Collecting snow, a Cuddlebug photo, and paws caught in traps

This morning, I slept in until daylight and then headed to the old 'hood to the beaver pond to collect snow samples. Because the beaver pond has liquid water (at 0 degrees C) beneath several feet of ice (which is a better thermal conductor than snow) beneath several feet of snow (which insulates against ambient air temperatures), I know that the snow against the ice will have grown into large, interesting crystals for me to study.

The girls ran out to the pond to play...


... then promptly each walked into a snap trap. As soon as I heard them yelp, I knew what it was, and ran over and freed them. The dogs are fine--the traps were small and had no teeth, obviously intended for the pond's natural residents, the beavers--but I was pissed.

What kind of jackass:

(1) Puts traps on multi-use trails that have skiers, recreational snow machiners, dog walkers, and dog teams?

(2) Doesn't tag his traps with his license and registration number?

(3) Doesn't put warning signs on the trail ahead of his trap line?

My friend Bobbo says, "Never assume malice when stupidity will explain a person equally well." So I will try not to be too angry without knowing the details.

In the past, I have had excellent experiences with the Alaska Trappers Association policing their own. They know that trapping is losing support in modern society, and that in order to keep trapping legal, they must work with others to minimize hurting pets and people. Their rules and guidelines cover the three things I mentioned above, and myriad other details.

Last winter, I found a few traps just past my property line, on a very busy ski trail in my neighborhood. I called my neighbor, who is a long-term trapper, upstanding member of the ATA, and dog lover who also has a great deal of common sense and integrity, and asked him what to do. I know that trapping is legal, and that my aforementioned 3 courtesy rules are just that--courtesy rules--and are not required by law. My neighbor went out to investigate the traps, and left a note for the "trapper" (his quotes; he doesn't believe rogue trappers deserve the title). The "trapper" cheerfully contacted him, gave his full name and address, apologized for the trouble, and removed all of his traps from the neighborhood.

All of us dog-walking neighbors were astonished at how lightly the whole situation ended. We had expected to learn that he was some maniac who enjoyed catching pet dogs, so grotesque was his placement of the traps right behind our homes. But nope; he was a decent enough fellow who just happened to be monumentally stupid and thoughtless.

So I will withhold judgment on whomever put the traps on the pond, avoid the pond and that area, and call my friend again to see if he finds this situation worth interfering with. FYI to my non-Alaskan readers: it's a common methodology for a trapper to write his name and phone number with a warning--"Traps XX yards ahead"--on a paper plate and staple it to a tree at each trail entrance where unwary dog walkers might approach. This is common courtesy, and all I ask for.

Aaaaanyway, being the cruel dog parent that I am, I still made the girls haul me back with my snow samples. Well, what else was I gonna do? Let them run loose when there are traps in the vicinity?





Here is a vid I took for y'all, my six faithful readers.


Great dogs, aren't they? I wubs them!

Oh, here is a photo that Rufous' papa sent me from the night of the eclipse:


Adorable, what?

Here is a map for TwoYaks: