TRAPS: Better solutions needed

This letter is in response to the article “Be careful in the woods” on Jan 20.

I finally brought myself to watch both videos done by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game on trapping. Besides watching these videos I hope everyone Googles “Conibear traps” and sees the images of what really happens to dogs that are caught. In the IDFG video on releasing your dog, when it got to the bigger traps the person doing the releasing switches from a pretty young lady to a very muscular man.

The gentleman in Cougar Gulch that lost his dog could not even get it out with help. Even if we get our dogs out and they are not dead already, we will have to carry the animal back to our car and make a mad dash to a vet. Eighty-four dogs have been trapped in the last two years. That is a lot of families who have gone through major trauma.

I really do not understand why IDFG could make another video on traps, but not be ready with trapper education before 2016. I also think a lot of the problem could be resolved by limiting all trapping to the November-March season when furs at least have value. When I lived in Cougar Gulch some years ago a neighbor got a special permit to bait for and shoot coyotes that had killed his dogs. That is far more sensible and safe than letting people trap randomly along our public trails.

It is only a matter of time before a child gets caught in one of these traps. There are a number of activities that involve people leaving the trails like photography, bird watching and geocaching. I know of at least one group that is boycotting the state of Idaho if summer trapping is not stopped, and our public forests are not made safe for everyone. I hope the word continues to get out.

DARLENE CARLTON

Coeur d’Alene