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Clip: Season 43 Episode 7 | 3m 52s | Video has closed captioning.
Host Barry Anderson and guests discuss body grip traps. Watch Your Legislators live Thursdays at 8pm on Pioneer PBS or online at https://pioneer.org/live, or https://www.facebook.com/yourlegislators/ Guests this week: Sen. Bill Weber (R), District 21, Luverne Sen. Jennifer McEwen (DFL), District 08, Duluth Rep. Dave Baker (R), District 16B, Willmar
Aired: 03/09/23
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>> Barry: WE WILL NO DOUBT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS AGAIN IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
WE HAVE A VIEWER -- ACTUALLY WE HAVE A COUPLE OF VIEWERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS QUESTION, WHICH IS ALSO FAIRLY COMMON.
VIEWERS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT ONE VIEWER DESCRIBES AS DOG PROTECTION BILLS.
SENATE FILE 1316, HOUSE FILE 1399.
THESE ARE WHAT I CALL THE TRAPPING BILLS.
VERY STRONG VIEWS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
ONE VIEWER NOTED THAT THIS IS MULTIPLE SESSIONS AND IF THIS IS THE SESSION WHERE THERE WILL BE ACTION.
LET'S START WITH YOU, REPRESENTATIVE BAKER.
ANYTHING GOING ON IN THAT TERRITORY?
>> YOU KNOW WE HAD TRAPPERS IN THIS WEEK, AND I HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.
I'M ABSOLUTELY NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS AREA.
BUT I DO KNOW A FEW PEOPLE IN MY AREA THAT HAVE TAKEN GREAT STRIDES TO MAKE SURE THE TRAPPING ISSUE AND THE DILEMMA IS ADDRESSED.
I THINK THEY ACTUALLY CAME IN AND SHOWED ME A LOT OF THE TRAPS THEY ARE SELLING TODAY ARE VERY SAFE OR SHOULD SAY VERY THOUGHTFUL WHEN IT COMES TO NOT WANTING TO CATCH AN ANIMAL LIKE A DOG THAT WOULD BE ROAMING AROUND.
THEY SHOW ME THE TUBE THEY GO INTO.
THEY ARE NOT TYPICAL OF THE CLAW TYPE OF A SNAP THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE A DOG OR A DOMESTIC ANIMAL IN A TRAP.
TRAPPING IS IMPORTANT IN OUR STATE.
TRAPPING IS IMPORTANT SO WE KEEP THE BEAVER DAMS DOWN AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAUSE PROBLEMS IF WE DON'T MANAGE THOSE KINDS OF RESOURCES.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE DOING A BAD JOB IN MINNESOTA.
I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK AT OTHER THINGS, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY IN MINNESOTA.
I THINK THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING IT AS SAFELY AS THEY CAN.
I APPRECIATE HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
I NEED TO HEAR MORE FROM OTHERS AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO TRY TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE HAD.
>> Barry: SENATOR WEBER, TRAPPING.
>> I AGREE WITH WHAT REPRESENTATIVE BAKER HAS SAID.
THE TRAPPING INDUSTRY HAS MADE GOOD PROGRESS.
WE CANNOT PASS THE TYPE OF TRAPPING PROHIBITIONS THAT ARE WANTED OUT THERE.
EVEN IN MY AREA, WE SEE SUBSTANTIAL BEAVER ACTIVITY IN SOME OF OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WHICH CAUSE FLOODING AND PROBLEMS FOR THE FARMING COMMUNITY, FOR OUR LOCAL ROADS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HEALTHY TRAPPING INDUSTRY TO CONTROL THOSE SITUATIONS.
I DON'T -- NO.
1, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ANY OF THE TRAPPING BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED SO FAR, AND I THINK AT THIS POINT IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO SEE ANY OF THEM GO THROUGH THIS YEAR.
TIME WILL TELL.
>> Barry: SENATOR MCEWEN?
>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M NOT -- I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO DEFEND THE BEAVER HERE.
BEAVER ARE AN AMAZING SPECIES AND DO AMAZING WORK OUT IN OUR FORECAST, BUT I ALSO POINT TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR STATE WHO MADE THEIR LIVING AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH TRAPPING.
THAT, I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC WITH.
I HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION ON IT.
OVER ALL I'M NOT A FAN OF TRAPPING.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY ROUGH.
I'M TAKING IT UNDER CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW.
I WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE
