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Last Chance to Take-Action, Sept 9 and 10, 2020
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Take-Action: Last Chance Trapping Reform Meetings



Trapping Reform in Action
 WGFD Collaborative Public Meetings


Do you want a reasonable expectation of safety on public trails for pets and wildlife?  Trap-free areas on our public lands, and limitations on archaic furbearer trapping?  On January 28, 2020, Wyoming Untrapped (WU), and other advocates, petitioned the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to consider action on trap-free reform in July 2020 instead of the scheduled 2022.  The Commission directed the WGF Department to investigate the need for trapping regulation changes by initiating an internal trapping reform stakeholder process statewide.  We have hit the ground running since then.  Advocate groups and individuals have grown statewide, and awareness is roaring.  Following several meetings and public surveys, this is where we are today, on a fast-track process.

The final two out of five public meetings are scheduled in Laramie on Wednesday, Sept 9 and Lander on Thursday, Sept 10.  If you want trap-free trails, 24-hour trap checks, reporting of non-target trapped animals, and much more, it is critical that concerned citizenry consider attending these last two meetings in person or virtually. WU attended the Jackson meeting, and will virtually attend the Laramie and Lander meetings.

To learn more about our WU Requested Reform Goals List, the WGFD List of Potential Revisions to Trapping Statues and Commission Regulations, GIS mapping of proposed trap free trails in Teton County...and more, please visit the Take-Action Trapping Reform 2020 page on our website, or Talking Points listed below.
 



Take Action
September  9 & 10


Please see scheduled meetings details below.
For more WGFD meetings details including VirtualRegistration directions 
for September 9 in Laramie, and September 10 in Lander.
If you are unable to attend the meetings, please send your public comment to Jason Hunter, jason.hunter@wyo.gov


MEETING CONTACT:

Jason Hunter
Lander Region wildlife supervisor and lead of the internal working group
jason.hunter@wyo.gov
307-335-2609

REACH OUT TO YOUR WGF COMMISSIONER:

peter.dube@wyo.gov (President)
patrick.crank@wyo.gov
mike.schmid@wyo.gov (Teton County)
david.rael@wyo.gov
gaylynn.byrd@wyo.gov
ralph.brokaw@wyo.gov
richard.ladwig@wyo.gov

TALKING POINTS
 

WU has in the past, and continues to, assert that the following trapping regulation changes are necessary.

 

Trap Free Areas  (Legislature and/or Commission)  - Ask for trap-free areas for heavily used public recreation areas in Teton County, Fremont County and statewide. Access to trap free lands is a public right.  Examples of “a highly used public area” in Teton County are Cache Creek, Game Creek, Old Pass RoadSnow King Trail NetworkTeton Canyon and Darby Canyon.  Today, the overall use of the Cache Creek trail system continues to rise and is estimated as high as 1526 daily, with an annual average of 400 people per day per a trail counter data summary 2019.  GIS maps of these areas shows the trail count numbers, and the need for trapping closures. Overall Map.
 
24-Hour Trap Checks (Legislature) - Support of 24-hour trap checks statewide by writing your state representatives. Changing this law will require action by the Wyoming State Legislature. Wyoming is one of fourteen states that have not addressed the need for 24-hour trap checks. Wyoming state law currently requires a 72-hour check for leg hold traps and up to 13 days for snares and quick kill traps. Long trap check cycles result in suffering, pain, dehydration, starvation and loss of litters when a female/mother is trapped. For family pets that have been trapped, a 24-hour trap check could mean the difference between life and death.
 
Trap Set Backs (Commission) - Trap setbacks of 300 feet off of busy public trails statewide. The public has a right to safe travel on trails, this right extends to their traveling companions, including dogs and livestock.
 
Mandatory Signage (Legislature) - Caution signs, warning recreationists, hunters, anglers and non-consumptive users of the dangers of trapping and specific trap placement on public lands, should be a mandatory requirement.
 
Mandatory Reporting – Non-Target and Pets  (Legislature) - Reporting of all non-target species trapped and/or killed, including pets. Trappers and the Wyoming Game and Fish would argue that trapping is a management tool. Without mandatory reporting there is no data, without data there is no management.
 
