Moses Lake Area Guy Caught Snaring Coyotes.

[yotesnmore]

I was told this weekend about a guy that was caught in the moses lake area with 37 active snares surrounding his property.. Anyone that can put any validity to the story?!

[bear]

That’s too bad. Sounds like fun

[300rum]

Should've put out an even 40. 

surrounding his property..

[h2ofowlr]

Only illegal because of the liberals in Seattle that think it horrible as they are hearing about it while drinking their soy lattes at Starbucks!

[millerwheeler]

Honestly other Tha  it being illegal can ya blame him maybe he felt he should be able to protect his property any means necassary,  I may have different view if it wasn't on his property but just saying if it was on his  cabt blame him

[JakeLand]

There’s only a couple ways to effectively get coyotes and cages is NOT one !

[Jingles]

Personally IMO if the snares were on his property ask whoever caught him , assuming it was a LEO, for the search warrent as they violated his IV amendment rights and were tresspassing.

[Tracker0721]

Um, we’re a castle law state right? So he’s protecting his flock. This is probably why I wouldn’t make it as a warden. Classic self defense in my mind.

[Jingles]

Guess I could end up in cold soup if the cougar that was seen night before last less than 150 yards from my place comes in my yard when I can see it. Matters not if the town has an ordinance about discharging a weapon of any kind that has a projectile,  firearm, bow, bb gun, slingshot, cuze there'll be one dead cougar

[JimmyHoffa]

hope he was able to get lots of yotes.

[deereman]

??if I was going to snare on my farm, I sure wouldn’t do it on the borders knowing that this practice is illegal! Has to be more to this story?

[vandeman17]

What's "right" and what's legal are two different things. Unless there is some language to the snare law about private property not applying then what he did was illegal. A fine or whatever he ends up getting is deserved. 

[Curly]

I just hope he killed a lot of yotes before he was caught.

I'm also curious to hear more of the story.......like how was he caught?  Was he bragging on social media or did he catch a neighbor's dog, or what? 

[JakeLand]

Coyotes are a unclassified nuisance everything should be legal except poison to control the population

[Cougartail]

Coyotes are a unclassified nuisance everything should be legal except poison to control the population

 

[lewy]

How much trouble?

[Machias]

I hate to say it, but it's a dumb move.  You can get a permit from WDFW and use padded footholds if you need to protect your property.  Not ideal, but in this state, if you get caught, and you will get caught eventually, you are better off following the rules.

[pianoman9701]

If you intentionally break the law then you have nothing to cry about if and when you get caught. I also wonder how he was caught. Maybe he thought his FB post was invisible. 

[Humptulips]

I hope they don't hammer him but based on the one other case I know of that was similar each snare will be a separate offense. Other guy I know had 13 traps out. $1000 fine per trap, total $13000.
If it was me I would be worried.

[Special T]

Many of the responces are indicative of the slippery slope we are on. The longer the rules protect predators the less folks will view them as part of the ecology.

How many times have we seen or heard of guys poaching cats or some other predator  then go full rogue and poach deer or elk. Because of the lack of movement by the department I have noticed sportsmen  be more vocal in the passive acceptance of it.  When sportsmen in large numbers quit caring the "sport" is over then it becomes an outlaw battle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[getreal711]

Is there a link that talks about the law against snares? I haven't read the rules so ignorant about it.

[Bango skank]

Many of the responces are indicative of the slippery slope we are on. The longer the rules protect predators the less folks will view them as part of the ecology.

How many times have we seen or heard of guys poaching cats or some other predator  then go full rogue and poach deer or elk. Because of the lack of movement by the department I have noticed sportsmen  be more vocal in the passive acceptance of it.  When sportsmen in large numbers quit caring the "sport" is over then it becomes an outlaw battle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

If the state wont get their act together and manage predators reasonably, widespread civil disobedience will be the new normal.  Its getting there.  Lot of very unhappy folks who have had enough, that are fed up with what wdfw is doing.  There cones a point where otherwise law abiding people just say screw it and start doing whst needs to be done.

[MtnMuley]

I hope they don't hammer him but based on the one other case I know of that was similar each snare will be a separate offense. Other guy I know had 13 traps out. $1000 fine per trap, total $13000.
If it was me I would be worried.

You're telling me that a guy paid $13K for some traps he had set of the wrong kind, yet there's several cases each year of several poached animals/fish/shellfish that get a slap on the wrist with fines in the hundreds? This pathetic state gets worse every day.

