FOOTLOOSE MONTANA

Upon moving to Montana, I was horrified to learn that traps and snares are legal on Public Land.

I love to hike and snowshoe with my dogs and I one of my dogs loves to swim. Traps and snares can often be found on or near trails, which means that even when leashed, a dog is still in danger because traps and snares are baited. Deadly body gripping Conibear traps can be found in rivers and streams at public fishing access areas throughout Montana. There is no recourse for the owner if a dog dies in a trap - in fact an owner can be fined for "disturbing" the trap in order to release their dog. The majority of Montanans do not trap.

Footloose provided me with valuable education at one of their Trap/Release Workshops. Too many target and non-target animals are maimed or killed each year for a so-called, barbaric "sport". The information Footloose presented at the workshop was educational and unbiased. I became a volunteer as a result.

Footloose is a grassroots organization with the goal of ending the barbaric practice of trapping OUR wildlife on OUR public lands in Montana. Trapping is not hunting. It is not “fair chase” or “clean kill”. Trapping is cruel and indiscriminate, with the trapped “unintended” species discarded like so much garbage. Trapping includes snaring, which is the painful and often slow asphyxiation of animals using wire nooses that are liberally spread throughout a forest area. Trapping and snaring put all wildlife, people and pets in danger, like land mines. The suffering they cause is beyond imagination. Trappers like to call it their “heritage” or a “harvest”, when actually it is legalized poaching. They also issue threats and lies to protect their violent and bloodthirsty form of recreation.
I am immensely grateful to Footloose, and proud of them for stepping forward to protect wildlife, the non-trapping public and our pets. They do this in the face of great adversity and NO big-money, out-of-state backers. They receive extremely hateful push-back from both the little trapper and the big-money trophy hunting community who feel that OUR wildlife is theirs for the taking — perhaps just to hang a head or a skin on their living room wall. And for what? Bragging rights? I’d much rather see wildlife in their natural habitat, and perhaps try to get a picture. So would Montana’s important tourists! I detest the suffering caused by trapping, and the wasteful loss of so many pets and wildlife. I wholeheartedly support Footloose, and intend to continue working with them and supporting them financially. I hope you, reading this, will do the same. The fight will be long, and will never be easy. Please support Footloose if you feel outrage that trapping even exists — the next time you go out hiking with your dog, perhaps, or enjoy a day on the riverbank. Thank you!

I am a member of footloose Montana as well as a licensed fisherman, hunter and trapper in Montana. footloose Montana provides a very balanced approach to reigning in the current hysteric approach to trapping liberalization by a small group of radical trappers that feel threatened by the current reasonable regulations in place. I advocate for enhanced signage for trap placements as well additional off trail requirements.

Good — I’m glad they are exposing the horrors that you create and how you make animals suffer!!! 71 countries around the world have banned trapping based on cruelty — why is America so slow??

This is an organization that promotes domestic terrorism by using photos taken from the facebook pages & personal websites of hunters, without permission. They using them on their website & facebook page for purposes of harassment & threats. They have a "photo album" of photos of an Idaho resident hunter & encourage their followers to harass & threaten him & his family, They should NOT have NPO status. They are also breaking Idaho's Hunter Harassment law:
West's Idaho Code Annotated. Title 36. Fish and Game. Chapter 15. Public Safety. § 36-1510. Interference with hunting, fishing, trapping or wildlife control

Statute Details
Citation: ID ST § 36-1510

Summary: This section comprises Idaho's hunter harassment law. Under the law, no person shall intentionally interfere with the lawful taking or control of wildlife by another; intentionally harass, bait, drive or disturb any animal for the purpose of disrupting lawful pursuit; or damage or destroy in any way any lawful hunting blind with the intent to interfere. Idaho also expands these activities to include the harassment, intimidation, or threatening of any person who is or was lawfully engaged in the taking of fish or wildlife by such means as personal or written contact, telephone, e-mail, or a website. Every person convicted or entering a plea of guilty or of nolo contendere for violation of this section is subject to a fine of not to exceed $1,500 or confinement for 6 months in the county jail, or both. Further, any person damaged by prohibited acts may recover treble civil damages and a person can obtain an injunction against violations of this law.