Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator
On November 13, the Oregon Fish and Game Commission (Commission) denied a petition to ban beaver trapping on federal lands across the entire state.
The initial motion to accept the petition to ban beaver trapping on federal land was denied by a 3-3 vote of the Commission. Following subsequent Commission discussion, the motion was amended to direct staff to participate in a beaver trapping workgroup. This process was initiated in June following the submission of a similar petition where the Commission provided guidance on the scope of the workgroup’s activities. The motion passed 5-1.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) opposed the ban and provided testimony requesting the Commission deny the ban in the absence of science-based wildlife management justification.
In June, the Commission considered a similar petition to ban beaver hunting on the Siuslaw National Forest and Upper Nahlem Watershed while updating their furbearer management plan. That decision was delayed because it was not given proper public notice. At that meeting, the Commission voted to assemble advisory beaver working groups, which was further defined and directed at the November meeting.
Restrictive trapping policy has been a prevalent trend stemming from the anti-hunting community. CSF will continue to monitor these petitions wherever they may arise and continue working to defend science-based wildlife management and the trapping rights of sportsmen and women.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
