quiksilver

The end isn't real pretty for most scavengers, whether or not they wind up in the jaws of a double-springed Duke. They're either brutally maimed in auto collisions, infected with horrible disease, suffer horrific orthopedic injuries that leads to their starvation, or killed by something a little higher on the food chain.

I think a lot of hunters find ease in what they do, by hiding behind the rifle/bow, and convincing themselves that the animal is enjoying a quick, painless death. Newsflash - drowning in your own blood is probably not painless, and I'm sure the animal is stricken with complete terror. It's just easy because you're 100 yards away, instead of 3 feet. Trapping, like any other form of hunting, terrorizes animals. It's an undeniable fact. Another undeniable fact is that any animal will eventually die for some reason or another, even if not at the hands of a hunter/trapper, and it will not be a pretty scene. Death isn't pretty, but it's real.

You can hide behind your deer rifle, and usually once the smoke clears, the agony and dying is all-but-over. If you're a trapper, you're seeing every last flick of the tail. I think trapping gives a stark realization about what you're doing out there, but I'd argue that if you can't stomach watching an animal die up close and personal, you're probably only fooling yourself by trotting out the shooting iron in deer season. It's very much the same thing. There's no shame in being bothered by that stuff. Most people can't watch a raccoon flop around after having a .22 round buried in the skull. Most people couldn't work at a slaughterhouse, watching cattle be bled out, skun and butchered. Most people couldn't watch a paraplegic whitetail bawling and crawling with a broadhead buried in its spinal column. They would have nightmares for the next 10 years.

The moral of the story here is that if you think trapping is cruel or heartless, while bowhunting or rifle hunting is not, you're only fooling yourself.

If you spend enough time outside, you'll see that mother nature is cruel. Death is never fun. It's never pretty, no matter if it's at the hands of a hunter, trapper, predator, disease, weather, starvation, vehicle, injury or any combination of those factors.

Buster T

You guys didnt really grow up on a farm or in the country did you ? Nature is cruel. Animals are placed here by God for us to use. Animals are not people. What happens in salughter houses everyday is many times "worse" than what happens to a trapped animal.

You've been conditioned to think trapping is bad. Trapping was a big part of my early teens. I've killed animals a variety of ways, some would make you scream like a little girl. Thats not a good thing or a bad thing ........ its just the way it is.

You shoot a deer through the lungs with a sharp broadhead, you catch a fox with a foothold trap and shoot him in the head .......... neither is cruel, neither is inhumane.

Lanse couche couche

Hopefully, this issue is settled. If not, it will likely turn into another 30 page thread where people try to bash the hunting styles that they don't like.

BerwindaleBoy

It always amazes me how much BS prople can read into a statemant. Read this carefully so you all get it right. I am no anti, nor do I hide behind my guns and bows. I simply said I don't understand why trapping photos or the idea of trapping does not appeal to me when I enjoy all other kinds of hunting(and killing) (Yes I enjoy killing animals when I'm hunting, otherwise I would,nt do it.) I completely support trapping and have nothing against it, I just don't want to do it myself. This is the first time I have ever seen people on this site start bashing someone, I thought we were better than that here. Sorry if I offended anyone, it was not my intention.

Lanse couche couche

Berwin,

My comments were not directed specifically against you. The problem on this site is that sometimes someone will post comments expressing misgivings about another style of hunting. It then often escalates to that thread becoming a soapbox for others to pile on and start bashing a practice that they don't like or understand. The "victims" then end up pointing out the perceived shortcomings of their critics preferred style of hunting and it goes on forever.

furgitter

I dont think anyones bashing you for anything.I dont take pictures of live animals in traps because i want to let him go or get it done fast.And yea, i know there scared.Except bobcats,let one out of a trap and hes on you like a new suite!!LOL

ELKINMTCWB

Every one has feelings this is what the antis prey on.I trap alot every year and have for years.I do not like it if one of my sets gose roung and the animal did not die as intended.I allso feel bad and cuss my self for things that I have no controle over.I do however love to wall up on a trap and hear that old mity chain rattle.

I allso feel bad if I have to put a dog down so he is not suffering.I allso feel bad if have to dig a splinter out of one my kids.I will allso feel bad if at any time I have to tell the doc to pull the plug on a loved one.

My point is every one has some things that they do that make feeling come up

charles Bradford

quiksilver

I didn't mean anything personal there BB - just saying thata lot of guys can sit behind the rifle and pull the trigger from 80 yards out, and by the time the smoke clears, you've got a deer laying in his death bed. It's easy to start thinking that this form of killing is humane or somehow non-violent, when it really is the same thing.

Trapping just puts you in position to really see the fear and terror in theeyes of the prey. Running a broadhead through the lungs of a deer puts him in just as much distress, but since he's running away, it just seems less violent. It's very much the same.

If killing an animal makes you feel bad when you're 3 feet away, it shouldn't make you feel any different if you're 100 yards away, sitting behind a high-powered rifle.

TJF

Heck, after reading that garbage of the " aforementioned " you can keep your thoughts. Not worthanything here. Try the peta website. Theymight buy it and pat you on the back. Make sure you don't mention your petting zoo though!! They might have problems with how you treat " your " tame deer/pets. I won't get into my thoughts onthat. Hey, you're legal.

That was in jest... kind of... NOT!!! [&:]pathetic!![:'(]

Take your own advise. Try flying under the radar and spare us.

Tim

metaldonnieg

I understand, I was saying that trapping simply isn't for me.