Letters and Comments for December 23, 2009

Pullman

Negative implications

To the Editor:

As an Enterprise resident, who teaches at regional business schools, I am extremely interested in economic development in Eastern Oregon, particularly as it relates to ranching and tourism. I am writing about a recent incident that has negative implications for this county’s economy.

Like many residents of Oregon, I knew nothing about the trapping practices here. Recently, this changed when my young border collie was caught in a wire neck snare a few yards off of Joseph’s Hurricane Canyon road. Several fortunate circumstances saved the dog’s life — I glimpsed a small sign on a tree warning of trapping just as the dog was caught (put up by a concerned citizen) and the dog had special leash training that prevented him from struggling with the snare.

When there is snow on the road, I often hike or ski there with the dogs.

The dogs are always within sight and/or voice control and not “running at large,” which seems to be the main justification for domestic pet trapping from the ODFW. On that day, families were gathering Christmas trees, walking with dogs and sledding on the road. Clearly, this is a popular recreational site for local residents and visitors with kids and dogs thus one has to ask, why is trapping allowed there? State licensing revenue and a few hundred dollars of yearly income to trappers could not outweigh other important economic benefits of recreation and tourism on our public lands.

As I relate my story to other winter recreationalists, they are horrified to learn of trapping and pro-trapper regulations which compromise their enjoyment of public lands but are supported with their tax dollars. At the very minimum, the responsible government agencies should post large warning signs on public lands wherever these traps are placed and have significant trap setbacks.

Dr. Mellie Pullman

Enterprise