[Humptulips]

Is there a link that talks about the law against snares? I haven't read the rules so ignorant about it.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.194

Here's the key sentences.
"(1) It is unlawful to use or authorize the use of any steel-jawed leghold trap, neck snare, or other body-gripping trap to capture any mammal for recreation or commerce in fur."
"(3) It is unlawful to use or authorize the use of any steel-jawed leghold trap or any other body-gripping trap to capture any animal, except as provided in subsections (4) through (6) of this section."
"(7) A person violating this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor."
Also to learn what constitutes a bodygripping trap read,
https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.192
(2) "Body-gripping trap" means a trap that grips an animal's body or body part. Body-gripping trap includes, but is not limited to, steel-jawed leghold traps, padded-jaw leghold traps, Conibear traps, neck snares, and nonstrangling foot snares. Cage and box traps, suitcase-type live beaver traps, and common rat and mouse traps are not considered body-gripping traps.

[getreal711]

Does (recreation or commerce in fur) apply to protecting your livestock? But I see section 3 says only in exceptions 4-6. Glad my last yote was caught chasing one of my turkeys with my .223 and NV scope Christmas eve.

[Humptulips]

Does (recreation or commerce in fur) apply to protecting your livestock? But I see section 3 says only in exceptions 4-6. Glad my last yote was caught chasing one of my turkeys with my .223 and NV scope Christmas eve.

If you read the entire thing there is no avenue to get a permit for neck snares. Likely what he was using. Even if he was using foot snares he would need to have a permit and he would be in the clear if he had a permit. You wouldn't be hearing about it if he had a permit.
Bottom line, Gross Misdemeanor for every snare.
 Gross misdemeanors in Washington are punishable by up to 364 days in county jail, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both

[huntnphool]

Does (recreation or commerce in fur) apply to protecting your livestock? But I see section 3 says only in exceptions 4-6. Glad my last yote was caught chasing one of my turkeys with my .223 and NV scope Christmas eve.

If you read the entire thing there is no avenue to get a permit for neck snares. Likely what he was using. Even if he was using foot snares he would need to have a permit and he would be in the clear if he had a permit. You wouldn't be hearing about it if he had a permit.
Bottom line, Gross Misdemeanor for every snare.
 Gross misdemeanors in Washington are punishable by up to 364 days in county jail, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both

 If he gets a liberal judge (likely) and is not a illegal or homeless, he will get the max!

[idaho guy]

Many of the responces are indicative of the slippery slope we are on. The longer the rules protect predators the less folks will view them as part of the ecology.

How many times have we seen or heard of guys poaching cats or some other predator  then go full rogue and poach deer or elk. Because of the lack of movement by the department I have noticed sportsmen  be more vocal in the passive acceptance of it.  When sportsmen in large numbers quit caring the "sport" is over then it becomes an outlaw battle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

If the state wont get their act together and manage predators reasonably, widespread civil disobedience will be the new normal.  Its getting there.  Lot of very unhappy folks who have had enough, that are fed up with what wdfw is doing.  There cones a point where otherwise law abiding people just say screw it and start doing whst needs to be done.

That’s what needs to happen. People at some point need to stand up and fight for whats right.

[hunter399]

Many of the responces are indicative of the slippery slope we are on. The longer the rules protect predators the less folks will view them as part of the ecology.

How many times have we seen or heard of guys poaching cats or some other predator  then go full rogue and poach deer or elk. Because of the lack of movement by the department I have noticed sportsmen  be more vocal in the passive acceptance of it.  When sportsmen in large numbers quit caring the "sport" is over then it becomes an outlaw battle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

If the state wont get their act together and manage predators reasonably, widespread civil disobedience will be the new normal.  Its getting there.  Lot of very unhappy folks who have had enough, that are fed up with what wdfw is doing.  There cones a point where otherwise law abiding people just say screw it and start doing whst needs to be done.

That’s what needs to happen. People at some point need to stand up and fight for whats right.

I agree with skank
Real problem is with rouge trapping is now the animals are just wasted ,people set traps to lower predator numbers never to return to check them.when if it was legal to foothold trap you have more responsible people that are willing to check traps and skin and use the animal.But I'm sure bango is right ,we will see more of this as time goes on public or private property.

[elkboy]

Civil disobedience over coyotes? Which already have a 365 day open season?  Can't coyotes be trapped with other trap types?  I presume this fellow in Moses Lake wasn't trying to trap out a ravenous wolf pack.

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt. The rest of society is watching, and they will judge whether our community is a trustworthy group of stewards of the wildlife resource. And I don't mean WDFW. I mean us, the ones out there with gun or bow in hand. I think the vast majority of us are, but you might not know it by some opinions expressed.  And hunting has enemies who are all too happy to take advantage of whatever propaganda they are provided with, even if it is not representative of hunters at large.

