Oppose fur trapping at Lake Umbagog NWRefuge

Target:

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Lake Umbagog Refuge Planners

Sponsored by:

The planners at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service with cooperation of the NH Fish & Game Department are pushing to adopt a management plan that includes recreational fur trapping at Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge that is shared by the states of New Hampshire and Maine. Signers of this petition oppose opening up Lake Umbagog NWR to trappers in any form, whether for recreational fur trapping or targeted trapping directed by the refuge manager. Body-crushing Conibear traps, restraining and choking snares, and steel jaw leg-hold traps all have no place in a "wildlife refuge." We signers urge the government to drop trapping from all proposed management plans.

Dear Ms. Nancy McGarigal, Mr. Casey, and other planners,

We, the signers of this petition, want you to drop all consideration of recreational fur trapping & targeted fur trapping from your management planning for Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge.

The top 8 reasons why allowing trapping on the refuge is a wrong decision:

1. As you say in your Compatibility Determination, %u201Cindirect impacts may include displacing migratory birds during the pair bonding/nesting season or the destruction of nests by trampling. Direct impacts may include the catch of target and non-target species that are predators on migratory birds or nests, or the removal of species that induce that induce habitat change (e.g., beavers).%u201D And you add, %u201CNon-target species could be taken through this trapping program.%u201D Reason #1 to not allow trapping is, Why would you allow trapping knowing ahead of time that such negative impacts as trampling and catch of non-targets would take place?

Reason #2 to not allow trapping is that the NH trapping season does indeed continue into Spring when all of wildlife comes alive ready for reproducing, and not as you stated in the Compatibility Determination, through only mid-March. Many NH seasons run through March 31st and several through April 10, such as beaver and otter.

Reason #3 to not allow trapping is that recreational fur trapping is motivated by the sale of pelts, which is a commercial use of the refuge for personal gain.

Reason #4 to not allow trapping is that fur trapping is %u201Crecreational%u201D to trappers like hunting is to hunters, then why is it snuck in under Goal #1 and isn%u2019t dealt with more appropriately under Goal #4, and the reason must be because, as stated in the Compatibility Determination, trapping %u201Cis not a priority public use%u201D of the refuge system. I repeat, trapping is not a priority public use.

Reason #5 to not allow trapping is that the Service is failing to recognize that furbearer species manage their own populations in natural predator-prey relationships with each other, such as fishers preying on porcupines, or coyotes preying on beavers and small rodents. The refuge belongs to all native furbearer species. Loons and other threatened and endangered species ought to be protected without destroying furbearers.

Reason #6 to not allow trapping is that NH%u2019s Wildlife Action Plan lists the bobcat and the pine marten as two species of conservation concern, and yet these species would be trapped on the Maine side of the refuge, which doesn%u2019t seem very helpful to NH that is trying to recover the strength of these species. Pine marten are routinely trapped in fisher sets and the Service ought to have Zero Tolerance for that.

Reason #7 to not allow trapping is that the refuge and its wildlife, such as loons, are already suffering the effects of various user groups, why would you propose adding fur trappers tromping through the woods and onto sensitive wetlands?

8. A final reason (#8) to not allow trapping is that trapping was identified dead last in public responses about the importance of activities when respondents visit Lake Umbagog (Question 7, Table 4.). Whereas %u201Cbeing in natural, undeveloped lands%u201D got a whopping 91% importance rating, %u201Ctrapping%u201D got a miniscule 19%, obviously indicating that trappers and their families are the only ones desiring the commercial and recreational benefits of trapping.

Conclusion

Finally, when all the critique of trapping is examined, it leaves the Service with No Good Reason to allow trapping in our refuge. Remember to put wildlife first %u2013 this is not a %u201Cpeople refuge,%u201D it is a %u201Cwildlife refuge.%u201D

Sincerely,
Signers of the Petition to Dis-allow trapping at Lake Umbagog NWRefuge

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We signed the "Oppose fur trapping at Lake Umbagog NWRefuge" petition!

# 2,718:

7:00 am PST, Dec 18, Ines Seidel, Germany

# 2,717:

8:23 pm PST, Dec 17, Nikita Somers, South Carolina

# 2,716:

6:34 pm PST, Dec 17, Courtney Boeck, Michigan

# 2,715:

10:10 pm PST, Dec 16, Wisconsin Winter, California
Lame and Weak must be stopped

# 2,714:

10:01 am PST, Dec 15, Karen Gray, Indiana
What is a Wildlife Refuge for if not to PROTECT its' wildlife!

