Posted by MarkRobison at 4/17/2012 10:43 AM PDT on rgj.com
Upon seeing yesterday’s story about David Fulton being convicted of placing a trap too close to a roadway — an action that snared Jason and Amie Ruckmans’ dog Gretchen — Kim from Reno wrote to ask if that trap was the same as one that caught her dog on Jan. 5. [ Photo is the trap that caught Gretchen] It is the same trap, based on the Ruckmans’ photos, except that Fulton later added snares because, he told me, something kept tripping the trap but not getting caught.
Kim wrote:
Our Cain Terrier, Molly was caught in a live steel trap near the South Valley Sports Complex on January 5 this year. I wonder when Gretchen was caught in a trap and if the live steel trap was the same one Molly was caught in.
I thought the trap was set up by the park authority because of the label attached to the trap.
Fulton had added a notice saying the trap was “authorized.” It wasn’t. (He thought it was authorized because he purchased a trapping license.)
Since passage of SB364, law now requires trapper ID or NDOW registration number on all traps set on public land. And the public has the right to disturb a trap that poses obvious risk.
My wife and I were hiking in Spanish Springs, in Griffith Canyon, along the canyon floor, in early March, 2012. We entered the canyon at its NW end, just E of El Molino. After a bit, the trail forks. We took the right-hand fork which leads to the petroglyphs. There was a branch across the trail, blocking the trail so that we were forced to go around. Above this was a white flag. We investigated and found a large steel-jaw leghold trap, with teeth, concealed under the branch.
A bit further up the trail, I noticed a strange sensation on my ankle. My wife saw it was a snare and yelled for me to stop. I was able to remove the steel snare before being tripped and possibly injured on rocks or sharp brush, or breaking my ankle. I noted the snare was attached to a stake in the ground.
As I was not injured, I didn’t call any authorities, but this experience leads to several questions: “They should post a sign. Animals can’t read; it wouldn’t keep animals away, but it would protect people.” “What if a deer gets caught out of season?” “I was lucky to be wearing boots. What if somebody with tennis shoes got snared?”[Griffith Canyon is a popular local attraction where families and groups frequently hike to the petroglyphs.This hiker did not sustain lasting injury, but the potential for serious injury was certainly present.]
I was out with my hunting dog, a Brittany Spaniel, January 2012. We were in the mountains west of Pleasant Valley. She was suddenly caught in a leghold trap by her front leg. I was able to open the trap myself. Along came a trapper and told me: “I didn’t hear yelping. They’re not my traps.” He was carrying a gun which he pointed at me. This was intimidating to say the least, so I didn’t ask him any questions. I did check with NDOW later and they told me the trap was legally set. So nothing was ever done. I strongly suspect the trapper was lying, but I was intimidated by his aiming his gun at me.
A few years before that encounter, my other dog, a golden retriever was caught by her front leg in the same area but further south, toward the highway bridge. I was able to open the trap. I called NDOW and was told the trap was legal and nothing was done.
At hearings, trappers claim they are victims. How are they victims when incidents like this are rarely reported, but do happen.
Hello my name is Charles Rahn I am a Nevada outdoorsman and hunter and I am writing to support new regulation to have traps checked every 24 hours and be placed far from residences. I have seen animals wasted in leg traps for weeks and stumbled across many traps that have been anchored directly on paths. At a time when sportsmen are seeing a sharp decrease in reverence as every NASCAR yahoo try’s to shoot something from the heated seat on his quad, it is important that all sportsmen take on the role of ambassador. The trapping practices surrounding pyramid lake have been despicable.
