 Alberta man survives 96 hours trapped in the wild An Alberta man who spent four days trapped beneath his all-terrain vehicle in the woods as coyotes circled nearby says he had to go into "survival mode" to make it out alive.Commentsview comments in forum Page 1 You need to be a member of CKA and be logged into the site, to comment on news. |
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Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
Hey now,Ken,s not a bad guy,allthough I wouldnt call him much of a bush man.
The paramedic on TV with no neck was our mine rescue captain at the mine for quite a few years before he bought out the ambulance service here. The traplines there in the Kananaskis(just north of the gap) are few and far between,most are grandfathered and handed down through the generations,cant blame a native Canadian white boy to try and keep the traditions his grandfather used alive now can you?
Between my place and his trapline there's 2 more,thats a huge tract of country for 3 traplines.Dont think the animals got too much to worry about.
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
Hey now,Ken,s not a bad guy,allthough I wouldnt call him much of a bush man.
The paramedic on TV with no neck was our mine rescue captain at the mine for quite a few years before he bought out the ambulance service here. The traplines there in the Kananaskis(just north of the gap) are few and far between,most are grandfathered and handed down through the generations,cant blame a native Canadian white boy to try and keep the traditions his grandfather used alive now can you?
Between my place and his trapline there's 2 more,thats a huge tract of country for 3 traplines.Dont think the animals got too much to worry about.
So his grand daddy used a quad to work his line ?
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
Hey now,Ken,s not a bad guy,allthough I wouldnt call him much of a bush man.
The paramedic on TV with no neck was our mine rescue captain at the mine for quite a few years before he bought out the ambulance service here. The traplines there in the Kananaskis(just north of the gap) are few and far between,most are grandfathered and handed down through the generations,cant blame a native Canadian white boy to try and keep the traditions his grandfather used alive now can you?
Between my place and his trapline there's 2 more,thats a huge tract of country for 3 traplines.Dont think the animals got too much to worry about.
So his grand daddy used a quad to work his line ?
No but his dad did.
Thats all right Zig, i still believe in what ever turns, ones crank. Now that i know he's going to survive i will gather up my woodland creatures and join them in round of
Isnt it ironic? dont ya think?
Just tell me where to find that envirementalist from Fernie, and I'll make a point of kicking him in the groin.
She sent a letter to the editor of our paper and here's just one response to it.
Friday February 29, 2008
Dear Editor,
I write this in response to the letter sent by Cathy Smith-Clark entitled “is this a case of poetic justice.” In this letter Cathy was saddened no more that a trapper, pinned under his ATV almost died of exposure as his fate was akin to that suffered by the animals he traps.
I represent the education component of the Alberta Trappers Association and I suspect that Cathy and I will never really agree on many issues pertaining to traps and animals. I do not intend to seriously debate the pros and cons of fur trapping in this letter as it is not the proper forum. I do however, respect her rights to her viewpoint and just want to make a couple of comments.
First of all she notes that “innocent” animals are trapped. Putting human values on animals is called anthromorphism and animals are never innocent nor guilty. They are animals that must eat or be eaten to survive. The trapper thought of cutting his own leg off to survive and she equated this to animals chewing off their limbs when caught in a trap. This was 50 years ago and I have never seen it since. For this to happen the trapper was negligent. Period! Today the trap must be checked every 24 hours on private land and no more than 48 hours on public land. The conventional foot hold trap has been banned and trappers must use approved traps or face prosecution. Unfortunately many people envision the toothed style bear trap when they think of a foot hold trap. They have been illegal for 50 years in Canada. Today’s traps are offset, padded or laminated to ensure no bone fracture can occur. Swivels and shock absorbing springs are also included in the trap to minimize the stress on the animal. The traps are not designed to “crush” as Cathy stated, but to hold the animal.
The great wolf restocking program in Yellowstone or Idaho would not have been possible without this style of trap as it allows the trapper to release an animal for whatever reason. One of the most obvious is when we are called to trap coyotes near urban areas and trappers catch someone’s dog. The dog can be released, although the dog running loose and not under control is another issue, you cannot blame the trap for the caught dog.
Cathy noted that fur is the warmest thing and termed it an excuse. Most of the parka trim I have noted is fake fur (a petroleum product) which is non biodegradable nor renewable, which real fur is. I also would note that real fur is warmer due to the under fur and guard hair and for that I make no excuse.
