actions against trapping

"A trap should never be left un-sprung or in the open, treat it like the rest of the redneck litter you find in the woods"    G. W. Hayduke

The standard disclaimer applies,  remember this is just for informational purposes.  Despite the cruelty involved, turn a blind eye.  This section has borrowed liberally from Ecodefense by Dave Foreman

Dig a hole away from the site the litter is found, dump the crap in, and bury it.  If there is concern that some animal will dig up the trash before it degrades, *muratic acid will rust metal.

*Muratic acid is a weak version of Hydrochloric acid and is available as a swimming pool cleaner and will store is a standard #2 plastic water bottle.  (Label it so you don't get mixed up.)  I consulted our friendly neighborhood chemist regarding the environmental impact of this tactic.  Muratic acid will very shortly turn into salt water in soil and has roughly the same impact as watering your lawn with treated tap water.

Muratic acid can also be used to rust a trap shut in place, but you risk the possibility that the trapper can get it functional again.

There is a possibility that you may come across an injured animal while walking in the woods.  An animal in pain will view you as a threat regardless of your intention.  The act of freeing a trapped animal is best done with two people but can be accomplished by one if you are careful.

For those not familiar with opening traps check out both these links from wildlife watch:

OPENING A LEGHOLD TRAP

OPENING A CONIBEAR

SIMPLE NOOSE STICKS

# 1) Hardwood walking stick with two inconspicuous holes drilled in shaft to accommodate eye-bolt hardware. Carry hardware, rope and wrench in pack or pocket. Can be assembled in two minutes. Walking stick can also be used to probe for traps.

#2) Variation of # 1 using only one eye-bolt. In place of second eye-bolt guide, wrap rope loosely around shaft. Knots on cord allow for sure grip.

#3) Field expedient noose stick. Be sure to select a strong and relatively straight stick or branch.

A) Tie one knot leaving several inches free on end.

B) Tie second knot to long cord which then loops back through.

C) Variation using a short cord to make a loop guide for noose.

The best way to release the trapped animal is with the aid of a "noose pole" to restrain the animal and protect you from bites. Commercially manufactured noose poles are available through veterinary supply houses that advertise in dog magazines. They come in various lengths, starting at three feet.

1st. You should first cover the animal's head with a coat or shirt.  This will usually calm the animal.  A crude restraint stick can be made by making a slip noose and tying it around the end of a branch.

2nd. Access the damage to the limb.  Go or send for help if needed. 

3rd. As quickly as possible, slip the noose around the neck of the animal.  Have your helper hold it, or kneel on the stick.  If possible, make sure that the head is covered to avoid bitten and avoid undue stress on the animal.

4th. Moving the injured limb as little as possible, open the trap.  A trap hurts like hell if it snaps shut on your fingers; imagine it snapping back on an injured limb.   I recommend having a good size stick to put in the open trap jaws.

5th. Make sure no other animal can be injured in the trap.  Give the rescued animal water if you have some available and it its safe to do so.  If at all possible, take the animal to seek veterinary care.  Traps often brake bones.

It is our opinion that no one should be left in a trap, even if dead.  Why allow profit from such a horrible practice.

The Ecodefense Deluxe Noose Pole

To meet the need to conceal an anti-trapping noose pole in a small car or a backpack, this collapsible noose pole was designed. Made of thick-walled PVC pipe, it is extremely lightweight and can be assembled in less than an hour with materials costing less than ten dollars.

All the materials can be bought at any hardware store, but to avoid suspi­cion, spread your business around to different stores.

Materials: One length of 1 /2 inch (internal diameter) Schedule 40 (thick, not thin-walled) PVC pipe (you will use only 3 - 5 feet). One end cap for pipe (Illustration A). Two or three screw coupler sets (Illustration D). Four feet of 1/8 inch braided steel cable. One cable "stop" for the above (Illustration B). One cable "ferrule" for the above (Illustration C). Four or more feet of 1/4 inch braided nylon rope. PVC solvent and cement (for assembling pipe pieces).

