MT SB 60 Trapper Education

[RobG]

Senator Flowers introduced a Trapper Education bill, SB 60. MT trappers (with exceptions) will need to take this course before they can trap. It appears to be a good bill with wide support amongst the trapping community and legislature

What I don't understand is that this has been tried in the past and killed by "special interests." Anyone know the story there?

 

[Schaaf]

Senator Flowers introduced a Trapper Education bill, SB 60. MT trappers (with exceptions) will need to take this course before they can trap. It appears to be a good bill with wide support amongst the trapping community and legislature

What I don't understand is that this has been tried in the past and killed by "special interests." Anyone know the story there?

I’ve been wondering the same thing. SFW was in the Capitol supporting it but I thought I remembered a lot of the same groups talking about overreach and “death by a thousand cuts” a few sessions ago.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Senator Flowers introduced a Trapper Education bill, SB 60. MT trappers (with exceptions) will need to take this course before they can trap. It appears to be a good bill with wide support amongst the trapping community and legislature

What I don't understand is that this has been tried in the past and killed by "special interests." Anyone know the story there?

There's a long history on trapper ed, but basically in 2011, Pat Connell had a good bill that was supported by everyone, but he got sideways with a senator from Libby who killed the bill in retaliation for one of the senator's bills dying.

It's been tough to get everyone in the room since then, and efforts over the past few years have seen one side or another get upset with something and abandon the process. I'm not surprised to see trappers & others support this, since it seems to be done right in terms of process and getting folks to the table.

Proof that an open process brings resolution to thorny issues.

 

[RobG]

There's a long history on trapper ed, but basically in 2011, Pat Connell had a good bill that was supported by everyone, but he got sideways with a senator from Libby who killed the bill in retaliation for one of the senator's bills dying.

It's been tough to get everyone in the room since then, and efforts over the past few years have seen one side or another get upset with something and abandon the process. I'm not surprised to see trappers & others support this, since it seems to be done right in terms of process and getting folks to the table.

Proof that an open process brings resolution to thorny issues.

Thanks,
That's interesting. I wonder what the conflicts were.

Trap-free Montana opposed this bill because coyotes could be trapped by ag without the education, which according to them, would endanger dogs... but of course the bigger problem with killing dogs is clueless trappers. God there's no end to the hypocrisy of those folks.

How did one person kill the bill?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Thanks,
That's interesting. I wonder what the conflicts were.

Trap-free Montana opposed this bill because coyotes could be trapped by ag without the education, which according to them, would endanger dogs... but of course the bigger problem with killing dogs is clueless trappers. God there's no end to the hypocrisy of those folks.

How did one person kill the bill?

Legislators are a cliquish bunch. When one legislator gets butthurt by another, they often times seek vengeance by convincing a majority to kill a bill of the offending sponsor. This involves vote-trading, promises of help on other issues, etc.

Killing one legislator's bill is a surefire way to attract attention, especially if the other sponsor is devious. It all comes down to relationships & how to leverage them for political power. Piss off the wrong legislator, and you will watch your stuff die.

 

[brockel]

Hope I’m reading it right that if you’ve had a trapping license the previous three years that you don’t have to take the trapping class?