Idaho Trappers Association wins lynx lawsuit!

Can’t figure out how to post AP article but Judge Winmill ruled on lynx lawsuit. I’m so glad we listened to the NTA and intervened. Gary Leistico, the NTA lawyer was amazing. So amazing we have a qualified lawyer that works for the NTA that actually traps every winter! Thank you to the NTA for footing half of the legal bill. I can’t imagine anyone justifying not supporting the NTA. We also received funding from International Fur Harvesters, Upper Snake River Trappers and THe Foundation for Wildlife Management. Perfect example of different trapping organizations working together for one common goal. It about broke the ITA’s bank account. We still have over 20 grand in legal fees. Anyone interested in helping can go to our website and joining up.

Glad you won.

That is great news! Why don't you post the address where we can make a donation to help out, I would rather do that than join, in case your members get any mailings or stuff like that, it just is another drain on your organization! Congradulations!

Fantastic News !

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/state/idaho/article196619734.html

Idaho has a non magazine membership price.

ITA PO Box 405. Mtn Home Idaho 83647

Very glad to hear that.
I've been a member for about 3 years now.

Great news and didn't the Trapperman fund send some cash too? Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

I don't know about funding but one TMAN member did testify as an expert witness.

Great work congratulations Idaho!
Re NTA opposition, it is sad that some get so wrapped-up in typically petty BS they lose sight of the big picture; but I believe that is a small minority.

Did the NTA ever get that Chinese import tax on wild fur removed? Keeping my eye on the big picture.

Not familiar with your gripe Dirt?

They were working on this.

"But last year(2014) things turned around abruptly, with prices falling nearly in half. China is in the midst of a broad corruption crackdown that has dug deep into an industry long accustomed to operating in grey areas. Russia, meanwhile, continues to face a sliding currency that has damaged its people's ability to buy foreign goods.

And the blows have kept coming. On Jan. 1, China removed a tax exemption that had allowed tariff-free imports of raw farmed mink and fox pelts, so long as those pelts were then exported after being made into garments and scarves. But the rule faced rampant abuse and at the beginning of this year, Beijing began taxing all farmed mink and fox imports, although it cut the rate by five percentage points to compensate.

It did not, however, give a similar break to wild fur pelts, adding new pressure to a Canadian industry whose product was worth $14.8-million (Canadian) in 2009-2010 (Statistics Canada no longer gathers fur industry statistics). Wild fur is still subject to a 20 per cent import duty; the International Fur Federation is lobbying Beijing to change the rules."

Found it. The defense fund sent $1000 to the ITA two years ago.

I don't know Dirt you would need to contact them and ask.

But I would speculate that unilateral international trade negotiations with a communist govt bent on hostile appropriation of private profits through criminal accusations and tax shell games is beyond the normal scope of what the NTA can handle on their own, or even teamed with the IFF. If the US govt fully backed the effort there may be some chance for a win, but obviously this is not a very big fish to fry for the feds.

But then again, I don't know.

An excellent win for those of us that were in the affected areas. I resisted the urge to call up the enviros and rub it in since they're the same ones that sue our timber projects. Nothing to be gained in that and they'll be back....

Still need to keep our eye on this one on the CITES program, but for now ID is safe:

https://www.usnews.com/news/news/article...-us-fur-exports

BIG thanks to the ITA/NTA and others involved. I'm impressed with the responsiveness and tenacity of our State Dpty Attorney general that represented the State as well.

Well said, Jumperzee. Kathleen Trevor from the AGs office and IDFG was on this case quite a while ago, and fought it hard all the way. I give her a lot of credit. Big thanks to all who got involved.

Jack

The Trapperman Sportsman Defense Fund did send them $1000.00 last January. As you read this the committee is discussing the issue further.

Maddog47

Gary

Congrats on your win over the antis.

Join the NTA. Your state could be next.

I hope when you said you "won", it's turns out better then Maine's big win on the Lynx issue. Death by a thousand cuts. trap restrictions, loss of drags, loss use of conibear unless you want to put them in a fisher restiction device, and trapping regulations that now read like fishing laws.

that's great news we are lucky to have Gary Leistico on are side

Shorthair. Zero restrictions. I was not going to allow any restrictions. I knew what Maine and Montana went through. Bummer for you guys. Yes, support your state and national trapping associations!

One win at a time. Congrats and way to get all the help organized and put in the right direction.

The driver behind all these lawsuits is the phony lynx-are-rare-and-endangered issue in the first place. That is created and maintained by the US federal government bureaucrats at USFWS. A lot of them are political radicals and eco-warriors, and they use their official positions in government to advance their personal political agendas. Lynx are not naturally occurring much south of the US\Canadian border anyhow, so characterizing lynx as threatened\endangered and, therefore, needing on-the-ground protections like trapping bans and mouse exclusion devices is really a political statement and policy. Not a biological one. Lynx do not need protection in the USA any more than requiring that they be released immediately, or turned over to wildlife management staff if they are dead. Remove lynx from these ridiculous lists, and the antis will have little to hang their hat on. Anyone know Secretary Zinke?

You can say that again!

I emailed the ITA to buy some shirts or hats or patches too.......but get no reply.

Congratulations!

What are the odds the antis will appeal? And your legal fees continuing?

Jim

Traprjohn. I’m on vacation. Will get your info sent to you tomorrow

Is the decision posted anywhere on the net? I would like to see the full details.

thanks, Butch. govt and policy are my areas. i started out in federal svc

Does anyone have a good link to the news article? The link originally posted on this thread no longer works.