As you can see from the diagram, the end cap is drilled with two holes to pass the noose cable through (A). Before gluing the cap to the end of the pipe, place the cable stop (B) on one end (crimp it to the cable with a couple of ham­mer blows), and crimp the other end into the ferrule, along with one end of the nylon rope (C). Pulling on the rope will tighten the noose.

Cut the PVC pipe into the lengths you require. Think about this first. If you plan to carry it inside a small pack or under a car seat, measure the space first. Then size your individual segments accordingly. If the sections are longer, you may want to go with three pieces; if shorter, try four segments. Don't be surprised if they don't screw together completely and some thread shows.

Into the end of the last section cut two notches about an inch deep to accommodate the nylon rope (E). Tie knots into the end of the rope at intervals of about one-and-a-half inches. When the rope is slipped into the notch in the pipe, the knot will not pass through and will lock the noose tight around the neck of the animal you are rescuing.

A sturdier, heavier, and only slightly more costly version of this noose pole can be made by substituting galvanized pipe for the PVC. Look for the less­ conspicuous black-finish galvanized pipe. Have it cut and threaded at the store where you buy it.

A simple noose pole can be improvised from a shock-corded aluminum tent pole. Also see the illustration for Simple Noose Sticks.

The lightweight PVC noose pole will bend and flex if an animal struggles. Do not use brute strength to subdue. Keep your distance and wait for the animal

to calm down. See instructions for tightening the noose until animal is uncon­scious, but take such extreme measures only if really necessary.

Store your noose pole in a cloth bag to keep your fingerprints off and to keep dirt and grit from fouling the pipe threads. If confronted, say you carry it because you've had to release your pet dogs from traps before.

Using The Noose Pole:

Approach the animal slowly with your noose pole extended to the front. If the animal is agitated, softly talking to it or quietly humming can have a calming effect. Some animals will sit still, paralyzed with fear, while others will struggle and try to pull away.

Tighten the noose around its neck, then restrain the animal to prevent it from injuring itself by struggling. Usually you can push the animal's head to the ground and step on the trap springs with your feet to effect the release. If the animal struggles, you may have to cut off its air by tightening the noose. The animal will pass out and go limp. Loosen the noose immediately, but only slightly, to permit the unconscious animal to breathe again. The animal will recover in a few minutes, after you have removed the trap. Remember, though, that they may revive at any time.

When actually loosening the trap by stepping on the springs, you may find that a previously docile animal begins to struggle. Sometimes the trap cuts off circulation, eventually deadening the pain. As the pressure of the trap jaws is released, the revitalizing blood flow can cause extreme pain in a paw that is swollen, cut, or broken. Be prepared for an animal to suddenly struggle or attempt to bite (even pet dogs often react this way and bite their people). Before releasing an animal from the noose pole, make sure it has a clear escape route away from you.

An additional aid for releasing trapped animals is a heavy coat or tarpaulin. Throw this over the animal to calm it. This can be especially helpful when releasing cats or birds of prey, as the cloth can prevent them from scratching with the free foot.

Special Release Problems.

EAGLES, HAWKS, AND OTHER BIRDS - Some scumbag trappers still use dead animal baits that lure curious birds of prey, ravens, vultures, and others into the trap jaws. (The so-called "mountain man" Claude Dallas, who murdered two game wardens in Idaho, was such a man.) To avoid their claws during release, grab the wing opposite the trapped leg and stretch the bird away from that leg before releasing the trap jaws. Eagles are very powerful and difficult to release. Cover the free leg with a coat or heavy cloth and hold it alongside the trapped leg to prevent scratching. Step back quickly when releasing an eagle. Heavy leather gloves help protect you from scratching. The best type are heavy welder's gloves with gauntlets that protect the wrist.

PORCUPINES - Gloves are no protection against porcupine quills, and you should never throw a coat or cloth over a porcupine as this can injure the ani­mal by pulling out quills. A noose pole can be used to stretch the victim away from the trap by snaring the tail or a back leg. Since porky often protects itself by turning its back and raising its quills, one person can hold the tail down with a stick and then carefully grasp the long hairs and quills (when grasping, move your hand slightly to the rear, in the same direction as the quills). Lift the por­cupine by the tail, using the other hand to support the abdomen. A second person can then release the trap jaws.

