ANIMAL RIGHTS FORUM
On Friday evening at the FTA convention I'm planning to host an animal rights forum.
This will be in the demo area at 5 after the last demo is done for the day.
My goal is to start a multi state conversation about what the animal rights groups are doing that's effective, can we counter it? Do we even see it coming?
My main issue is the successful propaganda campaigns being waged by them, especially beaver. Im also highly interested in your experiences or concerns about how the endangered species act is utilized.
All subjects AR related are open for discussion and I want anyone in the audience to share thier experience or observations.
Another thing I'd like to discuss is where do we go from here to become proactive rather than our usual reactive response.
If you've ever heard people talking about possums eating ticks you've seen anti propaganda in action.
Rather than attack the trap they are promoting the animals. EFFECTIVELY.
Come join me and lets discuss the future

Sounds like a worthy forum topic. In Oregon Humboldt marten, sierra red fox, and now our state animal the beaver are all being used, or have been used to chip away at regulated trapping. Stay tuned for more "fun" with lynx, wolverine and fisher.

Furbies, furries or whatever they call it.

furries, lol Not quite what you are thinking. Part of the freak show stuff.

Furbies, short for Fur Babies, I'm told. LOL

Counter with facts the AR clowns try to sell that tick story but leave out the facts of the virus they carry, why are they covered with ticks if they eat them so effectively, prolific breeders do some simple math reproduction numbers. What’s the status of the possum it’s vermin here in SD and other states.

The AR clowns ignore the benefits of our conservation efforts show how wildlife excelled under our efforts and them claiming everything is endangered is a total lie and that they are just looking for donations it’s one big con. Show the minimal amount the AR folks actually distribute to animals in need and how they lost their nonprofit status in the past because of that.

Look up PETA kills on the web it’s a good resource and shows PETAs true goal that a pet is better off dead then owned by humans. See what the charity ratings PETA and the HSUS is and has been in the past. Point out neither even run shelters on their own.

While I cannot be there, I would suggest a few things to be discussed

1 The fact that our country does not support the use of naturally legally taken fur for use, verbally it does for the most part, how ever when it comes time see wearing or actual use in the country on a regular basis by even those who support wearing and legally taking fur, is not a very impressive amount to support the argument that fur is still widely used in this country. That is a very large hurdle to overcome and has been for many years ! This should be stressed that we as keepers of the land, use and show our work that we enjoy and are proud of the fact the we have the source to help us live in our environments as well as enjoy wearing our hard earned work.

2 The fact that there are some states taking the use of regular traps compared to cage traps out of use on their lands is a step on the way to total none use of any trapping method, it is just a matter of time when this magically just happens in some government meeting. When hog stringing peoples rights to use proper and useful methods for trapping because a few decry animal abuse without representation of such should be brought to attention and leaned on heavily. It is a clear sense of structure to help the animal rights people from Trappers using regular footholds to limit use and catch ratios for proving that people will use fur !

3 Animal rights people should understand that Trappers and fur collectors i.e. Auctions, for lack of another name have the right for due process of catches to help the market and use of a renewable source of fur, when left to be handled correctly on catch and release of those animals not ready to be taken and as well as those caught during season and for harassments of wildlife, regards of how animal rights people parlay their argument's into some sort of total loss of any fur bearing animal.

4 While some states have already moved to the use of cage traps only for trapping and have limited areas to permission only or
a limited catch basis, and no free ranging catch areas allowed, speaks of locking the rights of others of use of those properties, yet letting others use the same ground for other intents and purposes that also could affect fur bearing populations, in moving away from these areas or when birthing leaving the area and new born animas to early to fend for them selves, there by defeating their own suggestions that the animals will actually stay around that area, this is a falsehood shared by most any who knows animals around people will move away.

I understand that our country has moved away from major fur apparel, this doesn't mean that people don't wear it or could wear it more if the Anti's were controlled more about their rioting when a convention is on or a group of trappers has a convention.

Fur is an expensive property to own and should be able to use as it's bought or made for the use of, with being worried that those who do not like will just destroy it while being worn. Out country has no legal laws saying we cannot wear fur or should not do so, thusly those found in fact destroying or threatening one for doing so, or trying to prevent the legal taking of fur should be held responsible for such actions, more so besides a slap on the hand or a curt remainder of what they have done. Heavy fines and times in jail or some other payback services should be mandatory for the slightest attack on those partaking or being paid for control work when they are bothered by such people, this continues to be just a slap on the hand fine and then let off, while the fur taker is out his gear and his time as well as his catch, with usually no way to have replacement sought !

I’m not to good at debate. I mostly try to avoid AR types. I will attend your seminar. Sometimes they can’t be avoided and violence is illegal.

For those of you that don't know Bruce, he is well spoken and very knowledgeable on this subject.

