On November 10th, Federal District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. ruled that Maine’s trapping practices did not irreparably harm the Canada lynx and denied the injunction sought by the anti-trappers.  Further, the Judge agreed with the state and the USSAF that “irreparable harm” is harm to a species as a whole and not simply one individual member.   

“Although the plaintiffs may appeal the ruling, the Federal Court’s decision is a monumental victory for the trappers in Maine and sets an excellent precedent that will make it harder for the antis to misuse the ESA in their attempts to ban hunting and trapping in other states,” states USSAF Vice President for Government Affairs Rob Sexton. 

“We knew the evidence was on our side and are thrilled with outcome,” said Skip Trask, executive director of the Maine Trappers Association. “The USSAF’s legal assistance was invaluable to the favorable outcome.”

Chick Andres, President of the Fur Takers of America commented, “Trappers nationwide should be grateful that the court saw through what the anti’s were trying to do.”

Support from trapping groups like the Maine Trappers Association, the National Trappers Association and Fur Takers of America and other outdoorsmen groups like the U.S. Sportsmen's alliance was crucial in defeating the lawsuit. Trappers and sportsmen from across the country should be commended for all of the time and money they devoted to ensuring our trapping rights would not be infringed upon in Maine and beyond.

Thursday, November 19, 2009 6:03:08 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0]

Daniel East and his sister, Tevyn, were travelling at about 75 mph along Interstate 80 when they saw some coyotes running nearby. One of the coyotes ran in front of the car.

"Right off the bat, we knew it was bad," Daniel East told reporters with Sacramnto news station KCRA.

They said they kept driving because they thought they had killed the animal, so there was no point in stopping.

When she arrived, East and his sister were taking the screws out of the car's grill in an effort to get the animal out. Once the grill was pulled forward, the coyote poked its head out.

"No broken bones, no internal injuries — nothing," Daniel East said, adding that the animal only had a few scrapes on one of his paws.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 4:08:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [0]

Robert Millage of Kamiah said he was surrounded by a pack of wolves before dawn and waited until light to call them with a hand call that sounded like a wounded coyote. The 80-pound female wolf came fast to him 25 yards before Millage shot her with his .243 rifle in the Lolo Zone.

"The whole area is lousy with them," Millage said. "But I guess it was the luck of the draw."

Meanwhile, shortly after sunrise archery hunter Jay Mize of Emmett walked out of his tent to see a wolf harassing his horse at Bull Trout Lake near Stanley. He walked back into his tent, put his rifle together and shot the wolf, said Jon Rachael, Idaho Department of Fish and Game wolf manager.

"He said he had bought a wolf tag but never planned to use it," Rachael said. "He was going to have it framed."

A pending court decision by a federal judge in Montana still looms over the season. Thirteen environmental groups have requested that the season be shutdown and U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy is considering whether to stop the hunt while the groups' lawsuit to return wolves to the federal endangered species list is considered.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009 3:48:10 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [4]

Going back 100 years, deforestation, wolf control programs and changing habitat, ecosystems and prey conspired to drive down the wolf population. Meanwhile, the number of coyotes – whose original range was in western North America – grew, thanks to their ability to adapt and reproduce with ease. The two species started to interbreed, [Trent University geneticist Bradley] White explains.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 10:35:43 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [0]