# 2,713:

6:39 pm PST, Dec 13, Dellianan Of the Sea, Colorado

# 2,712:

12:40 pm PST, Dec 12, Samantha Powell, Indiana
The wildlife refuge was put there in an effort to preserve and enjoy wildlife,not to destory it.

# 2,711:

7:53 am PST, Dec 12, Cassie Toner, Washington

# 2,710:

5:55 am PST, Dec 12, Yoko Sano, Argentina
Please do not kill animals for humans ego...

# 2,709:

3:50 pm PST, Dec 11, Jenny Sheng, California

# 2,708:

12:35 pm PST, Dec 11, Yliana Rojas, Canada

# 2,707:

1:00 pm PST, Dec 7, Gregory Spillane, New Hampshire

# 2,706:

12:59 pm PST, Dec 7, Stacey Spillane, New Hampshire
The refuge was put in place to save the animals. This is cruel and inhumane!

# 2,705:

9:09 am PST, Dec 7, Risica Caputi, Florida

# 2,704:

1:01 am PST, Dec 7, Elizabeth Oehrn, Sweden

# 2,703:

6:12 pm PST, Dec 4, Name not displayed, Pennsylvania
Any trapping is ridiculous when the reasons it is happening, doesn't have to. The world is so far ahead in technology that there are alternatives!

# 2,702:

4:49 pm PST, Nov 24, Sarah Sleime, North Carolina

# 2,701:

9:59 am PST, Nov 21, Name not displayed, Maryland
The word refuge means a place of protection or shelter. To allow trapping in a wildlife refuge is the antithesis of what the wildlfe refuge was created for.

# 2,700:

1:02 pm PST, Nov 20, Desiree Diaz, Illinois

# 2,699:

1:23 pm PST, Nov 19, Jim Abner, Wisconsin
Wild animal populations have been decimated in this country and around the world through habitat lose, over harvesting, invasive species as a result of human activities. Our National Wildlife Refuges provide critical habitat and protection to plants and animals. They must not allow the human assault to continue through trapping and hunting.

# 2,698:

9:29 am PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Texas
Its cruel.....are these people crazy????

# 2,697:

2:55 am PST, Nov 17, Steve Klein, Virginia

# 2,696:

7:28 am PST, Nov 16, Toni Siegrist, Massachusetts
Trapping is so horribly cruel to wild animals and other animals who might accidently get caught in a trap.

# 2,695:

7:23 am PST, Nov 14, Nicole Gula, New Hampshire
The traps used are cruel & indiscriminate. The traps not only kill & maim target animals but also non-target animals.

# 2,694:

2:20 pm PST, Nov 10, Helen Savadge, Hawaii
society can be judged by how it treats the innocent and powerless. Cruelty and evil are the same thing.

# 2,693:

10:53 am PST, Nov 10, Gretchen Roberts, New York

# 2,692:

7:18 pm PST, Nov 7, Ursula Pelka, Minnesota

# 2,691:

11:23 am PST, Nov 4, Anne Seidel, Germany

# 2,690:

12:55 pm PDT, Nov 1, Jacqueline Peipert, Illinois

# 2,689:

8:57 pm PDT, Oct 30, DIANE KASTEL, Illinois
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IT CALLED A WILDLIFE REFUGE FOK IF THE ANIMALS ARE NOT SAFE FROM DEATH?

# 2,688:

12:13 am PDT, Oct 29, Victoria Thomas, Wyoming

# 2,687:

6:07 pm PDT, Oct 25, Raymond Ruysschaert, California

# 2,686:

6:02 pm PDT, Oct 25, Patricia Fournier, California
I cannot understand what advantages this "recreational fur trapping" plan could have. I do not understand the logic in allowing barbaric practices.

# 2,685:

11:37 am PDT, Oct 25, Beckie Moore, Nevada
I think trapping of any kind of animal is so f*&^ing cruel. Why do people have to be so cruel?

