Rob Erickson sent me these new pictures which illustrate a very interesting point. They are of a coyote trapping session previous to Wheaton and illustrate a fast response time. This is information you will not get at any other site at this time. I feel it gives an inside look at the practice, and shows that while some may disagree with trapping, there are trappers who practice a fast and ethical response. This is definitely the case here.

Rob told me he dispatched the animal at 3:58 am, but when the camera went off he had it programmed to take 3 pics every 1 minute. He changed the settings to take a picture every 60 minutes from his home computer before he left to dispatch the animal, because he has to pay 39 cents for each pic. He already knew it was caught, so no reason to take more pics. The camera went off as programed when the officer was present and they were removing the already dispatched animal from the trap.

He lived 40 minutes away from the trap.

The Wilderness-Sportsman is all about hearing both sides of the issue. With that, we took the time to have a conversation with Rob Erickson, the trapper currently handling the controversial Wheaton coyote job.

First, let me start this article off by saying that everyone needs to tone things down a bit. There’s no need for some of the nasty comments I have heard coming from both sides of the isle. I have received bogus emails and things that just don’t make any sense. At this point it’s important to move forward with a sense of caution in regards to the facts. Remember, this is about what to do with the coyotes, not about hating your neighbor.

When Rob and I talked, we both felt it was only fair for his side of the story to be told. He wanted to set the record straight and I wanted to hear his side too.

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