Living in Down East Maine I know a few trappers, but not many. I do not trap myself, though I am an avid hunter and fisherman. Recently I have been watching and listening to the squabble regarding lynx being incidentally trapped in northern Maine.

In Canada, just over the Maine border, lynx trapping occurs without interference from groups such as The Animal Alliance of Maine, The Animal Welfare Institute or The Endangered Species Act. The same could be said regarding restrictions between the two countries involving Atlantic salmon and predation.

My belief is that trapping benefits lynx, and the more trapping the better. When bobcat, fox, coyote, fisher and pine marten are trapped, look at the competition being removed for the lynx. This means there are more rabbits, mice, moles, squirrels and other small animals and rodents for the lynx.

Trapping should be encouraged to promote lynx survival, not blasted as an excuse to stop trapping, which is what I believe is the ultimate goal of a few.

Just a few years ago, coyote snaring was a tool used to protect deer in their wintering yards from coyotes. Coyote snaring was stopped because of a few “incidental catches.” Washington County is now overrun with coyotes and the deer are paying the price. And Maine claims to be trying to help the deer herd?

Bill Robinson

Edmunds Township