Bobcat and fisher trapping season opened on Nov. 28. The bobcat season runs to Jan. 3. Meat baited body grip traps will be scattered across the area woods. Last year a dog was killed in a body grip trap near Pequot Lakes. She left a litter of 2-week-old puppies and a heartbroken human family behind. At least eight more dogs were killed last season. Another dog was caught in a body grip trap south of Crosslake. One lucky dog was saved with CPR.
Body grips kill quickly. On Dec. 30, 2012, the second dog to be killed in Crow Wing County that day was a Labrador named Birdie. The trap fired, she backed up 3 feet and died without any struggle.
People have asked me why some trappers use ineffective body grip traps for bobcats when more effective foothold traps are available. The reason is that body grips only have to be checked every three days so it takes less ambition and requires very little skill. Later this season some trappers will switch to lethal-type snares. A non-lethal snare is available that was proven to work as well as lethal snares by the Wisconsin DNR and causes no damage to the fur. It has a lock that allows the animal to breathe.
Many trappers create bait piles from beaver carcasses and other meats on public and private land. The scent attracts coyotes and dogs from long distances. Since dogs don't understand property lines they sometimes innocently end up on private land where they don't belong and in a lethal snare.
If you are unlucky this fall and your dog is killed please report it to the DNR and to us at Dog Lovers 4 Safe Trapping MN. We don't need to kill dogs in body grip traps.
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John Reynolds
Merrifield
