# Mood TV



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

i would just like to thank joe and gary for taking the time to represent the trappers of MI on last nights show. fine job. also thanks to gabe aka grey ghost for taking the time to video and put a great segment together. hopefully there will be more shows in the future covering trapping. i just want to ask everyone here to take a couple minutes and send a email to the people at MOOD and thank them for the fine job. [email protected]


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

That segment last night had to be the best thing I have seen on MOOD in quite a while. Gabe did a great job putting the story together.

I wonder if Fox Tv might be interested in tellong the REST OF THE STORY!!!!!


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## Overdew (Sep 7, 2004)

I loved it. I was having a hard time setting the 160 conibear traps that I bought. After the trapping segment I went right out to the barn and was setting them in seconds. Just needed them for Woodchucks on the property
I hope it is back on Saturday so I can record it.


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Yes, it was very well done. Thanks to every one involved in it's production.


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## Overdew (Sep 7, 2004)

By the way the last time I set one off it was hard to get the springs lined up again it seemed to get tangled. Any tips would be helpfull.
Guess That show really got me into it


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Done.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Please excuse me for being naive but I have a couple comments/questions about the fox/coyote trapping. 

As I watched the segment, I found the "creative editing" ironic with regards to the trapped fox. I mean,, they show kill shots on deer, woodchucks, ducks, turkeys but not the fox??? And they only showed that virtually unharmed fox stuck in the trap for a second or 2. Why was that?? 
There's just something about the foothold traps that just doesn't sit well with me and if I was a trapper,,, I wouldn't want ANY anti-group seeing any footage on how these things are used. I have a feeling that segment mighta just fueled the fire for any anti's.


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## 223369 (Aug 24, 2005)

I'm not a trapper but its always interested me. I thought the show was great, they really explained everything extremely well. My wife actually thought it was neat, the whole trapping process, from setting the traps to skinning. Now if my wife thinks it was good, it was good. Great Job! One day I would like to start trapping.


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## Due51 (Oct 26, 2005)

I've never trapped but my son and I watched the segment and we both really enjoyed it. Of course, the first thing out of my son's mouth is, "Dad, can we go trapping?"

There ain't enough money/time in the world to do all the things we'd like to do.


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## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

William H Bonney said:


> As I watched the segment, I found the "creative editing" ironic with regards to the trapped fox. I mean,, they show kill shots on deer, woodchucks, ducks, turkeys but not the fox???


thats because there was not a "kill shot" made. there are other means of dispatching a trapped animal besides a bullet.

in regards of not wanting the antis to see how the traps are used. the antis are not the ones we need to educate. its the people that have no clue as to what a trap does to restrain an animal. without shows like joes the average uninformed person will believe what the antis want them too even though its far from the truth.


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## hunt4life (Dec 22, 2006)

*thank you!!*Finally seen a show on trapping that shows the sport for what it is. Thankyou to all involved.


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## 1-CHANCE (Feb 1, 2003)

Just sent an E-mail, Hopefully we get to see more of trapping on future shows.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

wild bill said:


> thats because there was not a "kill shot" made. there are other means of dispatching a trapped animal besides a bullet.
> 
> in regards of not wanting the antis to see how the traps are used. the antis are not the ones we need to educate. its the people that have no clue as to what a trap does to restrain an animal. without shows like joes the average uninformed person will believe what the antis want them too even though its far from the truth.


How else do you "dispatch" a trapped animal in a foothold?? I am one of the "uninformed people" in regards to trapping. I really didn't have any opinion one way or the other about foothold trapping,, until I saw MOOD show. That fox squirming in the foothold was "sad" . I felt sorry for the fox. Even though they didn't show it,, I knew someone had to walk up to that fox and "dispatch" it, somehow. Then on top of that,, they make a point to say that the coyote woulda shredded that fox in the trap. The **** and rat segments were fine, it was safe to assume by looking at the traps that the animals were killed quickly and humanely. And they pointed out what kinda damage those rats can cause to a farmer. I didn't hear any mention of any benefits to live trapping the fox, maybe they did and I missed it. If trappers are worried about losing trapping rights, this was NOT the way to "sway" someone one way or the other. I thought the show was great, but they easily coulda left out the fox squirming in the foothold.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Well done and the best MOOD segment I've watched in years. I was lucky. I broke away from a meeting to get home in time to watch MOOD. I did not know the trapping segment was going to be on. As I ate my walleye dinner I got the urge to drag my traps back out. My health won't allow it, but thank you for years of memories.


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## Fecus (Apr 12, 2006)

William H Bonney said:


> How else do you "dispatch" a trapped animal in a foothold?? I am one of the "uninformed people" in regards to trapping. I really didn't have any opinion one way or the other about foothold trapping,, until I saw MOOD show. That fox squirming in the foothold was "sad" . I felt sorry for the fox. Even though they didn't show it,, I knew someone had to walk up to that fox and "dispatch" it, somehow. Then on top of that,, they make a point to say that the coyote woulda shredded that fox in the trap. The **** and rat segments were fine, it was safe to assume by looking at the traps that the animals were killed quickly and humanely. And they pointed out what kinda damage those rats can cause to a farmer. I didn't hear any mention of any benefits to live trapping the fox, maybe they did and I missed it. If trappers are worried about losing trapping rights, this was NOT the way to "sway" someone one way or the other. I thought the show was great, but they easily coulda left out the fox squirming in the foothold.


