Not sure why they stopped the commercial harvest Kirk guess because they were down to two lic commercial trappers maybe .reason given was a commercial trapper could over trap turtles in a area and it will take 20 to 30 years to rebound which seems odd seeing turtles migrate around so much . Surely no shortage of turtles
I would rather take my chances with are NRC vs fighting these ballot issues every few years from HSUS .

Two Things For You Trap Inventors: I need a floating muskrat trap that actually catches muskrats and doesn't kill everything on the pond.
Once again, most cages are too big. I caught the largest raccoon of the year today in a 9x9x26. He weighed 32 pounds including cage.

As long as the True Sportsmen, hunters and trappers are running the show your ok.

Case in point is Fla. They have no bear season and have some of the highest bear population areas of any state in the U.S. Last few years have had many attacks. They have tested areas and shown extremely high concentrations of bear. Yet no Bear season.

Fla. also has Millions of alligator and has a relatively minute catch compared to what is out there especially on the big private ranches such as Duda, the Mormans, and most state land. Gator attacks are at an all time high.

Restrictions on harvesting turtles is so great, there virtually is none. Even on private, limited access, private land.

Even the fishery in Fla is very restrictive to the sportsman to what is there. The restrictions are so great enjoying the outdoors is difficult.

I had a long talk with a biologist this week end.

Good post Kirk! The most amazing thing about your posts is that people actually think that they are being "so kind" to the animals by

not allowing liberal seasons on over-abundant predators. Talking to your customers is fine; I do it all the time. But, what we really

need is to talk to the educators of our children, so that future generations are intelligent enough to rectify the mistakes of their

parents and grandparents.

I agree Paul. That is why I allowed NBC to do a segment on nuisance trapping beaver that was shown nation wide and why I speak at schools, civic organizations, and radio when I get a chance.



I have at least two Universities that I know of are using some of my videos for class use and traps for instruction. There have been numerous responses letting me know schools are also using the material.

What I believe works best is hands on instruction as is shown in picture. The negative aspect was that the beaver could not be shown live and my request was turned down by the DNR. In all cases the teachers and principles want the animals to be shown.

What hurts all is the restriction of material.

Good for you Kirk! Education is so much more important since we have gone from a rural to an urban society. Things that we learned by

ourselves as farm kids are no longer available to the kids with a quarter of an acre backyard. Our teachers used to learn from us in

many cases. In high school the city kids often envied us for being able to go hunting and trapping before the school bus picked us

up, but they did listen to what we had to say. I'm not going to say that the electronic games that the kids have now are not fun, I

know they are, but they will never replace the great outdoors with a gun on your shoulder or a trap in your hand.

Just as I thought we were past all this guess not

Natural Resources Commission Asks DNR to Review Science, Data on Wolf Depredations for 2015

EAST LANSING—The Natural Resources Commission today announced that it


Photo: ABC 10 News – U.P.
would not consider a wolf hunt for 2014, even if the two referendums on the November 2014 ballot which originally authorized a wolf hunt were approved. A separate law, the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, will grant the Natural Resources Commission authority to designate game species using sound science when it takes effect in March or April.

“Even if the referendums are passed, there would not be time to establish a wolf hunt in 2014,” said Commissioner John Matonich.  “We ask the Wildlife Division to study the science and the data on wolf depredations of dogs and livestock and present their findings to the commission in 2015.”

Russ Mason, chief of the DNR Wildlife Division, also announced that department biologists would be reviewing and possibly updating the department’s wolf management plan.

“We’re very happy with the decision to study the science and not to rush a wolf hunt this year,” said Amy Trotter, resource policy manager for Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “The Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act was not about a wolf hunt, despite what the anti-hunters claimed. It was about making the decision and others like it with sound science, and that is exactly what the NRC has asked for. “

The Humane Society of the United States announced that it would be campaigning aggressively for a “no” vote on Proposals 1 and 2 this November, which originally granted the Natural Resources Commission the authority to establish Michigan’s wolf hunt last year. However, the decision not to hold a wolf hunt in 2014 renders those referendums meaningless, since the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act will re-grant the NRC that authority when it takes effect, regardless of the referendums.

“We don’t plan to spend any money on what is essentially an exit poll,” said Drew YoungeDyke, a spokesman for Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management, the coalition behind the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. “Every dime that HSUS spends on the referendums is one that won’t shelter a single pet, but I think people are starting to realize that’s not what they do, anyways.  We are encouraging people to vote ‘yes,’ on Proposal 2, though, to let HSUS know that it can’t buy votes just by spending a lot of money on political commercials.”

