Right to access also comes with responsibilities

  • Saturday, October 17, 2015 3:38pm
  • Opinion

Trapping issues were in the news this week as a lawsuit in which a trapper sought damages from a woman for illegally springing his traps went to court.

The Juneau Empire reported that John Forrest filed the suit against Kathleen Turley, seeking $5,000 in damages. Turley, whose attorney described her as a hunter and not anti-trapping, admitted to springing three of Forrest’s traps — though she argued that her intent was not to hinder his trapping, but out of safety concerns. She sprung one that was in close proximity to another in which a bald eagle had been caught in order to prevent her dogs from being caught while she tried to free the eagle. She sprung another along the trail as she made her way back to the trail head with the injured eagle, again with the safety of her dogs in mind. She sprung a third trap three days later, while leading a group of hikers. It had gotten dark, the group was spread out, and she worried that a hiker might not see the trap.

The judge in the case ruled that Turley was justified in springing the trap while she freed the eagle, but was liable for springing the other legally set traps, suggesting that other options were available, such as leashing dogs or standing by the trap to direct hikers around it. However, he also found that Forrest failed to show lost income from the traps that were sprung, and Turley was not ordered to pay any damages.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Forrest’s frustration is easy to understand as many trappers, including those here on the Kenai Peninsula, feel the practice is under assault. In fact, the Board of Game heard proposals last winter from the Cooper Landing-based Committee for Safe Public Lands and Trails that would have eliminated trapping entirely in certain areas around Seward, Moose Pass and Cooper Landing, and forced trappers to move at least 250 feet back from several trails in the area.

While the game board rejected the proposals, the issue is not going to go away. Trapping has a long history on the Kenai Peninsula, and many people will be setting traps soon — the trapping season on the peninsula runs from Nov. 10 through March 31.

However, more and more people are accessing wilderness areas in the winter, and many recreationists bring their dogs with them. As use increases, so does the potential for conflict between user groups.

Those conflicts are not likely to be eliminated without eliminating one of the user groups — which is not something we wish to see.

However, the potential for conflict can be mitigated with an open dialogue. Last winter, the Committee for Safe Public Lands and Trails approached the Alaska Trappers Association to begin a dialogue to seek a non-regulatory solution; representatives from the trappers association say they made a good faith effort by posting signs that caution both trappers and pet owners. We hope to see that dialogue re-started.

We encourage trappers to use an abundance of caution when operating in areas with high public use to minimize conflict. State regulations call for trappers to act responsibly, but don’t provide a specific definition, for example, of where it’s appropriate to set traps in relation to recreational trails or campgrounds. Signs such as those posted by the trappers association seem a reasonable step to alerting trail users of the presence of traps, and according to game board members, they have been used in conjunction with good communication between users to mitigate conflicts.

Likewise, we encourage dog owners to take responsibility for their pets’ safety when hiking in areas open to trapping. While there is no leash law on trails, Chugach National Forest posts recommendations on its website that dogs be under control or on a leash during trapping season. And pet owners should keep in mind that traps aren’t the only hazard to be found along peninsula trails.

Trapping is and will continue to be a hot-button issue. We hope those on both sides of the issue remember that the right to use of an area, whatever that use may be, also comes with the expectation that those rights are exercised responsibly.

More in Opinion

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Life is harder when you outlive your support group

Long-time friends are more important than ever to help us cope, to remind us we are not alone and that others feel the same way.

A silver salmon is weighed at Three Bears in Kenai, Alaska. Evelyn McCoy, customer service PIC at Three Bears, looks on. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Opinion: Will coho salmon be the next to disappear in the Kenai River?

Did we not learn anything from the disappearance of the kings from the Kenai River?

Jonathan Flora is a lifelong commercial fisherman and dockworker from Homer, Alaska.
Point of View: Not fishing for favors — Alaskans need basic health care access

We ask our elected officials to oppose this bill that puts our health and livelihoods in danger.

Alex Koplin. (courtesy photo)
Opinion: Public schools do much more than just teach the three Rs

Isn’t it worth spending the money to provide a quality education for each student that enters our schools?

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter to the Editor: Law enforcement officers helped ensure smooth, secure energy conference

Their visible commitment to public safety allowed attendees to focus fully on collaboration, learning, and the important conversations shaping our path forward.

Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo
The present-day KTOO public broadcasting building, built in 1959 for the U.S. Army’s Alaska Communications System Signal Corps, is located on filled tidelands near Juneau’s subport. Today vehicles on Egan Drive pass by the concrete structure with satellite dishes on the roof that receive signals from NPR, PBS and other sources.
My Turn: Stand for the community radio, not culture war optics

Alaskans are different and we pride ourselves on that. If my vehicle… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) delivers his annual speech to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Sullivan, Trump and the rule of lawlessness

In September 2023, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan established his own Alaska Federal… Continue reading

UAA Provost Denise Runge photographed outside the Administration and Humanities Building at the University of Alaskas Anchorage. (courtesy photo)
Opinion: UAA’s College of Health — Empowering Alaska’s future, one nurse at a time

At the University of Alaska Anchorage, we understand the health of our… Continue reading

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: A noncongressman for Alaska?

It’s right to ask whether Nick Begich is a noncongressman for Alaska.… Continue reading

Boats return to the Homer Harbor at the end of the fishing period for the 30th annual Winter King Salmon Tournament on Saturday, March 23, 2024 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Opinion: Funding sustainable fisheries

Spring is always a busy season for Alaska’s fishermen and fishing communities.… Continue reading

Gov. Mike Dunleavy holds a press conference on Monday, May 19, 2025, to discuss his decision to veto an education bill. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: On fiscal policy, Dunleavy is a governor in name only

His fiscal credibility is so close to zero that lawmakers have no reason to take him seriously.