The leg-trap controversy has been brewing in Colorado since the 1960's. I
believe the first time I saw proposal to the voters in opposition to this
practice was in the 1970's. It was voted down each time up to now.
There are still a rare few people in Colorado who derive income from
trapping although not enough to be their primary income. Most of the
trapping currently is done to rid ranches of Coyotes and Coy-dogs. After
Cyanide was outlawed in the 1960's, ranchers turned to trapping.
The concern for leg and neck trapping has been much the same as the old
Cyanide method in that it is not selective. Both methods take animals that
are not intended to be killed and both are a particularly gruesome method
of killing.
This most recent proposal, which passed the vote, allows for the use of leg
or neck traps for rodents. It also allows the rancher a 30 day leg-hold
trapping window by permit, if he can show that he is unable to eradicate a
particularly evasive animal with a gun.
There are still hunting seasons for most of the fur-bearing animals. The
persons who once trapped for income, will now need to use a gun, I think.
I have a friend who Fox Hunts (Coyotes) with the Arapahoe Hunt Club.
Recent legislation changed the length of the hunting season (this was
different from the "leg-hold" vote). This has effected the "live" hunt due
to the shortened season. However, the "leg-hold" bill should not effect
the taking of animals by the Hunt, because their methods are selective. As
of yet, they do not consider the dogs "leg or neck traps".
Hope this sheds a little more light.
Linda Van Ceylon
lvanceylon@vines.colostate.edu
phone: 970-491-1428
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Original Text
>From ridecamp@endurance.net, on 11/16/96 4:54 PM:
Linda...I got the stuff about the mouse trap off the internet, so, of
course,
I didn't see the actual law...can you enlighten us further?
Teddy