BADGERS - The Badger is one of the toughest critters around and must be handled accordingly. Even finding them can be a bit of a problem. A trapped Badger usually tears up everything within reach, leaving a circle of torn-up earth around the trap. Sometimes a Badger will succeed in burying itself in the loose dirt. If you find this torn-up circle and no Badger, use a long stick to probe the loose earth. If you still find no Badger, it may already have been killed and taken away. Check the vicinity for new trap sets.

SKUNKS - Only the bravest and kindliest souls release skunks. Our expe­rience with live-trapping skunks to remove them from civilized areas has shown that their temperaments vary. Some are calm as house cats, while others show total panic. It is possible to lure the skunk into several spraying attempts to "empty" it out (several times). Be prepared to move fast and remember that skunks can spray as far as 12 feet.

 For more information on trapping, consult your local library. Do your reading at the library, if possible, to avoid leaving a check-out record showing an inter­est in the subject. At bookstores look for a trapping book with information on trapping the wildlife found in your area. The monthly magazine Fur-Fish-Game (which can be purchased anonymously at a newsstand or grocery store) regu­larly has trapping tips, advertisements for suppliers, and dates and locations for trappers' conventions (use your imagination here).

FIELD NOTES

* A skunk's spray not only sticks to your clothing, but also penetrates your clothes and sticks to your skin. Therefore, a non-permeable garment is needed. You are probably not one to ruin a good rain suit on every trapped skunk you come across. Also, wearing nylon on the job is a no-no. There is an alternative: military chemical warfare gear. It is not terribly expensive ($15 or less) for a matching set of coat and trousers. They are said to be impenetrable to nerve gas, chlorine gas, and mustard gas-and they work well with skunk spray, too. Old worn sets, though, are worthless! Buy only those sealed in their original package. Never launder this stuff either, or you'll take out the protective chemical. It is also wise to get a good gas mask. Surplus Israeli Civil Defense masks are now available from many sources (mine cost $7). So: buy local, pay cash, and remember the words PAPER TRAIL. Good luck and happy trails.

-Mephitas

• When you discover a trap line of any type, careful surveillance of the trap­per checking his traps may reveal still more sets. Watch to find out when he checks his traps. Check all likely locations for traps. Use a couple of short poles and your feet to probe sections of game trails. Check the entrances to culverts and under bridges. Look for low spots under fences. Bodies of dead animals, chunks of meat, or feathers might be suspended from bushes over buried traps.

• Some trap saboteurs have used a dog on a leash to locate .traps set for Coyotes. The dogs found traps carefully buried next to small bushes or tree stumps that were sprayed with urine from captive coyotes, making false "scent posts" that attracted every curious Coyote in the area.

• Two pairs of vise grips make the job of extricating an animal from a trap quick and easy. Simply apply a vise grip to each pair of springs on the trap.

•        Perhaps Coyotes under pressure from "varmint hunters" can be "trained" to avoid the gunmen. Hand-held varmint calls and instructional tapes are available through gun shops and sporting goods outlets. Those who don't want to learn the calling techniques, can use portable loudspeaker systems with cassette tapes in the field. Many books describe the hunting techniques in detail. With this information, the monkeywrencher can camouflage herself well, take to the field, and call up Coyotes, Bobcats, etc. A rifle or handgun used to fire blanks or even send live rounds whizzing safely past Coyote will make her be more cautious in the future, much to the detriment of the varmint calling "sportsmen." As long as you obey state game laws (such as purchasing a hunting license), this is perfectly legal.

* It may be possible to monkeywrench a trapper's vehicle while he is away setting his traps. Since most trappers are too lazy to go far from their wheels, such opportunities are rare and risky.

