We have a lot of serious decisions to make as a community this November, besides crucial legislative races across the state, we will have a number of initiatives to vote on. One in particular, the Montana Animal Trap Restrictions Initiative (I-177) seeks to prohibit trapping on all public lands in Montana.
Trapping is a Montana way of life and has been for the entirety of the state’s existence. For years now, special interest environmental groups (who are the primary funders of the Missoula Democrats) have done everything in their power to destroy parts of our state’s heritage, whether it be their crusade against timber, hunting, trapping or our energy industry. It is time we stood up to the environmental extremists funding these initiatives.
“The initiative would establish penalties for non-exempt individuals that trap wildlife on public land. An individual’s first violation would be punishable by a fine between $100 and $1,000 or not more than six months in a county jail. An individual’s second violation would be punishable by a $100 to $2,000 fine or not more than six months in jail. An individual’s third violation would be punishable by a $100 to $5,000 fine or not more than six months in jail. Additionally, a person convicted of violating the law would forfeit any hunting, fishing or trapping licenses and lose the privilege to fish, hunt or trap in the state for 24 months.”
The initiative process is an important check that the people have against state inaction. Sometimes however it can be abused by special interests. This is one of those cases. I hope everyone will join me in standing up for Montanans and voting against I-177.
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