Licensed Trapper Study

[Carp Commander]

I received this email today in reference to a licensed trapper study. I am always a little hesitant with these and wonder sometimes is there is a way for certain special interest groups to somehow twist the facts and use the information against us.

Did anyone else get this or have any thoughts on the matter?

Doug




The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is participating in a nationwide study coordinated by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) concerning the use of traps in the United States. As a licensed trapper, your email address was one of only a small number that have been randomly selected to help us with this study by answering a brief questionnaire. Although participation is completely voluntary, we would greatly appreciate your cooperation in this important effort. The results will help protect the ability of the states to manage furbearers through trapping.

Click Here to Start the Survey

The questions take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and our goal is to have all surveys completed by September 22, 2015, in order to have time to analyze data and develop a report within the study’s timeline.

Please be assured that your answers will never be associated with your name, address, trapping license, or other contact information.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) is a nationwide association that each state fish and wildlife agency is a member of, including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. AFWA represents the state agencies on Capitol Hill and in other national forums to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important fish and wildlife issues.
 
Each state agency is participating in this AFWA study, and you are being asked to participate as a license holder whose privileges may include trapping. The goal of this study is for AFWA to better understand trapping participation and, more specifically, trap use, such as which types of traps and features are being used for which species, which traps are most popular, and which species are most often trapped, as well as some related trapping information, such as expenditures (to better understand the economic impact of trapping on the states), membership in trapping organizations, and more. The results of the study will be used to help protect and manage trapping opportunities in each state.
 
Responsive Management, an independent research firm specializing in outdoor recreation and natural resource issues, has been contracted by AFWA to conduct the survey with trappers. Each state agency has provided trapping license contact information under a confidentiality agreement with Responsive Management that the contact information is used only for this licensed trapper study. Again, please be assured that your answers will never be associated with your name, address, trapping license, or other contact information and that your contact information will only be used for contacting you directly for this study.
 
Responsive Management also conducted the study previously in 2004, and a copy of the report is accessible online at http://www.fishwildlife.org/files/AFWA-FINAL-TRAPPING-Report.pdf.

Click Here to Start the Survey

If you have any questions, have technical issues, or need further clarification about this study please feel free to contact Responsive Management at research@responsivemanagement.com.
 
Thank you in advance for your time and feedback.

Sincerely,
Alison Lanier
Responsive Management

[Bigshooter]

I got the same email.  So did my trapping partner.  I did the survey.

[ouchfoss]

I got it too. Finished the survey as well.

[Humptulips]

Read the 2994 summary. There doesn't look like anything there that could hurt trappers. AFWA is supportive of trapping so I wouldn't worry too much.

[Hank]

I actually got a phone call asking me take the trappers survey. A lot of the questions delt with my opinions of best management practices. I took the survey as I assumed it was the same one that is being discussed here.


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[Turner89]

I just did the same.