* "Bug zappers" indiscriminately slaughter flying insects and should be out­lawed. Until then, they should be put out of commission whenever possible. They can be taken and destroyed, or shot out with BB guns, pellet guns, or slingshots.

The Trap Line In Snow

The winter trap line environment often presents a special danger in the form of snow. It is difficult to conceal your tracks in snow and hide the evidence of your work. Trappers are often sensitive to tracks because they use them as a guide to animal travel and trap set locations. A number of tactics can minimize this liability and even turn it to your advantage. (Many of these points apply in other seasons, too.)

- Follow the same roads the trapper uses. When walking, stay in the tire tracks so passing vehicles later will wipe away your prints. If driving, use a suitable winter vehicle equipped to get you unstuck. Scout your routes ahead of time to memorize the layout and become aware of road hazards that might leave you stranded.

  - Always have a good cover story for being in the area. Rehearse. Firewood cutting, and hunting (with rifle, license, and knowledge of what's in season) are good covers, but don't pretend to be another trapper. Trappers are the biggest "trap thieves" and are always suspect.

-- You don't want to drive past the scene of an animal release/sabotage on your way out. Have your vehicle pointed to exit, not enter, the area.

-- Stop your vehicle on hard ground to minimize sign of entering and exiting. On narrow one-way roads, pull past the target a short distance and walk back. If the trapper shows up while you're working, you may hear him stop and get out of his vehicle before he walks up on you.

-- Minimize footprints and disturbed ground by walking the same path in and out. This is especially important in snow.

~ Keep any equipment accessible, yet hidden, inside your vehicle.

~ If you don't want to carry a noose pole to free trapped animals, consider a short heavy stick about four feet long with a fork on one end just deep enough to pin a small animal neck to the ground. Pin down the animal's head and neck as far from the trap as possible. If the trap chain is taut, the animal's trapped leg pulled straight, and the head pinned as far away as possible, the chances of being bitten or scratched (cats) is minimized. (The same principle of pulling the animal tight away from the trap applies to noose-pole releases.) With the forked end of the stick pinning the animal's neck, lodge the other end into the front of your shoulder and use your body weight to hold the animal down. This frees both hands the open the trap.

-- If there are two of you, the one securing the animal's head doubles as lookout.

-- Never carry the trap away with you. Toss it as far as you can into trees or dense brush, down hillsides, into water, or the like.

-- If you use bolt cutters to cut trap chains, remember they may leave tool marks on the cut surface. Take care of this problem by cutting the link com­pletely free of the rest of the chain and tossing it in a different direction. The chances of a search turning up a single cut chain link are very small. Even if the trap is recovered, the cut link bearing tool marks will be missing.

-- Many people carry a broom (sometimes shortened) to sweep snow off their cars in winter. You should also, and use it to wipe away your tracks. Avoid wide sweeping moves that are obvious on the ground. Use the tip of the broom to wipe away each track one at a time, both around the trap set and on your trail as you walk backwards out of the area and back to your vehicle. You won't be able to both work fast (which is important) and eliminate all sign, so concentrate on eliminating prints that can be traced back to you.

-- Accompanied by your pet dog, you can claim, if caught, that you were just freeing your dog from a trap. Act extremely irate that someone would do that to your dog.

 -Learn to use the weather to your advantage. Going out just before, or in the early part of a snow storm may mean a blanket of fresh snow will hide your activity. This is not a substitute for wiping away your footprints, just an added advantage. Follow weather reports closely and learn by studying local weather patterns in the area where you operate.

-- If operating on foot in snow, have two or three pairs of winter boots (cheap moon boots are good), each with different soles. After working a trap line, retire the boots you were wearing for a few weeks at least. If that sole print is evident in the snow around your home, tromp around in a different pair of boots to obliterate the prints. A visiting game warden might be curious about tire tracks and footprints that may resemble those found near the scene of sabo­tage.

-- If stopped and questioned, be friendly and give your rehearsed cover story. If questioned at home, don't deny traveling around the area to hike/hunt/cut firewood, etc. If more than a day has passed, be vague and uncertain. Tell them you went a lot of places that day. Remember, an investi­gating officer might consider you a possible helpful witness rather than a sus­pect. Play the part.

