Trapping Bobcats for Fur in the U.S. is Going Strong—And It’s Grisly

[laughing dog]

Ever hear of the Socratic method? I was making some observations for discussion purposes.

So was I.

I responded to your claim to show how it was a false analogy.

You failed.

That's not hitting a nerve, that's just normal discussion.

You're the one who seems to have had a nerve hit by immediately making it personal, calling an observation/fact of nature "inhumane"

Observing that something is "inhumane" is not making it personal. Nor was your "Socratic question" an observation or fact of nature: it was a value judgment.

 

[Deepak]

How are these traps deployed? Is there a possibility that a hapless hiker or child could step in one?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

How are these traps deployed? Is there a possibility that a hapless hiker or child could step in one?

They are supposed to be deployed off trail. A hiker wouldn't get hurt. Children might get bruised but they are also strong enough to release them.

 

[Valjean]

Have you ever seen a bobcat sized jaw trap? I doubt a child could compress the spring(s).
If you have to kill the poor things, why not use a big conibear trap, or catch them in a box trap and shoot them?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Have you ever seen a bobcat sized jaw trap? I doubt a child could compress the spring(s).
If you have to kill the poor things, why not use a big conibear trap, or catch them in a box trap and shoot them?

What size child? And why are they unattended in the forest?

 

[Valjean]

What are you, a helicopter parent?
Kids play in the woods. Pets wander in the woods. Kid's might not understand that you have to compress the spring to open the jaws, and might not be able to even if they did figure out the mechanism.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

What are you, a helicopter parent?
Kids play in the woods. Pets wander in the woods. Kid's might not understand that you have to compress the spring to open the jaws, and might not be able to even if they did figure out the mechanism.

Generally traps are set in areas away from human occupation. a.k.a. Where the fur bearing animals live. Permission is needed to trap on private lands by the owner.

Idaho has a good brochure on freeing your pet. http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/trappedPetBrochure.pdf

 

[laughing dog]

How are these traps deployed? Is there a possibility that a hapless hiker or child could step in one?

Or a pet. Or a hunter. The answer is yes. And it happens.

 

[Axulus]

So was I.

I responded to your claim to show how it was a false analogy.

You failed.

That's not hitting a nerve, that's just normal discussion.

You're the one who seems to have had a nerve hit by immediately making it personal, calling an observation/fact of nature "inhumane"

Observing that something is "inhumane" is not making it personal. Nor was your "Socratic question" an observation or fact of nature: it was a value judgment.

Your is one of an extremist: the life and the value thereof of a bob cat is equivalent in every relevant way to that of a poor person.

Care to defend that?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

So was I.
You failed.

That's not hitting a nerve, that's just normal discussion.

You're the one who seems to have had a nerve hit by immediately making it personal, calling an observation/fact of nature "inhumane"

Observing that something is "inhumane" is not making it personal. Nor was your "Socratic question" an observation or fact of nature: it was a value judgment.

Your is one of an extremist: the life and the value thereof of a bob cat is equivalent in every relevant way to that of a poor person.

Care to defend that?

From a philosophical point of view, a sociopathic point of view, an economic point of view, or an alien meat harvest point of view?

 

[ronburgundy]

I am suspicious of the $150,000 for a bobcat coat.

Still, you got to check your traps twice every day and dispatch the animal quickly.

http://www.hideandfur.com/inventory/6205.html
You be right.

I think the claim referred to a full length "coat" made for a person to wear and not the fur of a single bobcat. Its about 20 furs per coat, and I saw some entries on your link claiming a $1000 per fur market value, which means $20k just for the raw materials. But still, $150k seems an extreme outlier, with $10k being more typical.

 

[ZiprHead]

Out of curiosity, what do trappers bait their traps with for bobcats? Seems to me anything that attracts a bobcat will attract many other animals too. How many other animals are needlessly killed for every bobcat trapped?

 

[OLDMAN]

If you have a trapping licence, you can catch a lot of different fur bearing animals. All have value depending on market flux. If one is careful a trap line can last you your entire lifetime. Animals are a renewable resource. Much better than coal or oil. So to answer your question, some smaller animals like mink or martin might escape the larger bobcat traps, but Lynx, coyote, wolf, wolverines, all are fair game.

 

[ZiprHead]

Michigan's Last Wolverine Died

http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/04/michigans_last_wolverine_died.html

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Welp, go get some more from Canadia. Actually you probably have one or two in the UP. I've seen one two years ago in Northeastern Minnesota.

 

[ZiprHead]

Welp, go get some more from Canadia. Actually you probably have one or two in the UP. I've seen one two years ago in Northeastern Minnesota.

Hey Tom Sawyer! Can you send a few wolverine our way? I'm sure they're friendly, cuddly little critters you should be able to pick up by hand during a short walk in the north woods.

 

[Potoooooooo]

Lynx, coyote, wolf, wolverines, all are fair game.

 

[bilby]

I bet bobcats like squirrels, nice or otherwise.

Yep... but they gotta catch us!

 

[ZiprHead]

#blacksquirrelslivesmatter