What is changing starting in 2013 is that hunting and trapping will be permitted in the
State Parks between October 15th through the Thursday prior to Memorial Day Weekend.
In Waukesha County three public areas have been used for hunting and trapping: Vernon Marsh, Southern Kettle Moraine and the Scattered Wetland Area in Oconomowoc. Private land hunting and trapping will continue as before during the hunting and trapping season.
The Scattered Wetland Area includes a portion of Ashipun Lake and the shoreline. Trapping includes leg traps, snares, and
the body-grip trap. The DNR does have a brochure to help unsuspecting dog owners whose dog's get caught in the body-grip trap get them out, but there is no educational material on snares or leg traps. One trapper said he uses a wrench for opening leg traps, however he had no advise for anyone out walking without a wrench.
The leg traps no longer have teeth, but will hold a trapped leg until the trap is released. By law the trap should be checked every 24 hours.
A report in the
Milwaukee Journal described how one dog was caught in a leg trap while hunting with his human. The owner heard his dog yelping and went to his rescue. After prying the trap open, he thought his dog was okay and he kept right on hunting.
If no one is present to help a dog out of a leg trap, permanent damage will occur. Dr. Kusba has had two patients that lost the end of their front leg.
One dog chewed off his leg to get home. The owners then went looking for the second missing dog. They found their dog after numerous days of being held in a leg trap. The end of the leg was necrotic. Both dogs went on to live with their dog lives with three good legs.
The basic take away is,
learn how to open all trap types in case you need to rescue your dog. (We will have a how to video in the future newsletters) Stay off of private land that could have traps. Know where in State Parks and along the Ice Age Trail traps can be set. Another precaution is that everyone, even the dogs, should wear blaze orange during hunting season since hunting with guns occurs in trapping areas.
