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The Ethics Of Depicting Animals In Footloose Montana

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To some, trapping animals seems like a tradition upheld by people who have had those traditions passed down to them. The act of trapping animals as a way of life and in Montana it is on par with hunting and fishing. To some it seems like a practice that should’ve been left in the last century, but there is a growing group that would challenge that very notion. For those who take trapping as a way of life, it would seem as though it is the very thing that keeps their hearts pumping blood, a tradition that some go the extra distance to protect.

The act of planting traps on public lands causes a great divide between both sides of the argument. Two groups that are fierce opponents of public lands being used for trapping are Footloose Montana …show more content…

A federal statistic shows that for every 1 animal that is intentionally caught, 2 unintended animals die in the traps as well. Anyone who releases an animal caught in a trap, even if it is a pet, can be taken to court and actually be held liable for disturbing a trap. In turn, it would cause the trapper to lose whatever profits they would’ve gained had the trap not been closed, losing their earnings and their pride.

Towards the end of the interview, Chris stressed that trapping, for the most part, was unregulated and that trappers don’t have to release information on unintentional animals they trap. An example she gave was back in 2014 when a Bald eagle was caught in a snare trap. And while it is a felony to kill a bald eagle and can come with a fine of up to $250,000, if one is captured in a trap and is released, or even if it dies in the trap, it is not technically illegal and the trapper cannot be held …show more content…

It is a tough job that she says as aged her at least 10 years and severely impacted her wellbeing.

Despite support for the I-177 growing immensely as the year has progressed, Chris emphasized that even if the initiative is passed, there is still going to be a great deal of work to be done, starting with the tension between the trapping community and those who oppose it. At the end of the day few questions still remain, which side will prevail and will the initiative garner enough votes to succeed in

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