Moses Lake Area Guy Caught Snaring Coyotes.

[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.

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[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.