The NRC set a quota of 43 wolves across three separate zones of the Upper Peninsula in 2013, of which hunters harvested 22. Whether there is a wolf hunt in 2015 and what the hunting unit boundaries and quotas are will be determined by the Natural Resources Commission based on the recommendations of DNR biologists. The Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act requires the NRC to use principles of sound science in designating game species and establishing hunting seasons and regulations.

Back to Tomahawk for a second.

I fell into ordering a couple of traps from Chuck Smith, Northern Industries

http://www.snaresandtraps.com/

Don't know him from a hill of beans. He told me he is part of the Smith family that owns Tomahawk, but now is out on his own.

It is funny to me though that in all the cage trap threads on here, he, nor his company, is ever mentioned. Any thoughts?
Might be a good place to get Tomahawk style and quality traps for those who don't want to buy off Tomahawk due to the HSUS thing

Chuck is pretty active on Facebook I've talk to him he's got some great deals going I would buy off him . Got some catch pole deals going right now

Okay Pesky, let me get this straight. You hate Tomahawk because they basically sell a lot of cat traps. But if one of the original

owners ( Chuck Smith ) had a good deal going, "I would buy off him." Well, guess what? So would everyone else. That's kind of the way

that our economy works. If I remember correctly, ( And at my age, that's a crapshoot ) you really dislike Jim Comstock's cages. I

find them the most intelligent invention in years. ( And from what I've read, so are Mr. DeKalb's ) Here is something that I, for

one, find kind of amazing: The only people I haven't met, are the people whose cage I recommend the most. Jim and Judy Comstock.

Here is a BIG problem I have. I find it really. really, hard to dislike nearly everyone in our business. Honesty certainly seems to

be the best policy for people in our line if work. May that forever be the case!

Not the cats I have a problem with its any company being a sponsor at a HUSU convention really hits home when it's your state under attack . Speaking of chunk post from him earlier today

Northern Industries!

They don't have leg holds but everything else! Box traps, syringe poles, snare poles, snake tongs, animal grabbers, etc... They make everything in Tomahawk WI, the owner used to own Tomahawk Live Trap, so you know the quality is top notch but everything is 20% less then his old company but twice as good! No kidding. Use the code "trap15off" to get an additional 15% discount at checkout or when you call. Shop.snaresandtraps.com 7152242870.

Pesky, I don't quite know how to explain this in words that you will understand. I knew Mary and Greg Smith and got to know all of

their four offspring, except for the daughter and her husband who live in warrior's neck of the woods. Do I have a problem with any

of them? Absolutely not! You need to understand that we are all in a business. PETA called us and asked us if we would do a job for

them. Did we treat them as respectfully as any other customer? You bet! Do you think that if Chuck would get a huge order for catch

poles from HSUS, that he would turn it down? It is my firm belief that doing the best that we can for the so-called "enemy" is the

best advertising we can have. And I'm sure I dislike the HSUS as least as much as you do. Think about it.

there goes my attempt to bury this thread

Sorry Dave; on the bright side someone once said. "There is no such thing as bad publicity!"

Oh....I forgot about that one. It is actually helping both entities. Carry on.

Wink, I gotta know: what did PeTA hire you to do?...'cuz I want some a their big bucks!

Wink, I gotta know: what did PeTA hire you to do?...'cuz I want some a their big bucks!

They wanted me to set up a ladder so one of their people could get a cat out of a tree. They were willing to pay my regular service call just to bring the ladder. Then they found out that the tree was on private property and nothing ever happened. But I do know that they made a bid stink in the paper about the local Humane Society being of no help at all while a "local firm" was very pleasant.

Geez...you couldn't make that up...
The good news is, you're now in favor with PeTA! (As opposed to me, who has worked in the circus and animal laboratory fields, plus now of course, WC.)

Dave, being a jerk, with the so-called enemy, doesn't fit you either. I have discovered over the years, that if you ever get into a

one-on-one conversation with most of the rank and file from PETA and HSUS, that our objectives are the same. ( And I dare anyone of

you to disagree ) The majority of the PETA and HSUS people feel that "animals should be saved". Well. Duh! If they weren't saved, I

would lose the best occupation I ever had, along with most of my family. It is just as much my fault that people don't understand

the workings of wildlife as anyone. I may know just as much or more as the best trained wildlife technician about our native

wildlife. I caught the first coyote in our area and I caught the first beaver and maybe a lot of other firsts. Maybe it's time that

I, and perhaps a lot of you guys as well, start answering questions from our youngsters so that they grow up more intelligent than

their parents. ( Okay, all of my three offspring have teaching degrees. Can you tell? ) Rant over.