Misinformation about trapping needs to stop

I’ve been an avid outdoorsman for more than 40 years — a hunter, fisherman, trapper and conservationist. I am proud of the work that like-minded folks have accomplished for wildlife and wildlife habitat. But I am saddened, too, that today I see so many of those accomplishments beginning to crumble, to be weakened and pulled apart by a small, misguided and misinformed sector of our society.

Today, the very folks whose efforts — time, sweat and money — have protected and improved wildlife and habitat for decades are being cast by this minority as the problem. It needs to stop. Good people who care about the future of wildlife in our state and country — who have taken a proud role protecting wildlife — deserve better.

The North American Model for Wildlife Conservation is widely known to be the most successful program of its kind in the world. The model has two basic principles — that our fish and wildlife belong to all Americans, and that they need to be managed in a way that their populations will be sustained forever.

These principles, along with the proper application of the Endangered Species Act, has provided habitat improvements that have benefited many other species as well, while ensuring that the land could be managed effectively for multiple uses. The science behind these successes was due to extensive studies by many biologists and wildlife officials.

This effort was brought forward and funded by sportsmen and sportswomen, not by extreme animal protection groups. In the mid-1800s, it was sportsmen, hunters, trappers and fishermen who recognized the declining populations of wildlife and fish. They stepped up, formed conservation groups, recruited political support, raised funds and passed legislation. To this day, the vast majority of the money raised in support of wildlife and habitat is by the sportsmen who hunt, fish and trap.

Unfortunately, instead of being a tool to effectively manage our resources for future generations, wildlife conservation has been hijacked by special-interest groups with no interest in science or biology. They believe, wrongly, that we ought to manage wildlife based on public opinion, not on sound science.

Now there is an effort by a small sector to ban certain wildlife management tools, such as trapping. They believe, wrongly again, that nature will just balance itself. They attempt to paint those who hunt and trap as irresponsible and callous. They attempt to get initiatives on the ballot to restrict or ban legal activities that they simply don’t like. And they consistently and constantly attempt to mislead the public.

Trapping is recognized not just by wildlife agencies but by leading wildlife organizations as valued and necessary tool. The Wildlife Society, North America’s leading association of wildlife scientists, calls regulated trapping a “safe, efficient and practical means of capturing individual animals without impairing the survival of furbearer populations or damaging the environment.”

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies states that “contrary to public perception, trapping is good for conservation and sustaining wildlife health and diversity. Regulated trapping is an important way for biologists to collect data about wildlife, including information about wildlife diseases like rabies that can also affect people.”

Attempting to ban trapping on public lands under the notion that a ban is “good” for wildlife is simply wrong and goes against all the science available. Montana is lucky in that we have a strong wildlife agency that regulates and manages trapping activities, and we have trappers here who honor and respect the animals and their habitat, and are active in ensuring their long-term sustainability. Trappers work with the wildlife agencies to monitor animal populations and to police the industry.

I know there are those who despise the idea of taking an animal for any purpose. It is, however, unrealistic. Those who spend time outdoors learn that the circle of life is a real, present and not always pretty. But it is always necessary.

Hunting, fishing and trapping are part of our Montana conservation heritage, and hunters, fisherman and trappers are at the forefront of efforts to ensure we have sustainable wildlife populations. More than anything else, sportsmen care about conservation and ensuring our precious wildlife resources will be as healthy and vibrant as we found it.

I hope that understanding what the history of conservation has accomplished and how it has failed will give us common sense over emotions to shape our future.

Tom Fieber, of Polson, is a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Montana Trappers Association, Mission Valley Archers and Mission Valley Shooting Club, and is a hunter education instructor for Lake County.