- Be aware of ground conditions. Warm weather may leave bare ground that won't take footprints readily. Doing your work early in the morning or during cold snaps may let you do most of your walking on hard frozen ground. South facing slopes and windblown areas are most likely to have bare ground but watch for mud. It's better to leave tracks in snow that will melt than in soft ground that will only harden and preserve your footprints.

- If only trappers use a certain road, consider accidentally dropping nails for their tires (or other tire-flattening methods discussed elsewhere). Do so near a recognizable landmark so you can remove the nails after trapping season.

-Jim Deakins

Snares

Another insidious trap, used against small game, such as rabbits, and predators, like Coyotes and foxes, is the wire snare. This device consists of nothing more than a loop of lightweight cable or braided wire (as is used to hang picture frames) set in a place where animals will likely pass. (See illustrations.) The snare works like a miniature cowboy's lariat, tightening around anything unlucky enough to pass through it. It is draped over small branches around an animal trail or outside an animal's burrow. Stockmen and government trappers will put them in low spots that Coyotes dig for trails under woven wire fences. Corners where two fences come together are especially popular. As the animal passes through the noose-like snare, it tightens about her neck and slowly strangles her. Smaller animals are frequently snared around the middle of their bodies and may be almost cut in half after a prolonged and fruitless struggle.

Usually, you must look closely to spot snares. When you find one, cut the wire in an inconspicuous manner, perhaps close to the point where it is anchored or tied, or in a spot hidden by brush or loose dirt. This will insure that it cannot strangle any passing animal. If you take the entire snare, the trapper will simply and cheaply replace it. Make the snare look perfectly normal after disabling it, and the trapper will be none the wiser.

-Rags the Digger

Coyote Getter

This handy tool can be used while browsing through the fox, Bobcat, Lynx, Badger, Beaver, Cougar, Coyote, Ermine, Mink, and Muskrat coats at your "favorite" fur shop.

The "coyote getter" consists of an inexpensive air brush modestly cus­tomized. Badger makes one for around $35 (model #350) including hose and bottles. An 11 ounce can of propellant runs about $4.

Modify a cheap pair of gloves so you can conceal the brush and tip in them. Cut a small hole in the glove just large enough to expose the spray tip. Paint the tip the same color as the glove. Use tape or rubber bands to fasten the brush to your hand and wrist (put the brush in your palm and use your thumb to press the trigger). Run the air hose up your arm and down to your coat pocket (the coat should have a hole cut in the inside of the pocket for the hose to come through). Fill the paint bottle (carried in your coat pocket) with your favorite fluorescent dye or paint, and hook up the hose to the propellant can.

While browsing, surreptitiously "decorate" the coats where they won't be immediately noticed from the aisle, and leave.

-Mr. Goodwrench

SNARES

The wire or cable snare is another trapper's tool designed to strangle an animal to death.

A) typical wire snare.

B) Snare set in crawl hole under fence.

C) Snare set on trail. Tilted branch keeps larger animals like deer and livestock away from snare. This trick also used with leghold traps.

D) Snare set on a log crossing a stream.

FIELD NOTES

* Browse through the fur coats on the rack at your local classy department store with a razor blade concealed in hand. Slice the lining of the coats from the inside as you admire them.

FENCE CUTTING

One of the ugliest sights you are likely to encounter while traveling about the West is the all-too-familiar dead Coyote dangling from a rancher's fence. Never are you presented with a better reason to stop straddling the fence and start cutting it.

The tactics used will vary depending on whether you're in your neighbor­hood, or just passing through. Your primary consideration must be to avoid being caught, since small town juries and judges in ranching country are not likely to sympathize with a goldang Coyote lover.

