Critics Say Unchecked Traps Killing Wyoming Mountain Lions, Pets

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Some claim traps should be checked more often to save pets and wildlife that get caught in them. But one experienced trapper says they already do that, and freeing a mistakenly trapped grizzly isn’t a DIY job.

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/12/01/critics-say-unchecked-traps-killing-wyoming-mountain-lions-pets/

Mark Heinz

December 01, 20245 min read

Trapping industry 12 2 24
(Cowboy State Daily Staff)

Trappers should be required to check their lines every 24 hours to prevent the accidental deaths of mountain lions and pets, a trapping reform group claims.

But some Wyoming trappers said they’re already doing that. 

Unchecked traps account for numerous deaths of mountain lions, dogs and other “non-target” animals, Lisa Robertson, spokeswoman for Wyoming Untrapped, told Cowboy State Daily. 

In one instance that the group holds up an example, a young mountain lion died slowly in the freezing Little Laramie River in December 2023 after it got caught in a trapper’s snare. 

That’s why there should be regulations across Wyoming and other Western states requiring trappers to check their lines at least once every 24 hours, Robertson said. 

We’re Doing It Anyway

But most trappers do that anyway, seasoned trapper Scott Weber of Cody told Cowboy State Daily. 

There’s no reason to create a new regulation to enforce what’s already standard procedure, he said.  

“I run my traps every day. Every trapper I know runs their traps every day, for 100 reasons,” Weber said. 

Leaving traps unattended for too long not only increases the risk of catching animals that the trappers didn’t intend to, it also exposes trappers to the risk of their equipment being vandalized or stolen, or furbearing animals ruining their pelts through prolonged struggling, he said. 

Even other wildlife can ruin a trapper’s catch if it’s left unchecked for too long, he said. 

“Eagles and hawks and swoop down” and eat a catch, he said. 

Retired federal trapper Carter Niemeyer of Idaho told Cowboy State Daily that checking traps at least every 24 hours is good ethics. 

Most animals can survive being caught for a short period without suffering debilitating injuries, he said. 

So a trapper can free a dog or another relatively small animal that was unintentionally caught, and the critter should be fine in most cases, he said. 

“Those animals, just being caught overnight, can be released with minimal injuries,” he said. 

But what if a trapper walks up on an irritated mountain lion, or worse yet, a grizzly that’s been caught by accident?

That’s definitely not a do-it-yourself job, Niemeyer said. 

“I would just get on the phone and call the game warden immediately,” he said. 

Wildlife agents can tranquilize a bear or mountain lion so nobody risks getting torn to pieces trying to set it free, he said.

Mountain Lions Killed In 2022

Robertson said her group doesn’t want to ban trapping in Wyoming, and they appreciate ethical trappers. 

However, there’s evidence the traps being left unattended to too long is killing too many animals, she said. 

Wyoming Game and Fish reports obtained by Wyoming Untrapped indicate that in 2022, eight mountain lions died in the state after getting caught in snare traps. 

Traps can also be a hazard for deer, moose and other wildlife, Robertson said. 

“It’s just about every animal out there that at some point is going to encounter traps on public land,” she said.

Wyoming Untrapped supports a bill, expected to go before the Wyoming Legislature in 2025, establishing mandatory setback distances for traps near public trails and recreation areas. 

That move was inspired by the death last year of an English bull terrier named Jester, who was caught in a beaver trap near Afton.

There currently aren’t any plans to introduce a bill making it mandatory to check traps every day, Robertson. 

But she thinks that eventually, such regulations should be put in place across the West. 

Loss Of Blood Flow

From a humane standpoint, it’s important to get to traps at least once every 24 hours, Niemeyer said. 

In most instances, traps won’t crush animals’ bones and snares won’t strangle them, he said. 

But restricting or cutting off the animal’s blood flow to paws or other extremities can inflict fatal damage on them, he said. 

Paws can start to rot from a loss of blood or freeze solid, Niemeyer said. 

And in the case of wildcats like mountain lions or lynx, that’s a death sentence. 

“With cats especially, if you damage their front feet – that’s what they catch their prey with,” he said. 

Neimeyer said he trapped wolves for decades in Montana and other states, mostly so federal wildlife agents could outfit them with radio collars. 

In nearly all instances, if the wolf was freed from a trap within a few hours, it remained healthy, he said. 

As to whether 24-hour checks should be mandated by law, Niemeyer said he can see the wisdom in it. 

“I’m a firm believer that people do not police themselves worth a darn,” he said.

But on the other hand, it might be nearly impossible to enforce such a regulation, he added. Wildlife agents would have a difficult time establishing when traps were set. 

Also, trapping frequently happens on private land, where game wardens might not have permission to go monitor traplines, Niemeyer added. 

Legislature Has Better Things To Do

Weber said he doesn’t believe that groups such as Wyoming Untrapped aren’t out to try banning trapping altogether. 

So, he doesn’t support the trapping reform bill that is going before the 2025 Legislature, or any others that might follow. 

