Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping How do you justify trapping, from a sportsman's perspective?

I haven't read through all the replies, so I will no doubt be repeating a few things.

There are alot of hunters that are against trapping, I think its because they are just ignorant as to how its done.

Forget the pictures you see of the steel trap with the teeth, they are not used, and are illegal. the modern trapper uses an offset jaw, meaning they do not close all the way. Another myth is that trapped animals will chew their leg off, HOGWASH. if a trapper is having this happen, its his fault, and he needs to set his traps up properly. a trap needs to have plenty of swivel action so the animal cannot get tangled up and apply pressure, causing cutting and a possible broken leg. Any trapper that is not a slob has his traps set up to keep the animal as comfortable as possible.contrary to popular belief, the trap is not designed to slam home with such a force that it will break bone,or even cut the skin. if it were I would have no hands left! yes, I catch my hand in traps every year, it isn't a major ordeal, never broke anything or even bleed.

As a management tool, trapping is very humane. How you may ask? well, have you ever seen mange?distemper?rabies? trust me, trapping is a much more humane than mother natures way of population control.and these horrible diseases will take hold if population numbers go unchecked. As a trapper, I do not go out with the ambition of wiping out an area, for one it would be impossible, two, where would I go next year? for me and every trapper I know, we take a certain amount from an area and move on. Doing this actually helps the overall population, sure it isn't good for the ones who get killed, but the ones that are left have less competition for food and territory, which leads to a healthier overall population.

As for not being "sporting" have you ever tried narrowing the most cunning animals (which preditors are) world down to a two inch trap pan?

Trappers have more knowledge of all game and their habit's and habitat. they understand all game the way most big game hunters can only dream of.

"How do you justify trapping"

Been thinking about this and decided I want to change my answer... I do not justify trapping. There is simply no need to defend something as basic as using renewable resources.
art

I think 1912 just proved you two wrong...

"How do you justify trapping"

I do not justify trapping.
There is simply no need to defend something as basic as using a renewable resources.
art

I use conibears, kills them harder and deader, they're not hanging on to this life for but a minute. I, for the most part don't see much sport in shooting a deer at under 100 yards with a 3 to 9 leupold but I do it 6 times a year. I don't do for survival, neather one, I do it because I enjoy useing the out doors.Have you found many full set of bones? Fish, fur or fowl, most all meet a violent death if you want to look at it that way. One more thing, when prices are up, what a kick in the ass.

I have thought about this for TWO weeks and hunting is no sport by this definition either, because it is about gathering a resource or controlling a problem. I never had any penchant for mixing and matching mucous membranes with retards but have enjoyed shooting a few cerebrally challenged gophers ---that were a problem.

Sport exists in the mind of the perp.