Need info on footsnaring Black Bears

[akchuck]

Alaska is about as close as it likely ever get to legalizing foot snares for black bears in certain units. I working some written testimony for the Board of Game and need information. Specifically equipment, how to target black bears, how to release non-target bears, anything that will put foot snaring in a positive light. If anyone from Maine or any of the Canadian provinces that have legal snaring I would appreciate any info you can give.

[Graybeard]

I suspect the trapping forum would be your best place to get such info not here in the bear hunting forum.

[Sourdough]

akchuck:  Last year I put in the proposal about reclassifying Black Bears to fur bearing animals.  The people in The Alaska Trappers Association at the meeting we held were adimate about not trapping bears.  I mean they got their hackels up fast just at the suggestion.  And I was not even proposing trapping, just reclassifying them as furbearers. 

You are going to have to convince the interior trappers that 1.  You can target Black Bears.  2. That Moose and Caribou will not be a by catch.  3.  How are you going to release Grizzlies?  Because any snare that will hold a big Black Bear will hold a small Grizzly. 

Personally I don't see any differance between catching a Grizzly or Black Bear, they are both voracious preditors of baby Moose.  But I don't think you can get it past the Game Bord.  I wish you all the luck trying, and by all means give it a try.  Just do your homework like you are doing and give it your best shot.  Rog Hunter, Fairbanks Advisory Commitee 

[akchuck]

Sourdough, Thanks for the heads up with the ATA, that surprises me. I took their wolf trapping school a few years ago, one part of the class was how to avoid moose & caribou I don't see their reasoning there. Foot snares would be much easier to set and avoid moose. I am working on a contact with Alberta Fish & Game who used to trap bears for the province. I am also trying to fine a contact with the state of Maine DNR.

Do you have any resources that would be helpful ? I never though of reclassifying them, that might be something to consider. I live in  16 where we need some relief the moose calf survival rate is below the numbers ADFG says is needed to sustain the population.

Thanks for the kick start.

Chuck

[corbanzo]

Where in 16 are you chuck?  I have property out past trapper creek back down oilwell road a ways.  Have you seen the new regs?  They start the predator control area for all of 16 July 1st of this year. 

With my understanding so far they are opening it up to pretty much any type of hunting.  I know that baits and burns are going to be legal, but would still check in on the snares, as what I read said that any means already in use in any part of alaska are going to be allowed. 

I think once the time comes, and I get a predator control tag, I'll have to sit down and chat with fins and feathers for them to clarify all the changes they are making.

[akchuck]

20 miles south of Skwentna. I just sent a couple of e-mails to ADFG to get some info and clarification. The reason I have looking for information on foot snares is the original proposal was tabled. What do you think about foot snares for black bears, and reclassifying the as furbearers?

[corbanzo]

Well, they do want 1,400 of them to be killed in 16, and the only way that they are going to have that happen is if they are fur bearers.  The other hunters aren't going to take more than the 3 normally alloted just because the limit was lifted.  I think with the predator control program, a listing as furbearers, could help to increase the number of bears taken. 

I re-read the article, and the fins and feathers rep said that bears could be taken "with guns, bows, bait, however they want..."  When he says however they want, that makes me wonder how far that statement goes. 

I think that foot snares would be a great way to catch blackies, especially since bears roam so much, though they usually move fairly slow, they are always on the move, especially in the interior where they need to look for good food. 

[corbanzo]

If you look in the AK forum, I called F&G about some of the new bear regs.  Footsnaring is not on the table at all, only the same methods, but just more open times and limits.

[RollTide]

JJhack used to trap black bears for a living for large commercial forests.  He might be a good source of info.   You might want to send him a PM on the subject.  I don't know if he is in the US or not since he is a PH in Africa now, but I am sure he could give you a lot of info if you can make contact with him.

Roll Tide

[akchuck]

Right now our big push is to get black bears reclassified as fur bearers, then work on method of taking them. I think the BOG is as about as receptive as they will ever get, but it will still  be a hard one to get through. Right now I'm working on written testimony on the reclassifying part and gathering information on foot snaring since that will ultimately be part of the testimony.

[Dusty Miller]

I can't imagine, for the life of me, why in the name of heaven anybody would want to "footsnare" a bear?  Is the sport?  Is it fair chase?  WHY would anybody in this day and age want to do such a thing?

[akchuck]

I can't imagine, for the life of me, why in the name of heaven anybody would want to "footsnare" a bear?  Is the sport?  Is it fair chase?  WHY would anybody in this day and age want to do such a thing?

Do you hunt for sport? What do you use?  I don't hunt for sport I hunt to feed my family, a foot snare is a tool the same as a rifle or shotgun.

[Dusty Miller]

No, it is not at all like a rifle or a shotgun!  You set the snare and then go off and do something else for awhile and then return to see if some animal has fallen into the trap.  If you are harvesting for food that's one thing, but if anybody is doing this and thinking its some kind of sport hunting I'll disagree with them until the cows come home. 

[akchuck]

Well looks like we are going have to agree to disagree.