us on the humane angle. A good counter argument is that wild animals don't have owners and vets looking after them. How furbearers die in nature is much more harsh then being held in a foothold trap and then dispatched by a trapper. Starvation, disease, and predation are facts of life in the natural world. Can you imagine dying of the mange? A skin disease where the animal rubs its own fur off and it freezes to death.

For you Nevada trappers, the hearing on SB364 and SB 365, the two anti-trapping bills, will be held Tuesday April 4, probably at 1:00 pm. It will be videoconferenced to Vegas and Elko. PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETING. You don't necessarily have to say anything. If anything, you can just stand up and say, "I agree with what Joel or John said."

This will be do or die time. I hope by now you've all emailed and called the Senators on the Natural Resources Committee. Please attend this meeting.

Thanks guys for the updates, my daughter and I talked to Senator Cancela and it was a productive conversation. She is open minded and will listen, she wants facts and statistics, not emotional testimony like the antis bombard her with. Keep up the work guys we have our work cut out for us this year.

Thanks for doing this Don. And thank your daughter for me as well.

SB364 & SB365 not AB364 & AB365 there seems to be some confusion and several trappers have posted opinions and comments on the wrong bills. just sayin

It IS confusing.

SB 364 changes visitation from 96 to 24 hours. And does other bad things. We must tell the Senators why 24 hours is the kiss of death for trapping in remote NV and will force all trappers to set near towns and cities where all the conflicts occur.

SB365 bans trapping on public land. Which is a ban on trapping since 87% of the state is on public lands and the rest is in towns and cities. It is a ban.

Hope everyone can make the meeting tomorrow! One of the most important meetings we will have concerning trapping. This will be the future for our kids and grandkids guys! I hope to be able to touch on the effects this would have on ranchers, ranching is a way of life not a way to make a living! Much like us after all the time is spent out in the field, haying, mending fence, feeding cattle, gathering cows, calving season, etc very little if any money is made for the hours put in. Each calf lost this time of year(same time as coyotes breeding and having pups) is taking money out of the one time a year they get a pay check!

just got home from the hearings for SB364+365..I was amazed at the number of old women who walk their dogs out in the middle of nowhere..only to have them disappear..and in a frantic search..find them in a hidden trap.. somewhere off in the distance..and maimed for life

This reminded me of the one hour of time I will never get back listening to the antis tell lies today. SMH.....

Desert Muley, Nevada Ag --- Welcome to my life the past 10 years!!!

Elko trappers deserve a big atta boy!! They packed their room and had great comments on the bills.

ATTA BOY ELKO AND ALL YOU OTHER FELLERS TOO

Update: SB 364 was amended to allow 96 hours visitation to continue but has language about registering traps, signs posted by NDOW and other things. I don't want to jump the gun here but so far so good. Much, much credit to Joel on this.

Now this bill goes on to the assembly. Anything could be amended including visitation changed again. Or the bill could be defeated outright.

We are alive and doing well. On to the next field of battle. Keep you powder dry. We will still need everyone to show up again one more time at least.

its not over yet,SB364 is still very much alive and should be on the governors desk this week.Contact his web page urging him to VETO SB364 . Web address is available on the Nevada Trappers Association facebook page. Let him know how you feel. "PLEASE"

How to email the governor

http://gov.nv.gov/Contact/Email-the-Governor/

nevada wildlife alliance claiming sb364 is signed into law .

What are the details with this bill,trap registration?Registration trap fees? Visitation?looking for some clarification!