So do you feel bad for the fox simply because it is "cute?"

The fox was probaly shooken for the first minute of its entrapment. After that it probally chilled out. Then, sensing human and about to scrap with a yote I'd imagine it would be a little skittish.

Also, predator control is an issue in wildlife management.

Also, animals caught for research go through the same thing and also get just as skittish and possibly mauled.


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

William H. Bonney,

First off there was no "creative editing" involved with the fox footage. The fox was dispatched quickly by me. It was my choice not to have it aired because the method that I use is quick, but it takes practice to do it right. I didn't want some inexperience trapper to see it and have them run the risk of being bitten or not getting the job done correctly. Whenever I teach any new comer to trapping I always have them use a .22 as a means of dispatch until they get some experience. There wasn't much footage of the fox catch and that had to do with me as well. There were 3 of us in the field that day. That alone caused the fox to fight the trap harder then they normally do. Add the coyote into the equation and I felt the fox had experienced more stress then a typical fox in a trap should. I cut the footage short and dispatched the animal. It was a judgement call on my part and one I don't regret making.
I'm sorry that you felt "sad" for the fox, but you weren't there for the whole situation, and there is only so much footage they can put in a half hour show. It's hard enough to fight the "Disney" mentality of the general public, but what I think is "sad" is that I have to explain reallity to a fellow sportsman. Yes these animals are beautiful creatures, but they are not pets, and just because they are cute doesn't mean they are should be exempt from proper wildlife management techniques. BTW there was commentary in the segment about the foothold trap being the only efficent means of capturing canines either for research or fur harvesting.

Joe


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

You did the right thing with the fox segment Joe, no apology needed. I can vouch for the inexperience when learning to trap fox. When I was trapping fox on the Muskegon Wastewater system 25 years ago I had a fox clamp his canine tooth through the top of my thumbnail out the bottom side. I was so cold at the time there was no pain just clumsiness on my part.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Joe R. said:


> William H. Bonney,
> 
> First off there was no "creative editing" involved with the fox footage. The fox was dispatched quickly by me. It was my choice not to have it aired because the method that I use is quick, but it takes practice to do it right. I didn't want some inexperience trapper to see it and have them run the risk of being bitten or not getting the job done correctly. Whenever I teach any new comer to trapping I always have them use a .22 as a means of dispatch until they get some experience. There wasn't much footage of the fox catch and that had to do with me as well. There were 3 of us in the field that day. That alone caused the fox to fight the trap harder then they normally do. Add the coyote into the equation and I felt the fox had experienced more stress then a typical fox in a trap should. I cut the footage short and dispatched the animal. It was a judgement call on my part and one I don't regret making.
> I'm sorry that you felt "sad" for the fox, but you weren't there for the whole situation, and there is only so much footage they can put in a half hour show. It's hard enough to fight the "Disney" mentality of the general public, but what I think is "sad" is that I have to explain reallity to a fellow sportsman. Yes these animals are beautiful creatures, but they are not pets, and just because they are cute doesn't mean they are should be exempt from proper wildlife management techniques. BTW there was commentary in the segment about the foothold trap being the only efficent means of capturing canines either for research or fur harvesting.
> ...


Good call on not showing the dispatching of the fox. I never said the fox was cute, I said I felt bad for it. And I didn't hear Gabe say,, that was the "only efficient" way of capturing canines. I think he said its a way that researchers also use. Don't worry about explaining this to me,, worry about explaining it to the voters when this comes up on the next ballot. I just hope you fare better than the dove hunters. Foothold traps rank up there with treeing bears with dogs for me. Ya, ya, call me a hypocrite or whatever you want, I have thick skin, I can take it. To me, the worst part of hunting/trapping is "killing" the animal and to make one "freak out" in a foothold for however long then walk up and shoot it would make it even worse, for me personally.


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## superposed20ga (Dec 14, 2005)

I thought the show was done extremely well and those involved should be commended. It really was one of the best programs I've seen in a while. To those that think trapping is somehow more cruel than hunting all I can say is dead is dead. And all of us living things end up dead. Some of us will go in our sleep, some in war, some with illness, some in car crashes. Some animals will die by my arrow, others after being chased by my beagles, and some after spending a night in a foothold trap. It is a slippery slope when we begin to qualify which means of taking an animal is too "cruel." How do those that feel it puts too much "stress" on a fox to sit overnight in a trap or a bear to be treed by hounds before being killed feel about a rabbit that has been chased by beagles for 40 minutes? What about a pheasant that is being pointed by a setter? Folks none of these things that we do puts any more "stress" on these wild animals than they face everyday of their lives. For those of you that are concerned about "stressed out" animals, when the next winter storm hits, worry about where those animals will find food and warmth. They deal with that and death every waking minute. Life is cruel and beautiful all at once.


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## monczunski (Feb 28, 2006)

idk. but i sure did like that **** set he made. i never seen it done like that before. i will be sure to try it out.


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