Read Sportsman’s Alliance’s article on a recent victory to defeat an initiative that sought to ban beaver trapping in Oregon.
Recently the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (OFWC) considered a proposal that would have banned beaver trapping on all federal forest land in the state. The Sportsmen’s Alliance, along with a number of state and national partners, worked together and defeated this shortsighted initiative.
The trapping proposal came about under unique circumstances that challenged the wildlife management system that our members rely on. The groups driving the proposal argued that ending beaver trapping would be beneficial to salmon. However, there was no scientific evidence to back up these claims and it quickly became clear that the true nature of these efforts were not related to salmon, but rather ending sustainable beaver harvest. Ultimately, the OFWC did not take a vote on the issue, and so beaver trapping on federal forest lands will continue in Oregon.
Staff at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife gave a noteworthy presentation that demonstrated the stability and connectivity of Oregon’s beaver population and further highlighted the limited or non-existent impact beaver trapping had on overall beaver population numbers. State biologists made the recommendation that no changes be made to current beaver trapping regulations, and the OFWC ultimately followed the staff’s direction.
“Trapping plays an integral role in the management of wildlife based on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation,” said Jacob Hupp associate director of state services at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “As such state game commissions must preserve the right to trap because of its benefits in reducing human-wildlife conflict and its demonstrated success in preserving and protecting wildlife populations.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