In Your Neighborhood

When you first spot the dead coyote, DO NOT stop or even slow down to look. Casually look about to see if anyone is observing you or working in the area. Drive out of the area and wait at least ten minutes before driving past the scene again. On this second scouting run, use your odometer to measure dis­tances from landmarks that will be visible at night to the scene of the crime. If necessary, make brief cryptic written notes of distances, but remember to burn the note after committing the key information to memory. Your notes might read, "Hwy. junction 21.5-gully 22.1-m.p. 145 22.7-X [marks the spot] 23.2-bridge 23.9," and you will memorize that the target is 1.7 miles from the highway junction, and one half mile past milepost marker 145. If you approach from the other side, you know it is seven tenths of a mile past the bridge to the target. This precise pinpointing of the target by distance will keep you from making the classic error of cruising the rural road or highway in a slow and conspicuous manner while you squint into the darkness hoping to glimpse the dead Coyote. Always assume it will be hard to spot at night.

Wait for a suitably dark night, and have a trustworthy companion drive while you cut. Approach when there is no other traffic. You may have to drive by more than once to accomplish this. That is why you need landmarks and mileages from both directions. If the area has homes or ranches located next to the road, don't drive by more than a couple of times. It's safer to wait for another night. After all, that Coyote isn't going anywhere. When you make the hit, try to leave the vehicle on the road, rather than leaving traceable tire tracks on the shoulder. You will, of course, be wearing dark clothing, smooth-soled shoes, and gloves. Your cutting tools will be thoroughly wiped clean of fingerprints in case you drop them or have to ditch them. Wire cutters might suffice, but a fence tool is best (see the section on Grazing in the Developments chapter).

Leave one of the top two strands of barbed wire intact. This will keep cattle from straying onto the road. In sheep country, leave a strand or two of the woven wire panel on the bottom intact. Barbed wire should be cut once between each set of fence posts. Woven wire (usually a crisscrossed four by four inch welded smooth wire) should be cut on each side of a couple of fence posts, and generally butchered. Do all of the cutting you can in 60 to 90 sec­onds and promptly leave. Don't try to cut the whole fence down. Just cutting it up near the dead Coyote will convey the message. (Be careful when cutting tightly strung wire since it may pop back at you and take a slice out of your body. Cut wire next to the post and stand to the side.)

If the target is located near a house, consider having your partner drop you off nearby to let you approach it on foot. Carefully pre-arrange the time and location for your later pickup. Have a backup time and place in case anything goes wrong. You may also want to carry a pepper spray (see the section on Dogs in the Security chapter) in case man's best friend gets rowdy.

Drive away from the area at normal speed to avoid suspicion. You may want to bury or otherwise dispose of the wire cutters since they are probably the only thing short of a confession that can positively link you to the crime. That safety and peace of mind are well worth a few dollars. If you are questioned as to why your car stopped out there that night, you can always say that you stopped to take a leak, or that something ran out in front of your car and you stopped so fast you stalled the engine.

Just Passing Through

If you are traveling through the area, you may want to do your fence work immediately. Always carry a dark plastic bag with some dirty, empty aluminum cans in your car. Pull off the road and pretend to be picking up cans. When the coast is clear, check one last time. If it's still clear, whip out your trusty cutters and quickly, but casually, go to work. Don't ever run in broad daylight as this looks mighty suspicious even from a long way off. In daytime, you should only do as much cutting as can be accomplished in 15 to 30 seconds. Casually stroll back to your vehicle and leave at normal speed.

Do not stop anywhere in the area unless you are desperately low on gas. Leave the county. Cross at least two county lines before stopping for the night. If the state line is nearby, modify your plans and vacation in another state for a while. Changing to a different highway might throw off a deputy or highway patrolman checking travelers for the elusive Coyote lover.

Admittedly, all of this seems awfully elaborate for a little fence cutting, but your Coyote-killing rancher will consider a crime against his property to be just about a capital offense. In Texas, where a lot of stockmen favor this type of fence decor, it is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, to cut a fence. This law is a hold-over from the open-range fence cutting wars of the 1880s and 90s, but it is still on the books, and might be used on you if you get cocky or careless.

So, watch those fence lines, plan ahead, be careful, and STRIKE BACK! -Old Three Toes