When word got out last week that a bald eagle had been caught in a coyote trap in southern Maine, it made sense to think the incident would ratchet up the debate over the effect of trapping on endangered species.

And when the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife confirmed that there have actually been reports of two eagles and four Canada lynx being caught? Well, that, of course, was going to lead to even more debate.

As you may recall, the Animal Protection Institute wants a court order that would end any trapping that could inadvertently capture, injure or kill eagles, lynx or gray wolves.

The DIF&W will soon respond to the API’s suit, which was filed in Bangor in October.

And it would seem the recent trapping incidents would provide the perfect backdrop for some interesting debate on a key issue: Is there a level of “incidental take” of unintended species that is tolerable … or is any incidental take unacceptable?

Take a moment. Debate among yourselves.

Now realize this: That’s not the issue that’s really being debated in these parts, nor across the country.

Not by a long shot.

Just check out this newspaper’s Web site and see what our readers are saying about the issue, and that will be crystal clear.

Our readers, in this case, predominately belong to that distinct population group we Mainers love to dismiss as “from away.”

But their take on our state’s wildlife issues is interesting … as is their take on trapping in general.

Newspaper message boards are admittedly not the best place to gather evidence of meaningful debate on any issue.

Feelings are hurt. Activists are activated. The messages fly. And rhetoric wins the day.

Wednesday afternoon, a quick count showed 62 readers had chosen to sound off, presumably on Kevin Miller’s story about the inadvertent capture of the eagles and lynx.

Of those, 54 were from outside of Maine. And of those 54, 40 expressed various stages of outrage and anger.

Only three of the 40 chose to talk about the issue at hand: Whether Maine’s trappers should be stopped from trapping in areas where they might pose a danger to eagles and lynx.

The other 37? Well, let’s let a few of them speak for themselves, and you’ll get a better idea what drives them.

“Anyone with half a brain, a heart, and common sense, knows that trapping is cruel, inhumane, and barbaric,” one reader from Riverside, Calif., told us.

“It’s time we ended this disgusting and inhumane practice of trapping. Are we still Neanderthals?” asked another, from Scarsdale, N.Y.

Another said trappers should be tortured and shot. Still others said they should be stuck in traps themselves.

And all 37 told us exactly what their issue really was: Trapping is bad. Period.

For the record, there were eight responses from Maine readers. Seven spoke up for trapping and trappers, while one was opposed to the practice when it affected endangered species.

But to most of our national readers, endangered species management was a non-issue. There was no mention of “incidental take.” Any kind of take, they said, was wrong. Even if the only animals taken were the ones that trappers intended to trap.

Those who are foisting this lawsuit upon us, it is important to note, view trapping the same way.

Any animal that dies in a trap, whether it’s a fox killed for its pelt or a beaver killed so that valuable property isn’t flooded, is unacceptable to them.

Protecting our endangered species, most would agree, is important. Having study and debate on whether a species is truly endangered? That’s important, too.

Just be sure you realize one thing: In the long run, none of those issues really matter to the people who keep suing states across the country.

And the debate that’s coming really has nothing to do with endangered species, either. At its core, it’s all about trapping.

CCA meeting tonight

Folks interested in starting up a Coastal Conservation Association chapter here in the Bangor area may want to head over to the Sea Dog restaurant tonight and hear what organizers have to say.

Ian Burnes, who will likely become CCA Maine’s executive director, is in town and will meet with saltwater fishermen to let them know what it takes to organize a chapter, and what they can expect.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m., and the public is invited.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.