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I hope you're not including me in your characterization of non trapping hunters rant there mtncat.
I don't have to like it to allow that it's legal and I can't interfere with it. I understand that it's a necessary evil. Frankly it's one of a whole bunch that we accept. Doesn't mean we have like it or practice it ourselves...just that we have to let it be. I was trying to help someone who didn't grow up with it understand it's a part of things. There are a number of other aspects to rural/western life that would be strange and seemingly not good to someone coming from a different background. Keep that in mind in your explanations and you might convince some people (and that should be our goal) rather than put them on the defensive.
I'd agree with you on the outright basher's however. It's funny that they're so quick to criticize but can't come up with any cogent argument outside of emotion. One line hit and runs for the most part.
A 2005 poll of New Mexcans by Research & Polling Inc.:
63% against trapping.
43% were not aware trapping was legal on public lands.
Of the hunters polled 52% against, 44% not against. 4% no opinion.
Do we know where this poll was conducted, and how it was targeted? Soccer moms in the cities, newcomers from other parts of the country, etc., or was it taken across the entire state, with a good cross-section of people represented? What about the hunters polled? Can we have a link to this poll? I'd like to read it, and it's source.
TKO, no not at all. You are one of the folks that may not agree with trapping but you don't bash it or wish to stop it on public land.
You like a few others know that as long as it's legal then we all have the right to use our natural resources as we see fit. Regardless of our personal beliefs.
Celticlady1
Not for sure but if I recall correctly that was one of the polls run by one of the extremest organizations a few years ago. (PETA,ELF,ALF)
It was done in Albuquerque.
Okay, folks, I am back....here is the latest twist on the coyote story. My kid goes down to my yuppie, millionaire neighbor to visit the kid who lives there. No one home. My kid goes down to the horse corral to pet the horses and finds seven coyote skins hanging on corral posts dripping blood.
Brief background. Neighbor is not a rancher. Neighbor is an animal hoarder. She has 11 dogs running all over the place (ages 6 months on) and five horses. I have found one horse dead and two sick to the point that I contacted animal control, etc. They all admit this is a problem but not a felony so nothing they can do. I convinced her to take the horses to the vet or else (I didn't really have an "or else" so I am glad she agreed).
Clearly, she either hired the trapper or purchased the pelts or this is some sick joke. I would ask her but apparently she is gone for the week.
Here we go for all you hunters, trappers, ranchers, woodsy folks: is this a scenario whereby if you hang these bloody pelts around it will potentially scare off other coyotes from coming around? Could that be the case? She has four older horses and one filly about nine months old (the mother is the dead one). We have thousands and thousands of rabbits so I cannot imagine these coyotes being very hungry or at least hungry enough to eat a horse but one never knows. Also, I have cats and often they are out at night and no one has as yet eaten them? No coyote has eaten her puppies.
Funny, she must know those traps are out there, yet she doesn't contain her dogs and animal control refuses to come out. Wouldn't they be more of a problem when they turn into a feral pack than these coyotes. Also, she leaves dog food out for her dogs. Don't coyotes like dog food when they are hungry?
Comments??? I am dying to figure this puzzle out. Thanks again.
Kim, not even sure where to start. I think I would push animal control on the horse issue. Not sure what county you are in so I can't really suggest who you go to if they refuse. Under the conditions you describe it is probably a misdemeanor. Their is a felony provision in the statute but I don't think it will apply.
As for the coyote skins hanging on the fence. SOme folks think this keeps other coyotes away. Not sure that it really works as I have seen coyotes eat other coyotes.
A single coyote will most likely not take down a horse but a pack will.
Feral dogs are a BIg problem in NM. Coyotes will take both domestic cats and dogs given the opportunity. Even when there is a large rabbit population. Cats and dogs are easier to catch then rabbits. We had an incident here awhile back where a lady had her little dog killed by a coyote, while she was walking it on a leash!
Kind of foolish for her to leave her dogs running loose if she knows their are traps in an area. Not to mention her letting them run is illegal it is also not the sign of a good owner at all.
It is possible that she knows that the trapper will just release, unharmed, any domestic animal that he/she catches.
Thanks Mtncat for the feedback. I don't quite know what to make of this whole weird thing either. She is quite a case and Dona Ana County seems somewhat afraid of her; I have heard reasons but don't know if any of them are valid. This horse thing has been a nightmare in and of itself. I tried to help her with the horses but then I realized she has real mental problems revolving around hoarding these animals. The county took them once and then gave them back to her after she paid some fines. The dogs are a huge problem and within six months are going to number in the twenties. I am not really surprised that her dogs and the feeding of them in the area around her home has attracted coyotes. I am trying to restore native grasses on my property and that is proving to be a real problem with these rabbits so I really wish something would eat them! Anyway, thanks again. I didn't think there was anything to the myth of hanging the skins to ward them away but I really didn't know for sure.
Maybe they just skinned the coyotes and were getting ready to prep the pelts for the fur buyer or for future tanning? Maybe they got the dogs to try and keep nosey neighbors at bay?
WLUTZ, thank you for the link. I have started looking through it. I did find the page on which they discuss the poll, however, I have not found the exact wording to the poll, thus far. This would be of interest to me, as I believe it could explain the percentages on the poll. Polls can be swayed merely by the wording used. What I mean by that is this: did they simply ask, "Are you for, or against, trapping"? This is too simplistic a question, as there are too many variables to the issue. As we can see from the postings on this thread, trapping is not the black and white issue that many folks would like to believe. To ask the question so simply does not give leeway to those polled, and thus could affect the percentages.
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) rather than put them on the defensive. 
