http://www.leadertelegram.com/news/daily_updates/article_fc4bbdbc-5c3d-11e3-963d-001a4bcf887a.html
MADISON (AP) — Traps have apparently become wolf hunters’ weapon of choice in Wisconsin.
New state Department of Natural Resources data shows hunters used traps to capture 174 of the 216 wolves taken between the wolf season’s Oct. 15 opener and Nov. 30. Hunters shot 41 wolves with a gun and killed one wolf with a bow.
Monday marked the first day of the season hunters could use dogs to chase down wolves. DNR large carnivore specialist Dave MacFarland said no hunters using dogs had registered any wolves as of Monday afternoon.
All but one of the state’s six wolf hunting zones have closed after hunters reached their kill limits in the areas. Hunters were 37 animals shy of their kill limit in the last open zone as of Tuesday morning.
Exposing the Big Game 
While I don’t hunt, I am open-minded to allow for ethical hunters – those that hunt “fairly” (that is, no aerial hunting or baiting or going on a ranch), shoot to kill immediately (aim for instant death, not taking whatever shot he/she can get), and eat what they kill. However, I see absolutely no purpose, no point, in trapping. As a whole, our society is more intelligent today. We understand the intricate and intimate webbing that exists amongst all things – from microbes to plants to animals, regardless of species, location, size, sex, etc. Therefore, we should understand how trapping is harmful to more than just the “target animal”. Not to mention, unlike what I term “ethical hunting” – trapping is cruel and by no means ethical. Way back in the yonder years, men trapped to clothe themselves, feed themselves, and support their families. I’d like to know just how many people who trap today are trapping for that purpose? I am going to take a reasonably educated guess and say “None”. I don’t understand how we can continue to allow trapping. If nothing else – what about the possibility of a human or a domesticated animal getting caught? Heck, we don’t allow smoking in many public places because it poses a danger to health to non-smokers, but it’s perfectly OK to set up a trap that can break limbs where humans and domestic animals tread? This is not only confounding, but very sad.
Note – I’ve heard the argument that “it’s my right” to trap, just like it’s my “right to own weapons that put out many more bullets than a single rifle shot”. And that argument holds no water, in my humble opinion. The “right” to trap and kill is not a god-given right. As a society years ago we accepted it and engaged in it out of need. We gave that right t o ourselves. Now that we are arguably more intelligent, we need to re-visit it and ban trapping, not because we want to impede our freedoms. Instead, because we are intelligent enough to recognize that our freedom extends beyond “I” – it extends to everyone who uses land; arguably it extends to the animals and plants we share our lives with. It’s because of our freedom that we are smarter now. Now we just need to use that intelligence more wisely.
It’s nobody’s right to do any of this !
Why kill any of our wildlife .. I just don’t know about our intelligence .. We seem to not recognize that we share this planet with other beings that are doing their jobs by carbon sequestering, trophic cascading, while we just contribute to global warming with our race to the bottom consuming habits
Don’t we kill enough for all you folks …? I’m done with all you people who gotta have guns and hunting .. Leave us in peace and go to the dark side of the moon!
Stop all your “rights “crap I’ve been listening to this all my life and just can’t seem the merit no more … Nope just can’t see the merit no more!
Do something constructive. Maybe go to a senior citizens home and visit some folks, grow a garden, bake a pie … Feed the birds, try something KIND!
Kindness matters! In the end it is our only hope … Show some kindness today don’t kill or load that trap !
Be Kind !
Well said!
“It’s nobody’s right to do any of this!” Truer words have never been spoken Rebecca.