Bad day · The Ethical Predator

Bad day

So yesterday sucked. I was out looking for a bear again, following sign, learning the territory. I was feeling good about it right up until I spotted some dark fur in the brush to my left. Unfortunately it was a dog. Someone's dog had found a snare. It must have been there a while. He was not in good shape. I didnt wanna mess around, trapping season is long over and these traps clearly weren't being checked. So I backed out and called the CO. I took the officer out and showed him, he was as unimpressed as I was. He found 5 more, one with a lynx leg complete with hip still attached all bone, another with some sort of vertebrae in it, and one that had been snapped off and an empty one. This is a legal trapline, I knew one was out there but I didnt realize it went that far. I think the dog was sniffing after the lynx leg when he got snared. Sadie-May plays out there all the time, she used to bust through the bush for hare and grouse back there, scary thought.

I crossed the trail while the officer handled the scene. I found 5 more, always 5 in a circle. All empty thankfully. I told the CO that I had called last year aswell about a bird stuck in a snare that had been there a while in another spot. These traps just clearly aren't getting checked. That really pisses me off. So I took him to that spot too. I showed him where that bird had been last season. We found bones and a wing. 5 snares in a circle. I crossed the trail, and found five more in a circle. One with the remnants of a hare still in it, one with the remnants if a ruffed grouse, another with some sort of vertebrae possibly a coyote, and one still set. Again, trapping season has been over for months. These traps were left set for who knows how long for animals to just wander into and waste. The officer did his thing, recorded and inventoried it all, bagged it all. We didnt see any more but my eyes are peeled. I have no issue with trappers that follow the rules, but this isn't that. I dont know if you can even call it poaching since nothing trapped was collected. I get it. Shit happens. That dog should never have been that far out by himself. That trap may have snagged him in season, I dont know. But this guy clearly isn't checking or taking down his snares. That dog should have been removed and posted long before I saw it. I was unable to find any posts on Facebook about the dog, and as always, no collar or tag (people are ridiculous) the officer was gonna have him checked for a chip.

Keep sight of your little friends, remember that not everyone follows the rules or even cares. We will no longer be hunting small game out there with Sadie-May, which sucks we have always hunted there. But im not risking it no matter what season.

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Bad day