I must be dreaming....but for once we trappers came out on the winning side of a battle for our trapping rights (privileges). See Petcoon's thread on the otter trapping ban for details.

Highlights:

We had about 30 trappers there at the Game Commission hearing...clearly outnumbering the anti's by about 5-1. ODFW staff did an about face and not only left otter trapping open where the beaver ban applies, but went ahead and opened up the whole state to otter harvest! Includes areas that have been closed to otter trapping my whole life!

Then our ODFW furbearer coordinator Sam Fino, and Deputy Director Brian Wolfer capably defended our side of things to commission members, answered questions and took our side at every turn, resulting in an unanimous vote to approve staff's proposal and open the whole state to otter harvest.

Hurrah for us!!!! Let me say that again...Hurrah for our side!!!!!

Great job Oregon trappers!

That great news!!!

That is great news for trappers for a change. It shows how if we fight and put forth the effort we can make a difference and win. Thank you for keeping us posted Carl and putting in the effort to attend as well as the others that showed up.

Great news

Yeah!!

That's a huge feather in your collective hats! Cudos to the trappers that showed up and to the ODFW fur guy as well.

Sam is actually "Samantha"...she prefers to be called Sam though. I like to think that the two pints of raspberries I brought her a couple of weeks ago paid off! LOL

Just kidding, she's always been solidly on our side. And Brian Wolfer was an ODFW biologist out of the Springfield office for many years before his promotion. He's tagged plenty of my otters in the past and we have a solid relationship.

Well done! Thank you to all involved.

Heck yeah

Wow! Very rare to get something back.

Well done fellow trappers and to the ODFW.
A Game Commission that actually LISTENED is refreshing to hear

Very good news

Excellent, well done Oregon trappers!