“It’s a slippery slope. Don’t give them an inch. They’ll take 10 miles, not 1 mile,” he said. 

He added that the Legislature this year will be focused property tax reform and other such matters, so he doesn’t see trapping reform gaining much traction. 

And Wyoming is also an agriculture-friendly state, where trapping is seen as a vital method of predator control, Weber added. 

“In Wyoming, we trap to protect agriculture,” he said.

Texas Mountain Lions Protected Under New Regulations

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Texas officials have banned canned hunts and now require trappers to check traps every 36 hours if they’re targeting mountain lions.

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In the News: Alberta Restores Hunting for ‘Problem’ Grizzly Bears September 6, 2024

Texas Mountain Lions Protected Under New Regulations

Texas officials have increased efforts to protect mountain lions, which primarily are seen in the hilly southwestern portion of the Lone Star State. New regulations went into effect Sept. 1, 2024, that ban canned hunts for cougars. Also, trappers targeting the animals now must check traps every 36 hours. Violations may result in a fine of up to $500, but no jail time. 

The changes were the result of a collaboration by landowners, ranchers, livestock owners, conservationists and biologists, among others. After study and discussion, the regulations were approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission this past May. Proponents, including an advocacy group that has gathered petitions and urged changes for years, were in favor of the protections. The Texas Farm Bureau, though, said it will have a “particularly devastating impact on ranches in West Texas where mountain lions are much more prevalent.” 

Sightings of the cougars primarily are in the Trans-Pecos region of Southwest Texas. They also have been seen in South Texas and occasionally in the Hill Country. Some have even been spotted in the Panhandle and Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials. 

Limited hunting still is in effect. Landowners or ranchers may take action as needed if mountain lions are attacking livestock. The trapping regulations apply only to large vertical snares and not smaller ones for smaller predators, such as coyotes.

Opinion: California bird flu outbreak warrants a broader look at the risky ways we produce food

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by Seema PolicepatilNovember 30, 2024

Dairy cows at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, Calif. on Friday, June 21, 2024. (Sarah Stierch via Bay City News)

This is an opinion piece. We value the diverse opinions of our readers and we welcome robust, wide-ranging thoughts and ideas on subjects relevant to Mendocino County. The following opinion is not representative of The Mendocino Voice, its publisher, editor or staff. Opinion letters can be sent to info@mendovoice.com.

As a physician, I am closely following a bird flu outbreak that is hitting our Central Valley dairy farms hard, especially since the California Department of Health reports at least 21 human cases. This number seems to increase each week in our state, which has more dairy cows than any other. Bird flu has spread to at least 291 dairy herds in California.

As a board-certified doctor in internal and lifestyle medicines, I support the health department’s efforts to monitor and test for bird flu, I appreciate those calling for additional protections for California’s dairy workers, and I commend our public health officials for doing a good job of confronting the immediate crisis.

But it is also time to take a hard look at the food production system that puts farm workers in close contact with sick cows and birds, the standard American diet that demands it, and the health ramifications of both.

Facilities with large numbers of animals in a small space are a threat to public health because they provide ideal conditions for viruses to spread, evolve and possibly acquire the ability to infect people. Research shows that intensive animal agriculture has been implicated in influenza viruses jumping from animals to people, and some believe this bird flu could even become the source of our next pandemic.

Recently officials announced the disturbing news that bird flu has infected a pig in Oregon, a troubling development that health experts say could mean a more transmissible and virulent virus.

Consumers and farmers who want to be part of a more healthful future may wonder about alternatives to intensive animal farming. If you’re a poultry farmer and bird flu has wiped out your flock, you may be considering a change. In fact, some are repurposing their chicken houses to grow crops.

California dairy farmers also encounter significant challenges, and many already were choosing to exit the business. Now the bird flu outbreak among dairy cows is presenting yet another problem. 

Some of these farmers are likely thinking about phasing out the cow’s milk operation and transitioning to plant-based milk production, or growing crops or orchards. Actually, this trend is already underway. Just a few years ago, the Giacomazzi family of Hanford, owners of California’s oldest dairy farm in operation of more than 125 years, switched from cow’s milk to almond milk.

This transition couldn’t come at a better time. The plant-based milk industry, a $2.9 billion business, is booming. Almond milk is the most popular plant-based milk. California produces 80% of the world’s almonds and the most almond milk in the United States.

But these transitions involve costs, and California should support farmers who choose to make these changes. We should also help dairy farmers who transition to growing oats for oat milk, like Califia Farms in Bakersfield, for example, or almond or soy for milk sold by San Diego Soy Dairy — or any other crop they find profitable.

Shifting away from animal agriculture helps our environment and our economy and improves worker safety. I have found for myself and my patients that it also improves health. A plant-based diet focused on fruits, veggies, beans and greens grown in California can help maintain healthy weight, lower blood pressure and improve heart health.

I know this from my own personal experience and from treating patients with diet-related diseases. While our public health officials try to control our current crisis, I am hopeful California will transition to a way of eating and growing food that is both safer and more nutritious.