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OPINION: Trapline controversy draws ire

January 6th 7:46 pm | Roswell L. Schaeffer, Sr. Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

I wanted to share some experiences that I and two other trappers had these last three years. I am teaching my 13-year-old grandson how to trap. We started last year along the Noatak River area below Hugo's Mountain. After setting a bunch of traps last year, I stopped by a person's camp just below the Little Noatak River to let him know that I had traps a half-mile from his camp and beyond. He expressed his extreme displeasure and I told him that I had a right as long as I was trapping beyond his 40-acre campsite. A few days later I had one lynx and trap stolen about a half mile above this camp. When I went through his camp because the creek near his camp had overflowed, I noticed a large blood spot in the snow near his house. The year before this person made a huge mistake by stealing my son's trap that was set on an island more than a mile from his camp. The mistake he made was that he left a note stating, "no trespassing, I took your trap," and he signed the letter. This behavior includes some of my own family who were hunting rabbits on an island near his camp. His daughter drove up on a snowmachine and told them that they can't hunt there, this was not their property. My brother told her to leave.

One day when checking our traps we noticed at least six or more snowmachines entered our trap line, a lake with timber on both sides, driving all over this lake and turning in the soft and deep snow near our traps. We did not do anything because our traps weren't tampered with.

On another occasion I traveled along the creek past this person's camp and when I stopped by a trap a little over a half-mile from his place I heard something behind me. It was one of his sons who followed me up and turned around when I stopped my snowmachine.

This year, this person was not at his camp so I broke a trail through his camp. That was my mistake and I apologize for doing so. That day my grandson and I had just gotten done putting a trap in the same lake two-and-a-half miles behind this camp, when we had six snowmachines drive right through our line and the lake. They all stopped at the end of the lake and stayed there. My grandson and I left the lake and headed back along the trail toward this camp. On our way home we got one lynx and were soon on our way home. Near the mouth of the Noatak, the six snowmachines drove past us. The two first snowmachines drove very close to us and swerved right in front of us spraying us with snow. Any machine or tool can become a weapon depending on how it is used. I felt they did harass and assault my grandson and I. Then one of the ones behind, signaled me to stop. I did and she told me who she was. She scolded me for trespassing on her dad's property. I told her I would use the creek from now on, I would not enter his property again. Soon after we got home, the father called me to tell me to stay off his property. I told him I would. The next day we had a big storm so no one was out. The following day my grandson, my youngest son and I checked our traps. The first two traps above this camp had sticks stuck into them. The group of six snow machines had snapped both of them. As far as I understand the law, this is against state law.

The other day I happened to talk to a good friend, who grew up along the Little Noatak River. His family lived along this river for years. I was shocked to learn that he would not trap along the Little Noatak River again. I asked why. He told me that the same members of this family stole six of his traps last year. He told me that their behavior scared him too much. He said they might do more than just steal. I told him that he should never let anyone intimidate him because, just like me, he has every right to hunt or trap near this person's camp as long as we were not on his allotment. I checked the lands where I was trapping. A half-mile behind this camp is all federal parklands. The islands away from this camp are not his property. All land up to the high water mark is state land. My friend was trapping 4 miles from this person's camp when his traps were stolen. Any and all navigable waters are state lands.

The behavior exhibited by this person and some of his children include harassment, assault and stealing. My message to this person is this: you taught some of your children the way you want them to be. Let me warn you though, one day they will run into a trapper or hunter who shares the same values as you do. Then you have set up your children for a lot of trouble. As for me, you and some of your children have violated my civil rights and you have violated state law. I will not be intimidated, nor will I accept stealing of my traps. As for me, my recourse is this, the pen is mightier than the sword.

 


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