# 2,684:

2:08 am PDT, Oct 25, Name not displayed, Wisconsin

# 2,683:

5:53 pm PDT, Oct 19, Nancy Cross, Virginia

# 2,682:

12:17 pm PDT, Oct 17, Frances Oelbaum, New York
I oppose trapping in general for the fur industry

# 2,681:

9:36 am PDT, Oct 13, Daniel Saboia, Brazil

# 2,680:

1:16 am PDT, Oct 13, Kim Sixty Three, Missouri

# 2,679:

11:09 pm PDT, Oct 12, Melissa Smith, Rhode Island

# 2,678:

2:34 am PDT, Oct 12, Amanda Prentice, Georgia
Why is it called a "refuge" if trapping is allowed? Wildlife should be safe, as well as Americans that love wildlife. I'm sick of refuges and parks being used and abused by hunters, trappers, and ranchers. STOP abusing our protected lands. NOW!

# 2,677:

12:26 am PDT, Oct 12, Vici Doubek, Washington

# 2,676:

2:32 pm PDT, Oct 11, Sue Verner, Georgia
Merriam Webster defines refuge as "shelter or protection from danger or distress" - you don't terrify and torture someone for whom you're purporting to provide refuge. On the other hand, if the people in charge of the Lake Umbagog Refuge would like to live there and be shot at and caught in traps, then by all means we should be trapping everyone on the site; otherwise, we should let it be the refuge that the government has me paying for. Don't lie to me about what you're doing with my money, and to the animals I'm supposed to be protecting through you.

# 2,675:

11:55 am PDT, Oct 7, Kim Lessard Giasson, Maine
It's a barbaric practice and a refuge should be just that!

# 2,674:

6:18 am PDT, Oct 7, Janet Keleher, New York
Trapping of animals in a refuge is abhorrent. A refuge should be just that for the animals in that habitat, a refuge. A refuge from being tortured, maimed or killed by humans.

# 2,673:

12:30 pm PDT, Oct 6, Jennifer Lewis, California

# 2,672:

2:35 am PDT, Oct 6, Misty Rennebohm, Canada
I oppose all fur trapping everywhere!

# 2,671:

2:11 pm PDT, Oct 5, Hannah Dempsey, United Kingdom

# 2,670:

10:01 am PDT, Oct 5, Kristina Bain, Colorado
Trapping in a wildlife refuge?? That sounds like a proposal out of George Orwell's "1984." Why have a refuge in the first place if you are planning to maim and kill the animals? All that "recreational"trapping teaches kids is that animals are commodities to be exploited and not creatures that can feel fear and pain just as we do. Please reconsider your management plans and leaving the trapping out.

# 2,669:

9:30 am PDT, Oct 5, Jana Harker, California
trapping is brutally cruel

# 2,668:

9:44 am PDT, Oct 3, Ellen Horowitz, Illinois

# 2,667:

6:29 pm PDT, Sep 30, Lawrence Ritchie, New Hampshire

# 2,666:

4:16 am PDT, Sep 28, Laurel Burns, Maine

# 2,665:

9:24 pm PDT, Sep 27, Dilia Gomez, Florida

# 2,664:

6:19 am PDT, Sep 27, Inge Boey, Belgium

# 2,663:

9:27 pm PDT, Sep 26, Dan Bristol, California

# 2,662:

7:26 pm PDT, Sep 25, Amy Aversa, New York

# 2,661:

4:23 pm PDT, Sep 25, Lynn Graham, Washington

# 2,660:

10:26 am PDT, Sep 25, Christoph Poss, Germany

# 2,659:

8:44 am PDT, Sep 25, Elina Bjorvik, Norway

# 2,658:

7:33 am PDT, Sep 25, Kimberly Wyke, Maine
Trapping is torture!!!!

# 2,657:

10:43 pm PDT, Sep 24, Eva Kwolek, Indiana

# 2,656:

5:33 am PDT, Sep 24, Name not displayed, France

# 2,655:

5:32 am PDT, Sep 24, Name not displayed, France

# 2,654:

8:39 pm PDT, Sep 23, Jocelyn Weisbrich, California

# 2,653:

5:25 pm PDT, Sep 23, Tracey DeFratus, Texas
The animals in a National Wildlife Refuge are supposed to be safe. That is what the "wildlife" part of the name means. DUH, should not take a genius to figure that one out.

# 2,652:

4:58 am PDT, Sep 23, Sarah Mclean, Australia
It is inhumane and sick. It causes pain and suffering to animals. Just because animals CANT SPEAK doenst mean they DO NOT FEEL PAIN

# 2,651:

5:30 pm PDT, Sep 22, Jean Schmidt, New Hampshire
This is supposed to be a REFUGE. Trapping causes great suffering to the animals, and is a very cruel thing to do. Animals feel pain just like we do.

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