HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-24 Public Comment - KC York - City owned land in Sourdough CanyonFrom:Trap Free Montana
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL][SENDER UNVERIFIED]City owned land in Sourdough Canyon
Date:Monday, September 9, 2024 8:36:27 AM
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Dear Mayor Cunningham and Commissioners,
Please close trapping and snaring on city-owned land in Sourdough Canyon.
An average of 35 dogs are reported trapped annually to Montana Fish Wildlife and
Parks. These are just the ones reported. Trappers are required to report trapped dogs
and cats, but the owners are not.
The reported cries and unforgettable traumatic memory in witnessing their trapped
pet are universal among the owners. Children have been present during these horrific
trappings of their pet, too. We help pay for the medical bills, but the emotional scarsare for a lifetime.
Snares, however, are the silent killers whereas the animal is unable to make a sound
while being strangled. Deadly 10" x 10" body crushing conibear traps are legal inwaterways in our state if 1/3 or more are submerged in water. These pose a lethal
threat to animals seeking a drink, wading, or going for a swim, not to mention what
these traps can do to a child. A child's arm was crushed and bruised in a conibear
trap secreted in water in Oregon.
The same bait used to trap a wild canine, attracts domestic ones. The trapping lures
commonly used, e.g. a feather or a cd hanging dangling in the breeze, draw in
curious children.
With the influx of people moving to towns such as Bozeman and embracing our great
outdoors, the indiscriminate nature of trapping is certain to continue to rise. The
public, including residents and visitors, should be able to recreate safely from hidden,injurious, and deadly traps and snares. Trapping is legal year-round in Montana.
You have the power to limit that threat, at least in your city. We urge you to close
trapping and snaring on city-owned land in Sourdough Canyon and wherever else itmay somehow still legally occur.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Thank you,
KC York
On behalf of our board of directors and over a thousand members.
KC York
President/Founder
Trap Free Montana
PO Box 335
Hamilton, Montana 59840
406-218-1170
www.trapfreemt.org
Trap Free Montana is a boots on the ground, 501(c)(3), connecting hearts and minds through
science, truths in trapping, & compassion for wildlife, biodiversity, coexistence, & responsiblestewardship. Our affiliate, Trap Free Montana Public Lands, (TFMPL), a 501(c)(4), focus is
on trapping reform, trap free public lands, and related legislative actions.