And parenthetically, I too am frustrated by "slap on the wrist" punishment of poachers. We need to build the bandwidth in our legal system so that courts aren't so overwhelmed with non-wildlife cases that they can't address fish and wildlife crime.

[JakeLand]

Ok here’s one for you 2 years ago a “defender of wildlife “ released a bobcat and destroyed my cage . I followed his tracks in the snow to his house and got him, long story short with confession to the warden and a “slam dunk case “ it’s still in the courts system waiting ! Hmmmm

[elkboy]

Ok here’s one for you 2 years ago a “defender of wildlife “ released a bobcat and destroyed my cage . I followed his tracks in the snow to his house and got him, long story short with confession to the warden and a “slam dunk case “ it’s still in the courts system waiting ! Hmmmm

Also very wrong!  Hope you get your day in court.  Glad the tracking snow was good...  and you sent the "defender of wildlife" a strong message.   

[Curly]

Can't coyotes be trapped with other trap types?  I presume this fellow in Moses Lake wasn't trying to trap out a ravenous wolf pack.

Not really... nothing that works anyway.  Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Special T]

Civil disobedience over coyotes? Which already have a 365 day open season?  Can't coyotes be trapped with other trap types?  I presume this fellow in Moses Lake wasn't trying to trap out a ravenous wolf pack.

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt. The rest of society is watching, and they will judge whether our community is a trustworthy group of stewards of the wildlife resource. And I don't mean WDFW. I mean us, the ones out there with gun or bow in hand. I think the vast majority of us are, but you might not know it by some opinions expressed.  And hunting has enemies who are all too happy to take advantage of whatever propaganda they are provided with, even if it is not representative of hunters at large.

And parenthetically, I too am frustrated by "slap on the wrist" punishment of poachers. We need to build the bandwidth in our legal system so that courts aren't so overwhelmed with non-wildlife cases that they can't address fish and wildlife crime.

Cage traps dont work on coyotes, and that is all that is legal.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Cougartail]

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt.

Gee, I wonder where rural people got the attitude laws can be ignored? Maybe if the government and leftist types would stop marginalizing laws they don't like (i.e. Immigration.) this attitude wouldn't be so prevalent. 

 

[pianoman9701]

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt.

Gee, I wonder where rural people got the attitude laws can be ignored? Maybe if the government and leftist types would stop marginalizing laws they don't like (i.e. Immigration.) this attitude wouldn't be so prevalent. 

 

For many, ignoring game laws has been a "tradition" long before we started ignoring our immigration laws. I don't know about this specific case, but elkboy's point is well-taken - if you have the attitude that games laws are there to be broken, the North American Game Management Model ceases to exist.

[Bill W]

nothing yet in the Moses Lake paper.

[Cougartail]

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt.

Gee, I wonder where rural people got the attitude laws can be ignored? Maybe if the government and leftist types would stop marginalizing laws they don't like (i.e. Immigration.) this attitude wouldn't be so prevalent. 

 

For many, ignoring game laws has been a "tradition" long before we started ignoring our immigration laws. I don't know about this specific case, but elkboy's point is well-taken - if you have the attitude that games laws are there to be broken, the North American Game Management Model ceases to exist.

"Tradition" for some, yes but never has the WDFW provided "sanctuary" to those that violate game laws thus encouraging it. Ignoring immigration laws will be the end of our country which is far more important than any "Game Management Model".

As for the "NAGMM".. It has changed from providing hunting opportunities for Americans to feeding predators for "bio-diversity". What is the difference between predators wiping out all the deer and elk and poachers doing the same. Either way hunters lose..

I notice nobody is very vocal when the "Wolf SSS" crowd talks about breaking the law.

[pianoman9701]

Attitudes like some of those reflected in this thread are as much of a threat as habitat loss, predation, or anything else to our continued ability to hunt.

Gee, I wonder where rural people got the attitude laws can be ignored? Maybe if the government and leftist types would stop marginalizing laws they don't like (i.e. Immigration.) this attitude wouldn't be so prevalent. 

 

For many, ignoring game laws has been a "tradition" long before we started ignoring our immigration laws. I don't know about this specific case, but elkboy's point is well-taken - if you have the attitude that games laws are there to be broken, the North American Game Management Model ceases to exist.

"Tradition" for some, yes but never has the WDFW provided "sanctuary" to those that violate game laws thus encouraging it. Ignoring immigration laws will be the end of our country which is far more important than any "Game Management Model".

