Anti Hunter Gets Letter Published
A couple of weeks back you may remember me ranting about an anti hunter posting a letter to the editor in the Flint Journal, well they finally published my response this Thursday. But it was hacked by at least half. I know that they only have so much space, but they cut out my main argument. I guess I should be happy with something. They also posted it with another anti trapping letter that day. I guess they wanted balanced coverage, I think NOT!! Well there were two other letters in favor of trapping posted this week in the Journal also, I guess we are making some progress.
While reading some posts on the Michigan Sportsman web site today, I saw that another anti trapping letter was printed in the Livingston Daily, by a anti from one of the bigger groups called Abolish Sport Hunting. What gets me is that this guy is from New Jersey (Big Surprise) and they acknowledge this guy in a small town newspaper. I’m getting sick and tired of these left wing idiots who want to play dictator and tell everyone how to live, spreading their agenda in places they don’t even live. Well once again I couldn’t let this one go!! HeHeHe, I wrote another letter to the editor of this newspaper as well, at least I live only about 15 – 20 miles from their place of business. Here is his letter:
Trapping Has No Place In Our World
A recent article (Carl Welser column: “It’s about more than getting even,” March 17) spoke of the farmboy’s culture of days gone by and included an anecdote about trapping muskrats. Using the words of the author, the trapped muskrat exercised his desire to survive “by chewing off his own leg flush with the jaws of the trap.” Sadly, this is a reality carried out daily during Michigan’s trapping season. The commonly used steel-jaw leghold trap has been deemed inhumane by the American Veterinary Medical Association and has been banned in 89 countries. Leghold traps break bones, tear tendons and lacerate the skin of their unfortunate victims. Legally placed traps often severely injure domestic dogs and cats, as well as endangered and threatened species. This happens so often that the state Department of Natural Resources has links on its Web site giving instructions on how to release dogs from traps. Animal such as raccoons and muskrats have been known to escape these traps by chewing off their legs. Trapping is largely an unregulated activity. Once people buy a trapping license, they can trap and kill as many opossums, weasels, red squirrels or skunks as they can get their hands on, without a closed season. The DNR even permits property owners to kill coyotes without first obtaining a permit of any sort.
Trapping has no place in a modern society. To learn how you can hasten its demise, visit www.AbolishSportHunting.com.
Joe Miele, president, The Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting
Maywood, N.J.
Here is what I wrote:
I’m writing in regards to the letter written this week titled “Trapping has no place in our world”. It is sad when someone’s pet gets caught in a trap, but it would be irresponsible to outlaw a method of animal control such as foot hold traps, Mr.Miele is mistaken in that they are called leg hold traps. It is tragic when people die in automobile accidents, but we don’t outlaw vehicles. It is tragic when someone dies from a drug reaction, but we don’t outlaw drugs. We don’t outlaw things that work in the best interest of people or wildlife. Unfortunately people let their dogs run loose, why are you not crying out against the irresponsible owners that let their dogs run off leash? Shouldn’t they be to blame? You say that these foothold traps are banned in 89 countries, well so are firearms and look at where that got those countries, higher crime rates. Your sole purpose is to outlaw all forms of hunting, your group uses illegal tactics to harass hunters who are legally hunting. Trapping is legally providing a service in helping control animal over population. Every animal plays an important role in the ecosystem, but they must be healthy and viable in order to be useful. Over population destroys this delicate balance by introducing disease and starvation into an over populated species. When nature takes care of the over population problem you failed to mention how cruel nature is by a long agonizing starvation of animals, or by a long agonizing disease in over populated animals, much longer than that of a trap. These are the two main ways that mother nature controls her animal population. The sportsman of Michigan have long been the main contributing factor in helping mother nature, with the wildlife population in this state thrive in a healthy environment. By taking away trapping you are irresponsibly taking away a management tool that in the long run helps to keep and maintain a healthy and viable wildlife population for all to enjoy. You state that trapping is largely unregulated, this is not true, the DNR regulates each species and season as to how many animals can be harvested. The reason there are animals with no bag limit is due to the fact they are overpopulated and spread rabies, which is on the rise. This is taken into consideration each year before the seasons are established. Coyotes are allowed to be taken without a license only when they are doing damage or about to do damage to a persons property or livestock, then it has to be reported as such. Just as a note I am not a trapper, but I do support trapping. If you would like to know more about hunting and trapping visit: www.upnorthjournal.com
Mike Adams – Hunter
Linden, Michigan
We need to be vigilant if we are to keep our wonderful hunting and outdoor heritage. Sit down and spend a few minutes to pen a letter and let these people know how you feel, let your voice be heard!
