Utah Travelers with Dogs

[Wapiti]

Hi travelers. I am trying to get word out to those of you who love exploring country with your dog(s) and are going to be heading through Utah between now and February 15th.

Fur-bearer trapping season opened Nov. 19 and runs through Feb. 15th.

What this means is that steel-jawed foothold and lethal neck snare traps can be encountered along any county, BLM or USFS road, in proximity to recreational areas such as lakes, as well as in any remote location in the state. Traps/snares are not required to be flagged or marked in any way.

I am not a rabid activist; I am a wildlife biologist who is working the Monticello, UT region. My year old Airedale Zeke during the 5 weeks I have been working around Monticello has been caught once in a steel-jawed trap (next to Monticello Lake) and twice in a lethal neck snare (once along a BLM and once along a USFS numbered road). I have talked with numerous agency officials and am being told Utah is "trapper-friendly" and trappers are the ones who decide where to place their traps.

So even though it is tempting to take a hike along a Utah remote road or through some rocky cliffed country this time of year please be cautious. Zeke is only alive today because I know how to release a steel-jawed trap and I carry wire-cutters with me in my backpack. Now when I see any sign of people having been in an area I am hiking I make sure Zeke is right next to me.

Don't go by thinking that because the tire tracks look old no one is trapping an area. Trappers are only required to check their lethal neck snares once every 10 days and if they want to wait longer who is going to prove it has been longer than 10 days. So a trapper can leave snares out for as long as they please so long as the snares are picked up by the end of trapping season.

A link to Utah trapping regulations is: wildlife.utah.gov

I'd really like to hear any experience readers have had on this subject. Be safe and enjoy the back-country with your best 4 legged friends! ~Valerie~

[Lifemagician]

Hi Valerie, and Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum.

What this means is that steel-jawed foothold and lethal neck snare traps ...

I can't believe that a so called civilized society still uses these devices. I was of the impression that they had been outlawed. They certainly have, downunder.

As a kid I recall 'rescuing' possums from those cruel steel jaws. Unfortunately the injuries were always so bad that the poor animals had to be put down.

Lifey

[Wapiti]

Hi Lifey. No kidding! Not legal in the down-under country? And we 'mericans still are brainwashed to believe we are the most civilized. Utah is all about making money and killing wild animals. Half joking and half serious. It is the Mormon religion. Say - you in your home country now or visiting here? either way, avoid Utah for another few weeks (:

[Lifemagician]

I was watching Hardcore Pawn a few days ago (couple years old program), when someone wanted to sell a steel jaw trap. The seller admitted they were illegal to own..

Or is that only in Michigan?

And we 'mericans still are brainwashed to believe we are the most civilized.

Before I knew better, I used to believe that too.

Lifey who could say a lot more.... but won't

[ErichT]

When I was a kid we used to spring (and steal) the steel jawed beaver traps from the river for this same reason. They kept getting the dogs. The laws have been tightened up, but you can still come across some old rusted ones in areas.