Search the internet for information on. PETA what a contrast you can find one article says they are no kill the next story says they excel at killing pets? Some charities watch groups give them high ratings while other stories claim over 50,000 kills?

beaverpeeler does your state have Wolverine trapping now? I did not even know they were in the main 48 states. That would be real great for someone to show us a USA (lower 48 state) wolverine......jk

Never , only one or two sightings. The libtard freaks will film it , name it , collar it , track it , hug it , make love to it ......

Bruce really nailed it on the successful campaign they are waging with beaver right now. They have a Facebook group called “beaver coexistence forum” that used to be called “beaver management forum”. With the name change, they no longer allow members to counter the anti trapping posts. So basically now they can say whatever they want and there is very little I or other beaver management professionals can do to counter that.

As examples, they regularly say that trapping is ineffective at controlling beaver damage (obviously that is not true), and that flow devices and tree caging are more economical than lethal control (often not the case in my region), and there was an argument a few months ago where the forum “experts” said that young beavers born in the spring can not survive the following winter if the adults are killed in the fall. When they were told that a lot of us know that to be false from direct observation, they basically said we were liars and told everyone not believe us - and said “trapping and killing beavers does not make you an expert”. That was before the name and rule changes, now they just ban anyone who presents opposing information. Why? Because they knew we were winning the debates. So they banned the debate. This groups has over 4500 members.

A new facebook group has been started that is called “Beaver Management Information and Resources”. It allows both sides to be presented and is intended to be a place for people who need help with beaver problems to get information and resources to help them deal with the problem. Right now it has about 90 members, many of whom are people who were banned from the coexistence forum after the name and rule change. Hopefully more of the anti folks will join that group. Yes I mean that, because it is a debate we can win, and in the public’s (ie potential customers and regular people) eye, it is much more convincing to have both sides presented than to have an echo chamber. If you are on FB i encourage you to join both groups and do whatever you can to provide sound info and counterpoints to the antis. But beware, if you aren’t careful, or if you start to win the debate in favor of trapping, the coexistence group will ban you…

Thanks all and keep the info coming. There's no template to follow here because im not sure this has been done, so we are blazing a trail here.
Rather than a debate this is going to be idea sharing and an information exchange. The group will set the pace but I feel the true battlefield has changed. We are far more threatened by people behind desks than by people with signs on street corners.
All effective politics is incremental and the establishment of "protected" areas around beavers or habitat for endangered species is part of that plan. Once they successfully establish protected areas you'll probably never trap there again. Let them normalize this with no pushback and our traps will be useless over time.
I digress. During this I will assume we are being video recorded and ask that wr conduct ourselves accordingly.
The antis were at NTA in Spencer, not protesting, but recording posing as beginner trappers. They primarily asked questions about dispatch.

Hey Bruce.... is Slim gonna be there????

My first encounter with a PETA member did not go well, she was full blown, protests etc. Small rural area she came to college for. I learned and the next few went much better, realized we have no common ground. The reason being, is they will not have a discussion, it is there view only. We often see this as they hate trapping or hunting but it does not end there. It is fishing, farming, pets (addressed later in my diatribe), etc.
I taught in rural WI for 30 years, coached and worked with kids for 45. We had many discover the animal rights view, and encountered many over the years in different settings.

It is societal. We were for early hominids hunters and gatherers. We then began domestication and an agrarian lifestyle. We then industrialized with hunters-gatherers and agrarian. In the 80's, more or less we transitioned to technology, agrarian, and remnants of hunters gatherers. Now we have gone to corporate farming, logging, etc. everything is large scale opertations. Family farms, and small logging - hands dirty type businesses have gone large scale. People have moved to cities, technology and (not getting their hands dirty). Meat comes from stores - not animals, chocolate milk from brown cows, my personal favorite - pets ie. dogs, cats are family and equal to humans.

Education is key but expensive. Education is inundated with left wing thinking and the last generation of farm families is now 40 plus years old. To combat I have suggested to groups to go on the offensive. We need to adapt to the PETA methods, ad campaigns, bill boards, technology, spokespeople. Not just hunters, trappers etc. but we need those that have name recognition and money. PETA, ASPCA, WAPI, and others use hollywood, we have some there. Where do we have have people who believe as we do, the NFL, MLB, MMA, we need the faces and name recognition to go on the offensive. Why did we see the "Got Milk" adds for years, because they saw this coming, now we drink milk from nuts??? We hide in the weeds and fear upsetting them, gun rights the same thing.
My take on things.

My "pet" peeve also. I have had a few dogs and cats I thought a lot of. The idea that they were not my property baffles me. Calling an animal acquisition an adoption makes my blood boil.

With the PETA type, I think it's more about control than the critter. If you don't trap I have no issue at all with it. You do your thing. However with PETA folk it's not you do your thing if you trap, it's you shouldn't be able to do it at all. Taking back the schools/education from the left would approve our case immensely.