Trapping is Essential
Responsible Trapping Methods
Wildlife is prolific and in need of population controls to maintain a healthy environment
Regulated trapping programs are effective at maintaining proper and healthy wildlife balances
Man has a stewardship role
A number of wild game birds nest on the ground, and are therefore susceptible to excessive predation. These species include pheasants, quail, ruffed grouse, Hungarian partridge, chucker, turkeys, spruce grouse, sage grouse, blue grouse, woodcock and several species of quails. The list of predators also increases with these dry land species to include several species of foxes, coyotes, bobcats, weasels, fishers, martens and badgers.
The effect of trapping is not that predators are eliminated, but rather kept in balance with all other species. The result of this is healthy and stable populations of all wildlife as well as the health of livestock, pets and man.
Just as the hunting of some species is helpful to wildlife management, trapping is another method that is just more efficient and effective for those species not usually hunted.
Large predator populations are healthy and abundant. Their range and sheer numbers are increasing. Coyotes are particularly abundant in most states today and even gray wolves are in need of trapping harvests in states where they are overly abundant.
Because wildlife is subject to environmental changes in habitat quality and weather, large population swings naturally occur between predator and prey species. Proper wildlife management including trapping helps to stabilize both wildlife populations and help prevent massive die-offs due to reduced food, malnutrition related diseases, or excessive predation.
A variety of predators destroy game bird nests including opossums, skunks, red & gray foxes, mink, otters and raccoons. Studies often show up to 75% of unsuccessful nesting is due to these species. Trapping is the only way to effectively control these predators.
Scientific studies show raccoons and skunks destroy up to 95% of waterfowl nests and chicks. Because these species are so abundant, effective trapping programs may be the single most important tool to bring waterfowl to adulthood. Simply put, less predators result in increased waterfowl and game bird numbers.
One reason skunks and raccoons are so destructive on nests and chicks is they are so abundant, widespread, and prolific. Raccoons today flourish in forests, croplands, and wetlands and even in our suburbs and cities.
Large predators have significant impacts on large game animals such as antelope, deer, elk and moose. All of these species are particularly vulnerable to predation as juveniles, but also during periods of deep snow when they lose their ability to outrun a predator. Wolves and coyotes often hunt in packs to exhaust animals in good health. When predators are not properly controlled, excessive predation occurs with serious consequences. The prey species do not get a chance to recover to healthy numbers, and the predators become stressed with the result of more killing of livestock and pets. Regulated harvests allow wildlife managers to monitor all wildlife and adjust harvests to achieve healthy balances between predators and prey.
The claim that predators choose to kill only sick or disabled animals is simply false. Predators are opportunistic and do not hesitate to kill prey for any reason.
Man has a stewardship role to assure wildlife is abundant and managed scientifically to assure healthy wildlife varieties and numbers into the future. This requires management techniques that are effective and proven, including state-of-the-art traps and trapping methods.
Trapping stabilizes predators, prey animals, and all wildlife for beneficial balances essential to healthy populations.
Proper wildlife management could not be accomplished without trapping programs. There is no other practical and effective method to control many predators and furbearers except with the aid of modem traps.
Skilled, trained and educated wildlife biologists are involved in the science of wildlife management. Information is shared via published articles and meetings for the benefit of all.
Congress has funded an ongoing research process known as Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure the best possible traps are discovered, promoted and used. BMPs now exist for all common American furbearers.
Those "Environmental" organizations who decry trapping do not participate in wildlife management. Their pleas are often fund-raising rhetoric to a gullible public who are often deceived.
The Montana Trappers Association is a non-profit organization of concerned and active conservationists who promote proper management of Montana's furbearers, who develop proper predator control, maintain a positive public image and help perpetuate quality habitat.
