Coyote trapping attempt leads to charges for Langley man

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I will attempt to no longer advocate the three S rule, because I would hate to see someone get caught up in this tangled web of Laws, Provincial, Local By-Laws, etc...
I personally do not see why there is such a big outrage (aside from out of season and someone else s back yard silly boy) Nine charges and going to be expensive.

From MSN.ca.

Langley resident George Busatta is facing nine charges under the Wildlife Act after allegedly trying to trap coyotes near his neighbour's rural home without permission or proper training last May.

Conservation officer Dave Cox says neighbours alerted the wildlife service about the trapping efforts before any animals were actually trapped.

"No animals were injured. Obviously there are serious public safety issues, which is one of the main issues here when you're trapping outside of your property and you're trapping near other people's dwellings. So there were public safety issues that obviously make this file fairly serious."

Cox says the unusual case is a reminder to check out the rules around nuisance animals that may be bothering you. While you can trap and humanely destroy raccoons or skunks, you need a permit to kill bigger animals, such as coyotes or cougars.

He says coyotes fall under a different designation under the Wildlife Act. They are a fur bearing animal and they are considered a more dangerous game animal.

"If someone's having a conflict with coyotes on their property in an agricultural or rural setting, as a home or property owner they can go get a trapping license themselves, which gets them educated how to do these types of activities ethically, safely and teaches them how to use humane trapping practices."

Busatta is facing nine counts under the Wildlife Act including trapping without a license, hunting out of season, setting a trap without written permission from the owner of the land, and trapping within 200 meters of a residence.

Cox says charges like this are rare outside rural areas.
 
I personally do not see why there is such a big outrage (aside from out of season and someone else s back yard silly boy) Nine charges and going to be expensive.

Those are the big ones. If someone set traps on your property and your dog died would you not be pissed? I use to trap on lots of private properties with dogs running loose, you pick and choose which sets to make based on the circumstance.
 
Poaching plain and simple really. Just because the animals are over populated doesn't give one the right to poach.

yes its poaching. but there comes a point when one has to look at a rule and how it was broken. There are several packs of coyote in the area and all they feed on is cat, dogs and small animals like goats and chickens. many people i have spoken to want to shoot them, however it is limited to shotgun only and you need a "fraser valley special hunting permit" as well. its way too much of a pain in the ass. I know of several people who have shot the coyotes with .22's, which is also against the law in that area due to it being a single projectile. If it was a "true" game animal like the small deer population, then yes, i would say throw the book at him. But this guy set a few traps, most likely thinking it was his best option. Even as i type this right now I can hear the coyotes "yippin" and its 00:50.. almost 01:00 and they are very active. I hear the shotguns going off from time to time.. rapid shots. for those that have a hunting license they are a "no bag limit" animal. that means "get rid of them please :)
 
We are all required to abide by the laws that relate to game and safe useage of our devices (guns, bows, traps)... He trespassed, endangered his neighbors animals, and poached... Just because the intended quarry was the "dread" coyote doesn't excuse his complete lack of respect. JMO.
 
I concur with Hoyt on this one. This guy was on someone else's property setting traps. A possibility there is a problem here which pertains more to people than coyotes. We had a big Lab which was not neutered (that won't happen again) and he was an escape artist. He disappeared once for three days and we figured he was toast. Showed up with a crushed foot. A serious vet bill later he was missing some toes. Found out at a later date that a BC Wildlife tech had put traps out and Beau had been caught in one, the guy released him and he made his way home. The traps were set in the bush behind an elementary school. A brain dead move. Rules are there for a reason.
 
yes. rules are there for a reason. that's why we don't have CCW, no ATC's, 12.(X) restrictions, ATT requirements, safe storage laws etc, which are in whole or in part are rediculous. If everyone would understand why these laws are important, and stop #####ing.. wow.. would we ever be on to something!
I don't like traps, I would never use one. Nobody got hurt, no animals got trapped, nothing happened.
I look at it like someone shooting a squirrel; how many people have killed one with a pellet gun before they had a license? poachers?
To poach something implies it is something of value.. coyotes are pests
 
To poach something implies it is something of value.. coyotes are pests

coyotes are a fur bearer that is routinely trapped for the VALUE of it's hide.

legit licensed trappers have been doing it for a very long time.

edit: coyotes are pests to you likely because of where you live.

during hunting season, city folks are the pests, because of where I live.

it's all about perspective...
 
We are all required to abide by the laws that relate to game and safe useage of our devices (guns, bows, traps)... He trespassed, endangered his neighbors animals, and poached... Just because the intended quarry was the "dread" coyote doesn't excuse his complete lack of respect. JMO.

Agreed, though most people seem surprised when they find out they're not supposed to be out blasting coyotes at will. You can hunt and trap them year round in Manitoba right now IF you have the $6 trappers license. There's a ton of guys taking up coyote hunting right now without a clue that they'll be in a world of hurt if they ever got stopped with one in the back of the truck. Of course when informed of it the standard response seems to be 'says who?'.
And setting traps on someone else's property without their knowledge is just freakin ignorant.
 