She states that trapping has been outlawed in most of Europe for 60 years. Possibly true although Holland still traps up to a million muskrats a year to protect their infrastructures and these muskrats are not used for the fur trade, but are burned and wasted. I understand that the steel-jawed leg hold traps are banned in Belgium, however this is only on public land and 90 per cent of the land in Belgium is privately owned and traps are available for sale. Sounds hypocritical to me and I wonder if part of the reason there is little trapping in Europe is that they have a larger population and less habitat. Canada has been trapping furs for 400 years and animal populations are still good. The greatest danger to animals is loss of habitat not regulated fur trapping.
Some think that banning fur trapping is the simple solution. Tell that to someone that has been flooded out because of poor beaver management or whose pets come down with rabies because of disease sweeping unmanaged wild fur bearers.
Trapping of a renewable fur resource is, in my opinion, an honourable profession and the large majority of trappers I have met have first hand knowledge, respect and concern for the animals they harvest. Could we do things better? I hope so and research to make traps even more humane is the answer. This is why I support fur trapping.
On another note the trapper survived his ordeal and for that we are grateful. No person should have to die doing a public service like Ken did. This said, I am glad there are people like Ken out there monitoring the health of the environment, doing a job that is not for everyone in an effort to keep our fur resource healthy.
Jim Mitchell
Trapper/Public Education
Alberta Trappers Association
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
You know,I had a pretty poor impression of trappers before I actually met a few. Trappers aren't a bunch of guys getting rich off of being cruel to animals, their just hard working stiffs that do this either to make a living or to keep a tradition alive. The letter makes you think but I think the editors comments are bang on.
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
You know,I had a pretty poor impression of trappers before I actually met a few. Trappers aren't a bunch of guys getting rich off of being cruel to animals, their just hard working stiffs that do this either to make a living or to keep a tradition alive. The letter makes you think but I think the editors comments are bang on.
I'd like to see them park the quads and sleds and then do it the old fashion way, snow shoes. Thats all.
I'm a long ways from being a PETA person but this letter in the Cal. Sun made me sit up and think about what trapping is all about, for a moment or 2.
Trapped like an animal
So Ken Hildebrand was trapped under an ATV for 96 hours? ("Survival mode," Jan. 22.) Maybe now he knows what his trapped animals feel like.
Ted Alexander
(Too bad you don't show as much compassion for humans as you purport to display for animals.)
You know,I had a pretty poor impression of trappers before I actually met a few. Trappers aren't a bunch of guys getting rich off of being cruel to animals, their just hard working stiffs that do this either to make a living or to keep a tradition alive. The letter makes you think but I think the editors comments are bang on.
I'd like to see them park the quads and sleds and then do it the old fashion way, snow shoes. Thats all.
i'm kinda jelous of the grandfathered trap lines that get passed down to family.More of a way to get a spot in the mountains to build a cabin real cheap than anything now.I know all the trappers here in the south and only a few are still old school that actually stay out on their lines.
As for the fur trade,I hope Nancy never venture's out of Fernie where faux fur and creamy latte's are the way of the day now.If she ever went to the north she would probably have a heart attack when she saw all the polar bear furs and other hides stretched outside of allmost every house curing.She would be probably also be the first one asking where to get seal and caribou hide clothing to stay warm.
I'll see if I can find the other follow up letters.Ken is a model citizen and volunteer for EMS,our quad club,and he teaches CPR and other first aid stuff to the kids here.He also lost his good leg,his remaining leg was crippled due to polio in his youth.So he got dealt a low blow in my eyes.
He sure wasnt doing it to get rich,I've never seen a rich trapper.
I've seen the Innuit take to teaching skinning polar bear and making fur goods in school just to keep the old ways alive.More the last few years than anything because they are losing their traditional ways and their language and some have taken notice.
I paid $70.00 for these sealskin mitts as opposed to $50.00 from workworld or the northern store,guess which one I'm going to buy?
I saw the headline and I wondered if Ziggy had locked himself out of his house.
No,I know which window to crawl through.Cant believe the guy didnt have a cell phone or a sat phone. I wouldnt even go out now without one or the other.
Prepare for anything.