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What To Do Wednesday: Issue #4

March 26, 2014/in What To Do Wednesday, Blog

What to do to keep you and your pets safe from traps on public lands.

Here in Jackson Hole, and in many other places throughout the West, the thaw has begun! By now, many of us are itching to get outside and use our feet as our primary mode of transportation (as opposed to skis, snowshoes, and other over-snow tools). Hiking brings with it a whole slew of safety considerations (bears, sudden changes in weather, dehydration, exposure, etc), but this week we’ve decided to take a look at traps on public lands, and how you can keep yourself and your pets safe while recreating.

Sydney, the yellow lab on the right, was caught in a trap.

Sydney, the yellow lab on the right, was caught in a trap.

Trapping is an issue that hits close to home for The Cougar Fund. Sydney, the yellow lab pictured above, was caught in a small animal trap near Moran, Wyoming. She lost eight teeth (all her canines), and had an injury to her foot. There are countless other stories like this (and many that end a lot worse), and it raises the importance of better understanding trapping and how to stay safe while recreating.

Trapping on public lands is legal in many areas throughout the West, and typically runs through March or April. Trappers are often encouraged to post warning signs, but it is not a requirement. Dogs are at a particularly high risk of being accidentally trapped, due to the fact buy valacyclovir 1000 mg that traps are often scented and baited to attract animals. We’ve all heard the horror stories, so here’s a few tips that can help you and your pet stay safe:

  • Learn where trapping is and is not permitted, and plan your hike accordingly.
  • Stay on the trail.
  • Keep your dog on a leash.
  • If your dog cannot be leashed, keep it close by and be wary if it sniffs one area intently.
  • If you find a trap, stay away from it! It is illegal to interfere with the trap (If you think it might be illegally set, contact local wildlife officials).
  • Where wolf trapping is permitted, traps are often larger – they pose a real threat to human safety, not just dogs.
  • Watch this Idaho Fish & Game video on how to release a trap so that you’re prepared for the worst case scenario.

For more information on trapping safety and regulations, visit your state wildlife agency’s website or contact a local wildlife official. While regulations vary from state to state, this document by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife is particularly relevant. It is worth mentioning that there are groups throughout the country deeply invested in public lands trapping, such as Trap Free Montana Public Lands and Wyoming Untrapped. Consider visiting their websites to learn more about the issue, or do some research to find out if there is a group near you working on it.

https://cougarfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CougarFundBlack.png 0 0 Penny https://cougarfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CougarFundBlack.png Penny2014-03-26 08:16:552014-03-26 08:16:55What To Do Wednesday: Issue #4

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An important new study adds to the body of evidence being amassed by researchers that supports the important ecological contributions of cougars as a keystone species. A direct quote in the article from Panthera's Puma Program Director Mark Elbroch as follows, "To those who care for the well-being of wildlife and the wild habitats sustaining all living beings, these findings yet again demonstrate the value and need to conserve the Americas' pumas." ... See MoreSee Less

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Study suggests pumas utilize sly strategy of fertilizing plants that recruit prey to hunting grounds

phys.org

A new Panthera study published today in Landscape Ecology has found that pumas might utilize a sly hunting strategy known as 'garden to hunt,' by which puma kills fertilize or deposit nutrients in soi...
20 hours ago
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Remember all the things you did before they went into the den?BEAR SPRAY, MAKE NOISE, RECREATE IN GROUPS, FOOD STORAGE PRECAUTIONS, and be aware that energy out is very expensive for a bear after not eating for a few months so if there is a trail or winter track, that is probably the route the bear will choose...
Lets protect them by minding our own behaviour!

Remember all the things you did before they went into the den?BEAR SPRAY, MAKE NOISE, RECREATE IN GROUPS, FOOD STORAGE PRECAUTIONS, and be aware that energy out is very expensive for a bear after not eating for a few months so if there is a trail or winter track, that is probably the route the bear will choose...
Let's protect them by minding our own behaviour!(News Release) On Tuesday, March 7, a Yellowstone National Park wildlife biologist on a radio telemetry flight observed the first grizzly bear of 2023 to emerge from hibernation. The adult bear, estimated at 300-350 pounds, was seen near the remains of a bison carcass in Pelican Valley, in the central-eastern part of the park.

The first bear sighting of 2022 also occurred on March 7.

Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in early March. Females with cubs emerge in April and early May. When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Sometimes, bears will react aggressively to encounters with people when feeding on carcasses.

“Spring visitors skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking in Yellowstone National Park are reminded to carry bear spray and be especially alert for bears near carcasses and areas with early spring green-up. These are the first foods sought out by grizzlies after emerging from hibernations,” said Kerry Gunther, the park's bear management biologist.

All of Yellowstone National Park is bear country: from the deepest backcountry to the boardwalks around Old Faithful. The park restricts certain visitor activities in locations where there is a high density of bears, along with elk and bison carcasses. Restrictions will begin in some bear management areas on March 10.

Learn more about how to protect yourself and the bears that people come here to enjoy: go.nps.gov/23006
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3 weeks ago
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I'm in the Southern Sangre de Cristo mountains. It's been a mild winter, very little snow, so I'm betting the Black Bears will be popping out soon.

I would love to see a bear. (From a safe distance for both of us, of course).

Better yet, don't stop being responsible in the wilderness under a false sense of security provided by pop-media ideas that they're in comas underground. Bears experience wakefulness during their supposed hibernation, and especially during periods of warmer weather they will come out for snacks.

Please protect our bear’s from Stupid people!!!!

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PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!
UTAH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EMERGENCY
A couple of days ago we a shared delightful national article about cutting edge studies of cougars in Utah. Today those cougars need your help. HB469 will remove management of mountain lions from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and allow them to be HUNTED and TRAPPED year round without limit or regulation. HB469 passed without notice or opportunity for public comment. Wildlife is held in trust for ALL the public, not a few special interest groups. Elected officials also represent more than a few stakeholders and need to seek advice from seasoned researchers and scientists before making decisions about wildlife. Please POLITELY ask Governor Cox at 801-538-1000 to not sign HB469, currently on his desk. or email cs.utah.gov/s/submit
The video below was shared by Denise and the crew of @Utah Mountain Lion Conservation who are working tirelessly to study and protect lions and ensure their place as a keystone species in Utah.
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4 weeks ago
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Congratulations to Denise Peterson, dedicated to mountain lions, and to sharing the results of her hard work.
Thank you Denise!
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Trail Camera Catches Something Conservationists Have Been Dying To See

www.msn.com

Denise M. Peterson had been waiting months for this. Ever since Peterson, founder of the Utah Mountain Lion Conservation, noticed a female and male mountain lion roaming the area together, she'd been ...
1 month ago
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Thanks! I can't wait to get back up to check these cams to see how they're doing!

I saw this on The Dodo this morning. A mom with two kittens!

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What To Do Wednesday: Issue #3Let me tell you ’bout the Bears and the Bees!
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