You (hypothetically) noticed on your lovely, snowy walk that someone else had walked along the same trail.
You were curious as their tracks kept stopping and veering briefly to one side or another.
Then, with a hypothetical gasp, you realized what the track-maker was up to.
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Ahhh good, you're back.
Did you see it: dead centre in each photo ?
Did you figure out what the nature-lover was up to ?
Here's a closer view.
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| A snare. |
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| Clever way to garrote those pesky bunnies. |
Setting snares for Snowshoe Hares is quite legal here in Nova Scotia: the offence would be if you damaged, destroyed or messed with someone's snares.
So ... hypothetically speaking, what would YOU do if you came across eight or nine such things while out walking in your quiet wood ?
I dunno. I might assume it was a meat eater going for organic, free-ranging food and might leave a note asking them to please not put their snares in the pathway where harm could come to dogs out for a walk. I don't know how snares work though. Can you 'spring' them without destroying them? That might also send a message.
ReplyDeleteSo I just read about snares. I didn't realize it was slow death by strangulation and that cats and dogs can walk into one too. I would definitely destroy them.
ReplyDeletePeople should stop eating dead animals. Period.
I honestly would say the snare is too small for a dog and very unlikely a cat would get into one. I just think it's a pretty shitty way to die. The amazing thing is that it's legal to snare Coyotes here and those traps sure could get a dog. Then again why sympathize with a dog and not the poor Coyote ?
DeleteWhat snares?
ReplyDeleteThe little wire circles are snares. The rabbit/hare runs through it and gets choked to death.
DeleteWIth all types of meat freely available on most supermarket shelves, I cannot imagine why someone would deliberately set snares or traps for *any* wild animals.
ReplyDeleteUnless you have to survive in an isolated wilderness, and are miles away from civilisation (and not in a nature reserve where it's presumably prohibited to kill anything), I don't understand why someone would do this. Even if it's legal. Being legal doesn't mean it's right, kind, or compassionate.
What happens if a wild creature does get trapped in these snares, but the hunter doesn't come back to check on them? That would be barbaric!
If you have to kill to survive, then at least have the decency to eat the meat, and make good use of everything else, like fur, sinews, bones, etc.
Your hypothetical blog post has gotten me quite riled...
Do you know who might be setting these traps, Sybil?
Ahh now you're raising interesting points because that meat that is freely available in the supermarket probably lived an horrific life and had a likewise awful death.
DeleteIn that context, I'd rather eat a wild animal.
The trapped animals died fairly quickly, but it is far from a humane death.
I don't know who is setting the traps but they have the right so to do.
As you can see from my answer, this is not a black and white issue.
Lots of people trap here in the UP, Sybil. I even (gasp) had to learn to make snares during a Wilderness Survival Class in order to learn how not to starve to death. Having said that, I've completely forgotten how to make them. Being mostly a vegetarian, I'm not interested in meat, but there are so many people around here who believe it's morally superior to trap/hunt than to get food from the supermarket where the animals have lived in cages and been pumped with antibiotics for their short life. What would I do, what would I do? I have no idea... Probably write a blog just like you did.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI've been vegetarian for 25 years, but I personally would agree that hunting and snaring are a moral improvement on current animal farming practises. A really lousy last few minutes of life is better than being tortured for your entire life and then having a lousy last few minutes.
DeleteAdditionally, I think people get themselves riled up over cute animals or animals that they keep as pets and couldn't care less about animals that don't fit that category. Why do North Americans lose their minds with anger over people eating rabbits, dogs, horses or seals, but get all excited eating pigs (mmm bacon) which are arguably smarter than seals, dogs or horses?
Hunting is small potatoes and better than the alternative, if you're going to eat meat. Leave it be and focus on factory farming.
Amen brother!
DeleteActually Les, that would be "Amen Nephew". ;-)
DeleteI put a link to this post on FaceBook and got a few comments that gently put me to rights.
My friend Brian, "gently" called me a vandal.
Would I do it again ? No.
It was an emotional reaction on my part.
I've walked in woods and found open snares numerous times. Have only closed them when I could see that they hadn't been checked in a long time (this is easy when there's snow on the ground). Most ethical trappers check their snares daily. They also do this to prevent bobcats and coyotes from getting to their prey first.
ReplyDeleteSybil, since you don't know who set the snares, it could be that the person responsible is the owner of the property you're hiking on. The landowner may have also granted permission to a particular trapper to set snares there. Unless this was my property, I would not be disturbing any snares set by someone else.
Amy-Lynn, You're right. I over-reacted. I still don't like the snares but I was out of line
DeleteGosh, Sybil, how I adore thee. I love how you just so simply admit you over-reacted. Funny thing, this week at work Barry had to cover a trapper visiting the local Catholic school. So he's doing this huge trapping story for the paper. I have so many mixed feelings about it. Hugs to you.
DeleteI would probably be startled, stop dead in my tracks and start pondering the circle of life, hoping that the trapper is not greedy, but reverent, only respectfully taking what he needs.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I think your reaction is more thoughtful and measured than my own. I can be a tad "high-handed" at times ... :-) In retrospect, I was out of line destroying the snares...
DeleteI know someone who has had their dog caught in a snare on two occasions...on their own property! I have neighbours who trap and kill just for fun. We don`t let our dogs run free on our property any more. I`ll never be comfortable with traps and snares.
ReplyDeleteI think on your own property you have to post endless "no hunting/trapping" signs every 50 feet or so. Crazy. You should be able to walk your dog on your own property. I imagine the snare that got your friend's dog, was set for a coyote and not a Hare.
DeleteHey, I have a quick question I wanted to ask you about your blog, do you think you could send me an email when you get this? Thanks! Tiffany
ReplyDeletetpham(at)dropcam(dot)com