Mandatory Reporting – All Species (Legislature) - Reporting of all species trapped. See above. Trappers and the Wyoming Game and Fish would argue that trapping is a management tool. Without mandatory reporting there is no data, without data there is no management.
 
Mandatory Trapper Education (Legislature) - Mandatory trapper education should be a requirement. Idaho’s mandatory Trapper Education Law went into effect July 1, 2018. This law requires first-time trappers to complete a Trapper Education Course before purchasing a license. The class is designed to teach trappers how to “minimize impact on others” as well as best practices to avoid trapping, injuring and killing non-target animals. Wyoming is lagging behind our neighboring states on trap reform that would make our public lands safer for all.
 
Ban of all trigger-loaded Power snares and Senneker snares  (Legislature and/or Commission)- Power Snares and Senneker snares are extremely lethal, non-target species including pets are killed almost instantly. These traps should not be allowed on Wyoming landscapes.
 
Mandatory Conservation Stamp Purchase (Legislature) - “Funds from the conservation stamp purchase are used to support habitat and wildlife projects in Wyoming”. (WGFD) Anglers and Hunters are required to purchase a Conservation Stamp, trappers are not. Trappers, who use the public’s wildlife for economic gain, should, more than any other user, be required to purchase a Conservation Stamp.
 
Live Traps (Commission) - Live traps should be used wherever and whenever possible. Live traps would ensure that non-target species, including protected and endangered species, can be released unharmed. Snares, leg hold, Conibear, Senneker and Power Snares are non-discriminate, they kill and maim regardless of species and protection status.​
 
Require all traps and snares to be removed at the end of trapping season (Legislature) - Thousands of traps and snares are left behind on our public landscapes at the end of trapping season.  Some remain active. Trappers should be responsible for cleaning up all litter and hazards which they have placed on the land.
 
Initiate statewide trapping reform stakeholder task force outside of WGFD (Legislature) - Trapping reform awareness statewide is growing rapidly which is initiating more public involvement and demand for immediate change.
 
Review furbearer trapping regulations every two years (Legislature) - Trapping regulations are scheduled for review on a three-year time frame.  However, hunting and fishing are reviewed every two years.

Meeting Dates


Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - COMPLETED
Rock Springs, White Mountain Library
2935 Sweetwater Dr.


Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - COMPLETED
Jackson, Wort Hotel, Jackson Room
50 Glenwood St.


Thursday, September 3, 2020 - COMPLETED
Sheridan, Best Western Sheridan Center
612 N. Main St.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 - in person or Virtual
Laramie, Wyoming Game and Fish Regional Office
1212 S. Adams St.
Virtual 
 VirtualRegistration directions 

Thursday, September 10, 2020 - in person or Virtual
Lander, The Inn at Lander, Wind River Room
260 Grandview Dr.

Virtual VirtualRegistration directions 

Wildlife agencies must act progressively
on trapping reform 2020.

The incidental trapping of pets resulting in injuries and death continues to increase on our public lands. In the wake of these tragedies, current WGFD regulations leave recreationalist believing that there is no or little accountability in the sport of trapping and that there is “no safe place for recreationalist in Wyoming.” This dynamic is bad for the sport of trapping and bad for Wyoming.  
 

Furbearer Trapping Season
begins on October 1, 2020  

Know how to stay safe out in the field with your pet by reviewing our trap release video and more. See our new GIS non-target trapping database. This is the only pet trapping incident database in the state. Please report any trapping incidents to info@wyominguntrapped.org, or call 307-201-2422.
 

DONATE for trap-free trails via Old Bill's
Old Bill’s Reimagined “Countdown Week” celebrations will be held September 8-11, with RUN DAY Reimagined on Saturday, Sept 12, 10:00 a.m.  Join us for remote and virtual celebrations to highlight our mission. More details: oldbills.org
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As always, thanks to our photographers, videographers and individuals for graciously sharing high-quality Wyoming wildlife and landscape images for our visual content needs.

Photo:
Little Beaver Foot in a Leghlold: Coburn Meadow, Fall Creek, WY
L. Robertson

 
Copyright © 2018 Wyoming Untrapped, All rights reserved.


** Wyoming Untrapped promotes trapping reform through education and advocacy for Wyoming’s people, pets and wildlife.**

Our mailing address is:
PO Box 9004, Jackson, Wyoming, 83002

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