Far reaching case in MN, trapping and hunting threatened

[vermonster13]

Columbus) - The Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund today filed to intervene on behalf of sportsmen in a case which could ban trapping in Minnesota and set a far-reaching precedent regarding hunting, fishing and trapping across the country.

 

Animal rights groups have filed suit against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources claiming that since Minnesota holds a population of Canada lynx, a species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), all trapping should be stopped in order to prevent incidental catch of lynx.

 

“This is a backdoor attempt by animal rights groups to not only ban trapping in Minnesota, but to establish legal precedent to ban a wide range of taking of wildlife,” said Rick Story, senior vice president for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) which manages the U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF).  “This lawsuit is less about Canada lynx and more about the animal rights groups’ desire to end all animal use, including trapping.”

 

The SLDF filed to join the case as a party defendant, along with the Minnesota Trappers Association, Fur Takers of America, the National Trappers Association and Minnesota trappers Todd Roggenkamp and Cory Van Driel.

 

“This case could set a precedent that affects how the ESA can be applied throughout the nation,” said Story.  “If trapping can be stopped to avoid catching a lynx in Minnesota, then what’s next?  Banning all fishing in the Mississippi River, Great Lakes or any other body of water which holds endangered sturgeon?”

 

The SLDF is the nation’s only litigation force that exclusively represents sportsmen’s interests in the courts.  It defends wildlife management and sportsmen’s rights in local, state and federal courts.  The SLDF represents the interests of sportsmen and assists government lawyers who have little or no background in wildlife law.

From the USSA website

[HACKSAW]

I feel these groups are taking lessons from the terrorists. If they can't win outright keep us spending money to stop them. They are hoping we'll get sick of fighting.
FAT CHANCE
This is why it is important to join NRA and other groups with Sportsmens chests (money to fight legal battles).
Hacksaw
Horace Worcester

[vermonster13]

A California-based animal rights group has brought a lawsuit to eliminate trapping in Minnesota and establish a precedent that would threaten hunting, fishing and trapping nationwide. The new complaint is strikingly similar to an existing suit that would ban trapping to eliminate incidental take of endangered species.

 

On Sept. 20, the Animal Protection Institute (API) filed a federal lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  The case centers around Canada lynx, bald eagles and gray wolves, which are federally protected species. The API claims that because these animals could be caught in a trap, trapping should be prohibited.

 

The API suit is in line with a suit recently brought by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and a smaller animal rights group against the DNR. Similarly, they claim that since Minnesota holds a population of Canada lynx, a species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), all trapping should be stopped to prevent incidental catch of lynx. There is no data proving that this has been a problem.

 

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) and its Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund are reviewing the API suit to determine an appropriate course of action. The SLDF, the nation’s only litigation force that exclusively represents sportsmen’s interests in court, filed on Sept. 6 to join the suit brought by HSUS on sportsmen’s behalf.

 

“These suits are backdoor attempts by anti’s to achieve a political agenda; they have nothing to do with wildlife conservation,” said USSAF Senior Vice President Rick Story.

 

These cases could set precedents that would affect how the ESA can be applied throughout the nation. If trapping can be stopped to prevent the occasional catching of lynx in Minnesota, will fishing be banned in the Mississippi River, Great Lakes or other bodies of water that hold endangered sturgeon?

 

Animal rights groups previously used the Endangered Species Act to force the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to suspend trapping with snares.  The state’s coyote snaring program is still in limbo as state wildlife officials attempt to obtain incidental take permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the state if any listed species are inadvertently injured or killed in a snare.

[Ray Hammond]

Interesting. Just as a note of interest seeing you discussing coyotes...my office is in a city called Alpharetta, right downtown within 2 blocks of the city hall at one of the single busiest secondary road intersections in the metro Atlanta area.

I was on a 6 lane street just southeast of my office about 600 yards from our building and what do I see in the middle of the road? A fat, beautiful winter-pelted coyote run over in the street..bigger than life! There's no open timber/swamps/big blocks of undeveloped land for a mile or more in any direction, and then that is ACROSS an interestate road called 400.

Amazingly resourceful, adaptable critters. I don't think trapping them will hurt them at all, in truth.

[Brian Krebs]

Without trapping; the competition for food- could lead to the extinction of the Lynx.

 My youngest son traps; and he uses leg hold traps: that do not meet together along the holding part of the trap.

 This allows for the release unharmed; of cats; and dogs. I have seen an old labrador- blind and lost- in one of his traps; that had no injury at all from the trap; and was returned to the owner.

 I have to say that I do not like snares. A local trapper near where I live has used them - in areas on public ground where bird dogs can get in them. If you cannot cut the snare off in a matter of seconds; your dog is dead.

 Leg hold traps seem to be the best idea for trapping; and we should support the trappers in this situation.