It all ends tonight at midnight.

Been doing it for close to thirty years. Thirty years worth of memories and stuff that many wouldn't believe or appreciate had you not been there.

Four years ago when they were pushing the bobcat trapping ban through the legislature every time the subject came up "will this ban hunting" the answer was always and emphatic "NO” At that time had it (hunting) been part of the bill it would not have gone through. It barely passed as it was. Only through the game of back room deal making between lawmakers did it pass and ultimately banned by a Game commission that was completely sold out to the antis.

Now 4 years later banning the hunting and remainder of fur trapping was easy.

So, my advice, never compromise. Never give them anything as they will just incrementally destroy you. AND VOTE (edit)

I wouldn't normally go hunt cats on a "hunting tag" like the ones in the picture from last night and in 30 years have only put a tag on 2-3 before these because here, with a tag you can't sell them and I don't kill them "for fun” they are a resource. In states with "commercial trapping" don't ever let them take that from you. Once they take that and start limiting you to "recreational harvest" the next step will be taking that away - hunting for fun.

And a resource they are. Been trapping them from the same rock piles and shooting them off of the same hillsides for 30 years. Every year there’s more. Replaced with healthy young ones because you removed older ones. It's been nice being part of a healthy landscape. Now I suppose they will just go through periods of disease and starvation. Die from wonderful things like mange, starvation and feline distemper. Get hit on the highways and killed by ADC guys and homeowners in backyards and chicken coops.

No animosity here though....

I've taken maybe, 6-800 at night with a rifle and more than that by cage trap and foothold. Tonight I'll have until midnight to take my last two and won't even be able to sell them.
I blame their deaths on the snowflakes. The liberals. The Dems. The anti groups and those who support them.

They like to blame Trump for all the hate and division going around. Last I checked Trump didn't turn my entire desert into Wilderness. He didn't ban everything I love. etc. etc.

Going to go out tonight all by myself. Would like to take one as close to midnight as I can. Maybe be the last cat ever legally taken in the state of California.

What a shame, good luck tonight.

I wish every member of Trapperman would read this.And take note about the Game commissions role,and the "recreational trapping" nonsense.Alot of guys are treating this like"its California,what do you expect?"I live in Michigan,and I don't trust our DNR anymorethan I would your Game Commission.I base this on remembering our DNR in the '70's thru the mid '80's,conversations with biologists and directors,and the tone and attitude they have towards us.Their more concerned with political correctness and the public attitudes towards us than they are defending us.And our state isn't alone with that drift.

X2
Heck 2 weeks of trapping instructions in northern Nevada is something id pay for

Saw the pics of some of your catches at the KS convention, what a shame it is what they are doing out there. I feel a little of your loss. Best wishes for you tonight sir.

And just like Mercer says, they aren't doing any favor to the cat population. Once carrying capacity is met the excess has to die or move to another area. And Mother Nature's methodology is far more cruel than the trapper/hunters'.

Our game commission just voted to take a smidgen of our trapper rights via the humboldt marten ruse. We all know that is the foot in the door to keep on working at their ultimate goal of doing away with furbearer trapping.

Best of luck to you Mercer. Really feel for you guys.

Good luck Mercer! I think I would want to do more hunting around Sacremento. Just kidding, kinda!

best cats in the country. wonder how much poaching is going to go on now?

Sorry Mercer. Here in South Dakota in 2018 we had a lot of anti proposals. SD game fish and parks staff suggested to both trapping/fur harvesting organizations we were going to have to compromise or we would be looked upon by the public and commissioners as being to rigid. We were told we had to give up something or the game commissioners would not look favorable upon us. We dug in our heals and went to work. Our position was not to compromise on any one issue. It took a lot of work by a lot of people but guess what the outcome was. A majority of our game commission voted to disregard all the anti proposals. We had one lone game commissioner who is a know anti who supported ALL the anti proposals. The commission vote accomplished several things. First and foremost we kept our trapping regulations intact 100 percent. Second it exposed the anti commissioners anti trapping bias to the rest of the commission. Lastly it exposed to the public the anti commissioners behind the scenes relationship with the anti group attacking our right to hunt and trap in SD. The anti commissioner and his "Audubon Society" ally's wanted to severely restrict the fur harvesting that had been a part of our states history since before the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800's.
South Dakota trappers and fur harvesters united and we prevailed. We did not compromise as was suggested by SD GF&P. We appreciated having a majority of game commissioners who listened to common sense and justly represented our sportsmen, landowners and agriculture community.

Again and again we trappers are told we have to compromise. Don't buy into that. We can prevail.

That was deep buddy and almost tough to read, good luck tonight. Awful sorry to hear

Wow. What a shame is right. Absolutely terrible what they have done to that state.

Nice cats, the institution that is so removed that doesn't understand where it came from doesn't deserve to stand

Maybe charge ancestral rights 30 yrs long time natives get special rights cuz been round awhile, worth a try?

Did the natives on Res lose out tonight too?

Mercer any luck last night?

Man those cats Re beautiful! What a shame to let such a resource suffer the way they will. Hope you connected last night.

Sorry to hear, I wrote the commission and also watched some of the hearings that were videoed. Did not see much representation from trappers or hunters. Its not all the antis fault I have written letters to Im guessing at least 12 states over trapper or hunter privileges and donated money. It pathetic how many trappers never write a letter, go to a meeting, join a state or national organization and then whine when its gone. Even Alaska gets proposed trapping anti legislation no state or country is exempt and the low fur prices is just another chink in the armor for the antis. Im guessing they are loving the fact that NAFA went under like wolves on a blood trail. All the preaching here is to the choir and does not do a thing to protect our heritage.

Had a good night. Took a coyote and this pretty little cat early but then just fell flat. Nothing from 10:00 till midnight and midnight came fast.

Finally got some use out of those stinking BLM signs though!

No regrets. Glad I went out.

Thanks for all the comments and contacts.

Second selifie ever in my life so be nice!

ML

Figured you would get it done, heck of a belly to finish it out. Sad deal for sure.

Nice score!! You went out like the patriot you are, fighting for your rights. The slugs in Sacramento won't be remembered but your fight will be remembered by free men on this forum and beyond!