At 65 years of age, I have not yet set a trap to catch a furbearing animal. That said, I have shot deer and caught fish and enjoyed preparing them for the table and had them mounted to enjoy the memory created with family and friends. Also had a bearskin rug made from an animal shot by my son’s girlfriend — something especially enjoyed by my grandchildren.
Now that I have more time to devote to outdoor activities offered by Vermont, I may wish to pursue trapping. I write to simply point out that taking away people’s rights to enjoy outdoor activities such as trapping is something I oppose on a number of levels.
Some will say that trapping hurts animals and they do not like the thought of hurting an innocent animal or, worse yet, killing one. Perhaps fishing hurts fish and hunting hurts animals. Perhaps all farmers who raise animals and poultry end up hurting them as well somewhere between the time they are born and brought to slaughter.
We have requirements for education and licensing in Vermont as well as laws that provide for intelligent harvesting of wildlife, including trapping.
Taking away people’s rights to legally harvest wildlife is a step in the wrong direction. It is future generations that will be ill served by this type of agenda.
James Reynolds
Rutland
