What yall think?

Excellent, a needed tool fir sure.

A major lawsuit just sitting there waiting to be filed!

Ogorman told me that you had to have a permit to use the ones in the old days. I think it is the same with farmers buying ag sprays. Always have to jump through hoops and a lot of red tape.

Not a big deal out here if the sign rules is used, other wise, lots of problems with bird hunters especially quail and grouse

It's always the same thing , users think no one will be out there in that area when they set up for coyotes, until they ride back around on a check and see the place all tore up !!

We used lots of them around the sheep ranches. Paid attention to hunting seasons and pulled everything during.

Used up to 500 of them at times. Followed all the use restrictions and signing requirements to the letter and other than a complaint or two from bird hunters about not being able to hunt a pasture with their dogs no problems (they knew they were there because all ranch and pasture gates had signs on them). According to records I kept on all the various equipment I used, M44s were by far the most humane and most selective ground tool available for coyote work. 99% canines and 95% coyotes.

Won’t be long before someone screws up with one again.

That's what I figure. There's always one idiot out there.

Which idiot are you referring to....the trespasser I hope.

Who is a trespasser on public land

IS it public land my understanding is private ranches? My mistake...

One of the best tools for coyote control. And the most misunderstood tool out there " (such as cyanide bomb)". "Expolsive device" Ignorance is a dangerous thing, just look at Our politicians. Scott

Moot point here in Oregon! Banned by the state several years ago.

This ruling is for public, not private land.

Yep , I believe montana certified trappers and gov. trappers are still
using them here.
They still fly and use dogs / call more than anything.

Scary to think about a new USDAWS employ, making 12$ hrs i

Thanks bearcat for the info on the PUBLIC LAND...I misunderstood.

a big no on public land... private land is a differant story can and should be used.

It is a terrible idea. I first heard about these things back in the 1970s and thought of how in-discriminate they must be. And I still think that. Many non-target animals that we, as trappers, try to avoid were, and would be, killed un-intentionally. I know that myself, as well as pretty much every trapper I know go out of our way to be discriminant with our sets, even refusing sets that just might catch un-intended critters.
The M-44 is obviously a lethal "set" and can be "set off" by many different animals, including raptors, any canine, cats, humans, etc. And the idea that this would be ok on public land is idiocy.

Quite the opposite actually.

It’s the most selective tool I use outside of a rifle, killed several thousand coyotes with them and only 1 coon and 1
Skunk. Heck I’ve killed more non targets with my truck driving to check equipment most weeks then I have in 28 years of running M-44s.

yes very effictive tool but needs to be set accordingly to be selective. back when i worked usda-adc here in idaho i had one certain spot on private land for smaller flock of sheep. after looking over the area i choose not to use legholds or m-44s...set snares and calling instead. this property was to close to to house of another neighbor land...long story short a few years ago another adc trapper set m44 on the property line between the 2 places and ended up killing a black lab and putting a young boy in the hospital. the general public dont decipher between the tools used for trapping they just know it was a trapper that done it. gives all trappers a black eye. we have alot of hounds hunters here and hounds have been killed aciedently staying on to private land. so i dont think m44s have anyplace or need to be set on public land...the best tool for taking alot coyotes is by flying it. as m44s will kill alot of non target fox and a few bobcats.

Bob, Idaho still is not using them because of the one incident in Eastern Idaho. Wasn't sure of legality just know that supervisor of Wildlife Services here in Idaho is not allowing his guys to use them.

Like any of the tools used, some times you have to use a little common sense on where you set them, private or public land. Should you be able to use any lethal on public ground? To me a body grip is no different in the end results. Just because it is legal doesn't mean it is a good idea, no matter what you are setting or using. Most problems come from people not using their head and thinking about what can happen.

Good points Mark. Common sense prevails.
Off topic a bit but it relates to the post. Here in Illinois, we can't use snares on dry land....just half in half out of the water. I can't tell you how many times I've been limited by that rule while trying to remove problem beaver.
Let trappers get the job with ALL of the tools available!

Like I said before, the lack of education shines in comments on here from "trappers".

I agree with Scott. Too many comments on this thread sound like anti-trapper comments about traps.