Nevada Passes New Restricted Trapping Laws

On April 4th, Nevada’s Senate Natural Resources Committee passed Senate Bill 364, which creates stricter trapping laws. Outdoorsmen  will now need to identify their traps, register them, and check them every 24 hours, opposed to the current law which only requires them to check them every 96 hours.

This bill will also require signs to posted on public lands where trapping is permitted. The bill could also require trapping permit cost to be increased; currently, trappers pay $42 for an annual trapping permit, and $5 per pelt to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Over 70 percent of the Nevada population resides in the Las Vegas area, and the rest of the state is rather rural. Trapping is popular pursuit in those rural areas.

John Sullivan, vice president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said requiring a trap check once a day is the worst part of the bill. Joel Blakeslee, president of the Nevada Trappers Association, said legislators have looked at the issue for years and not changed the 96-hour requirement.

In my opinion, this bill could change the way of life for many trappers in Nevada. These types of bills are requested by those who lack an understanding of conservation, and the joys of hunting and trapping.

Sadly, the only connection that many people have with nature is through TV. Animated TV shows and movies are effective at convincing people that hunting is inhumane and wrong because animals have human-like emotions. However, most of these same people wear leather belts and eat cheeseburgers at fast food restaurants.

Hunting is not inhumane or wrong. It is no different than farming animals for food. Hunting and trapping is simply a way to catch food, which was meant for us to eat!