As for the "NAGMM".. It has changed from providing hunting opportunities for Americans to feeding predators for "bio-diversity". What is the difference between predators wiping out all the deer and elk and poachers doing the same. Either way hunters lose..

I notice nobody is very vocal when the "Wolf SSS" crowd talks about breaking the law.

You're all over the place. You seem to be saying that because the predators are wiping out all the ungulates, poachers should be free to do the same and we should ignore the NAGMM. That's a ridiculous connection. The immigration thing really has nothing to do with this thread - off on a tangent. And, when people make posts about illegal activities, such as SSS for wolves in WA, they're warned that posts promoting illegal activities are against the forum rules. If you haven't seen them, you haven't been paying attention.

[Humptulips]

Might I remind people that the same exact law applies to mole traps. Every mole trap you set is potentially a Gross Misdemeanor.
Wonder why trappers get so upset about mole trapping. Everybody, LE and yes even this forum turn a blind eye to blatant illegal activity. There are threads on here with guys bragging about it.
If the law were enforced equally the law would have been changed long ago. The unequal enforcement took away our biggest bargaining chip for change in the law.
Result, trappers get hammered if we break the law, everybody else get a free pass.

[Cougartail]

No, it's a simple concept and has been proven time and time again. When certain people are allowed to violate the laws they don't like, others feel justified to violate the ones they don't like.

As for game laws, I try not to violate any intentionally myself. However I won't give the State $94.00 to hunt animals that don't exist due to predators and mismanagement. The Department of Fish and Game worked for the benefit of my interest, hunting. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works for all users groups which is fine but will not get money from me to feed predators. The powers to be in this state are destroying hunting so why should I care how it happens? (Predators/Poachers) I don't!

  was posted on this website numerous times when referencing wolves. Were they shooting rubber bullets? lol

[elkboy]

The fact that some have advocated illegal activity doesn't make it right, doesn't make it representative of all of us, and doesn't make it the best way to go about addressing wildlife management challenges here or anywhere. 

Real change takes hard work, not a string of broken laws.  We will never get the changes that we might want as a hunting public if we don't spend some sweat in education, political activity, volunteerism.'

I'm not here to start fights, or come off as a higher-ground kind of guy.  Sorry if either is occurring.  I passionately care about hunting as conservation, as a strong tie to the land, as a source of food for a lot of us, and so much more.  I just want us to go about advocating for it in the best way possible, and for the rest of society to see us as responsible stewards of the resource we directly use. 

[Cougartail]

Might I remind people that the same exact law applies to mole traps. Every mole trap you set is potentially a Gross Misdemeanor.
Wonder why trappers get so upset about mole trapping. Everybody, LE and yes even this forum turn a blind eye to blatant illegal activity. There are threads on here with guys bragging about it.
If the law were enforced equally the law would have been changed long ago. The unequal enforcement took away our biggest bargaining chip for change in the law.
Result, trappers get hammered if we break the law, everybody else get a free pass.

  Pretty lawns, smooth golf greens and safe, smooth soccer fields are justification to violate the law by special people who are above the law.

[Special T]

"Plans recommended at any level of government are only true solutions if they are perceived to be beneficial to the recipients, and if they are based on our shared, common goals intended to bring Washington together around wolf issues."

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-12/final_inslee_gray_wolf_response_with_attachment_112719.pdf

Pman

The rule of law is important. I believe the last line from the Directors response to the Governor on wolves is recognition of this slippery slope.  Laws only have meaning when people believe in them. The widened disconnect on wolves WILL spread.  When the discontent spreads enough the rule of law will have no force.  At some point the heavy hand of $1k per illegal trap will be less of a deterrent and more of a justification for rebellion.  I  don't want this, and I know you don't either.  As long as the state ignores those effected by these bad laws the more it will fester until it implodes.

[Machias]

This is a legally caught coyote in Washington State, just a couple of years ago, in a padded foothold.  There are legal and effective ways to catch coyotes in Washington.  It's a complete pain in the @$$, but there are legal and effective ways to take care of the problem.

[Machias]

Might I remind people that the same exact law applies to mole traps. Every mole trap you set is potentially a Gross Misdemeanor.
Wonder why trappers get so upset about mole trapping. Everybody, LE and yes even this forum turn a blind eye to blatant illegal activity. There are threads on here with guys bragging about it.
If the law were enforced equally the law would have been changed long ago. The unequal enforcement took away our biggest bargaining chip for change in the law.
Result, trappers get hammered if we break the law, everybody else get a free pass.