Pffffffftttt....
Best to go back and read some of what AEP has to say about the fury critters and how valuable they think they are to the average Albertan, alive. There would be no issues developing due to the lack of trapping. And I'd venture to say, a live viewing of a lynx is worth much more to Albertans than what a trapper would get for it's skin in China.
Tradition is a great thing and sustains many arguments against, however the recent greedy trend to ignore past traditions such as freely canoeing a creek (which is how the fur trade got started), or legally
trapping for food indicates the tide many be turning or may need to be turned, through legislation.
With the possible exception of Coyotes which are very abundant, Albertans don't get to see Fishers, Marten, Lynx, Wolverine et al and it is possibly due to their seasonal harvests. Making a few dollars off of a natural resource is still taking from all Albertans and they may ultimately say, keep your pitiful royalty we want our furs in the woods for future generations to see alive.
Being verbally aggressive and threatening towards someone in opposition to your weekend/evening hobby does not read very with the educated public. Being defensive and closed off when discussing the topic with fellow outdoorsmen who may also be conservationists devalues them and all Albertans.
Veiled personal attacks, requesting and disclosure of personal information that is protected by law under both federal and provincial governments cannot possibly increase their support for your hobby. And it certainly will not give the non trapping Albertans nor Canadians a warm and fuzzy feeling, either.
The old boys would say to leave it in the woods and the public will never be the wiser to what is actually happening out there. I think the overpowering urge to get the information to the web and viewed these days will lead to a strong public resentment of your trapping, of my trapping.
Now,
hunting these fur bearing critters would give all Albertans not only the chance to take one or two home but to see them interacting in their natural environment and some times that's pretty special just as it is.
Gonna need to see that hat....TD
