Mornin Beef wrote:If your so concerned just go out and shoot em. Its not cool setting a trap and catching a beagle.
Never caught a dog. And if a trapper has even a clue what they're doing, there's no way a dog will get hurt in a #2 leghold. Just doesn't happen. Hell, I turned loose the same cat twice already this year, and he doesn't have a scratch on him. The jaws hold, but properly swiveled and staked, there's no way for the critter to hurt itself. Like GG said, you won't put a dent in a population by hunting, and least not furbearers. I've caught 5 fat females within a 30 yard circle so far- if you don't think that puts a hurting on the population, you're nuts. And that's that many less turkey, quail, and duck eggs (and baby rabbits) eaten.
And for the record, it is fairly specific. Especially the coon traps I'm running this year. It's impossible to catch anything besides a coon in one.