Opponents of trapping hope to get enough signatures to get Initiative 169 - which would ban trapping on public lands - on the November ballot.
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department reports there are between 5000 and 6000 trapping licenses sold annually. In 2012 those trappers caught 67,000 furbearers - everything from beaver to wolverine. They also, unintentionally, caught an occasional dog, and other non-targeted animals.
In this feature interview, News Director Sally Mauk talks with Tom Gignoux of the group "Trap Free Montana Public Lands", which is sponsoring the initiative - and Toby Walrath who is president of the Montana Trappers Association. Walrath is also the author of a book on trapping called "Wild Pride Montana: A Trapper's Journey".
