It sounds like you might have seen one of PETA's ads about trapping and the lies they spread about trapping.

Trapping is about the only effective tool (method) to keep predator/furbears populations in check. I'm not going to go into that other than say it's no different than keeping deer populations in check. Damage and disease are the result of over populations no matter what animal (deer, beaver, coyote, etc) your talking about

It sounds like your more concerned about leaving an animal in a trap which results in a lingering death. DOESN'T HAPPEN! Like JimPic said all states have check laws. Trappers usually check their traps every day.

There are some traps that kill. Connibers work like big mouse traps, mostly used in water for beaver and muskrat. Footholds set for water animals are rigged to drown the animal. No lingering!

Footholds (not leghold) the animal WILL be alive when you get there. Usually they are shot (dispatched if your PC) with a 22. Footholds don't do the damage PETA says they do. There are NO TEETH on footholds, and some even have offset jaws (space between jaws) or even rubber jaws. Animals that are caught and released survive very well. How do you think they caught the wolves to put into Yellowstone. "They trapped them in footholds"

for every law thats passed - alittle freedom dies