Agreed, though most people seem surprised when they find out they're not supposed to be out blasting coyotes at will. You can hunt and trap them year round in Manitoba right now IF you have the $6 trappers license. There's a ton of guys taking up coyote hunting right now without a clue that they'll be in a world of hurt if they ever got stopped with one in the back of the truck. Of course when informed of it the standard response seems to be 'says who?'.
And setting traps on someone else's property without their knowledge is just freakin ignorant.

Absolutely. It sounds like the guy could've done it legally, but paying the fees and taking the courses. He chose to not pay the fees and take the training. Charge the #### out him I say. People like this guv give legit hunters a bad name. You don't get to dismiss trapping regulations and knowledge with your personal perceptoin that 'coyotes are pests'. They're live animals, and even if you don't respect them as such, you're still required to follow regulations when hunting them. Just like the rest of us.

All this guy was was a deliberate poacher. Illegal, illinformed, and dangerous. I'm happy with enough punishment metered out so that it serves as a deterent to others.
 
We have a lot of issues with coyotes in Langley. Speaking to a number of farmers in my area, it doesn't take long for a pack of 'yotes to lose their fear of humans. Our little dog was snatched off her leash by a coyote while my wife was taking her for a morning pee. Good thing our other dog was around the corner and gave chase. We got our little dog back, albeit with two pairs of puncture marks in her abdomen. Animals like that need to be destroyed, but you have to follow the rules. Secretly trapping on a neighbors property is stupid and irresponsible.



The BC Laws website has all the info we need. Granted, you have to be able to speak lawyer to make sense of it.
From section 26.2

Hunting, trapping and firearm prohibitions

26 (1) A person commits an offence if the person hunts, takes, traps, wounds or kills wildlife

(a) that is an endangered species or threatened species,

(b) in a wildlife sanctuary,

(c) at a time not within the open season,

(d) with a firearm or a bow during the prohibited hours,

(e) by the use or with the aid of a light or illuminating device,

(f) with poison,

(g) with a set gun, or

(h) with a pump, repeating or auto loading shotgun unless the magazine contains a plug that is incapable of removal except by disassembling the gun, and that makes the magazine incapable of holding more than 2 cartridges.

(2) Subsection (1) (c), (d), (e) and (h) does not apply to a person who hunts or traps wildlife that is on the person's property and is a menace to a domestic animal or bird.


I've bolded and highlighted the important part, which is that section c, d, e, and h do not apply when you're protection your own animals.

That said, you can't pull out the silenced AR and go to town..... from the Ministry of Environment's site.
LIVESTOCK HARASSMENT

Coyotes that are harassing or menacing domestic animals (livestock) or birds can be hunted or trapped on a person's property under Section 26(2) of the Wildlife Act.
Under Section 2 (Property in Wildlife) - section 2(4) states that a person who by accident or for protection of life or property kills wildlife, that wildlife remains the property of the government.

Persons must report the killing or wounding of any wildlife. Failing to report the killing or wounding of any wildlife whether it is for protection of life or property is an offence under section 75 of the Wildlife Act.

Persons must comply with all Municipal, Provincial and Federal laws surrounding the use and discharge of firearms or the setting of traps.

Persons are liable for any wildlife that is wounded or injured as a result of them exercising their rights under section 26(2) and that they are legally responsible for any misuse of firearms.

So you can kill an aggressive coyote, as long as you're protecting your animals. You must then notify the gov't of the kill. You must also ensure that you follow all laws, including municipal.

So what does Langley say about guns and/or trapping?

Basically, no shooting.

great.
 
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Probably the issue is more dogs and kids than coyotes. Nobody wants to see either get injured by a 330 Conibear or a power snare. On Monday this week I helped get a 220 Conibear off a dog's lower jaw, and with bare hands at -25, it was all two of us could do to cage the springs and remove it. Had it been a 330, we wouldn't have done it without the spring compression tool, or a zip cutter. Puppy (a 120 pound mastiff-shepherd cross) lost a couple of teeth, but it didn't appear to break the jaw, although the jaws of the trap were bent. Yesterday puppy gets a flight to Thompson to visit the vet due to infection.
 
well there is a reason why I have my trapping licence.

this guy didn't and is facing a few charges (9) because he decided to put out traps on someone elses property. Likely using old leg hold traps which are not allowed anymore. (there are some with 'soft' jaws that you can use, which is good when you have dogs in the area) I suspect that had he confined his coyote eradication to his own property he may have been able to keep under the radar, but still risking charges had he been caught.

you cant trap witout a trappers licence, that seems to be a fairly simple concept.
 
coyotes are a fur bearer that is routinely trapped for the VALUE of it's hide.

legit licensed trappers have been doing it for a very long time.

edit: coyotes are pests to you likely because of where you live.

during hunting season, city folks are the pests, because of where I live.

it's all about perspective...
what is a coyote pelt worth for sale in BC?

Other provinces have bounties and such but where can I sell if I legally hunt them?
 
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