Trapping should be allowed

To the Editor,

It appears the outrage felt by those in Portage who have become aware of the law is not nearly the outrage expressed by sportsmen and women when more loss of opportunity was proposed in an attempt to garner public support for closing trapping in the Portage valley.

While everyone agrees that a snare eight feet off a trail is not ideal, the danger to children and pets is zero. As for the use of conibears, they are generally used under the ice and also present zero danger when used responsibly. The idea to close trapping in Portage because of one less than ideal snare placement would be the same as closing the Seward highway because of one less than ideal driver.

I have snowmachined and trapped in the Portage valley on and off over the last 26 years. We now are no longer able to snowmachine, which has greatly reduced access and forced those who choose to exercise their rights granted by the state to use the highway corridor or walk many, many miles. My sons are six and eight and are very anxious to start trapping. What choices do they have?

While tolerance is preached from the largest pulpits in the land, it is often those who preach the loudest who are the least tolerant of others who do not share their views. I do not think the statewide advisory committees, the Alaska Outdoor Council or the Alaska Board of Game would support more loss of opportunity. It should be noted that is a violation of law to disturb someone's trap.

Thank you for the opportunity to express what appears to be the majority opinion.

Brian Peterson
Girdwood

To outlaw trapping is outrageous

To The Editor:

If this is the proper place to put a vote in to continue trapping, I vote Yes to sustain trapping in the entire State. To close trapping is outrageous. That is something that has taken place for centuries and we still have sufficient game to continue trapping. It is way past time for “We The People” to draw a line in the dirt to save ourselves from Tyranical Corporate Government and stop allowing the enemies of freedom to rule.

Seymour Marvin Mills
Sterling

Trapping by trails is unsafe

To the Editor:

I am a Girdwood and Portage local. I've lived in Girdwood on and off for about eight years, lived in Portage Valley for almost three, and worked in Portage Valley for four, and played in the Girdwood/Portage Valley area for years. I just heard you posted a poll online regarding trapping off of the Blue Ice Trail. Unfortunately, the word didn't get out to many and it must have been removed before I could voice my opinion. So here it is.

Regardless of one's views on the morals of trapping the fact is, allowing traps so close to public use trails where tourists, children, and dogs play is irresponsible and unsafe. This is a trail where locals cross country ski, snowshoe, hike, swim and camp. We take our children and let them explore nature. We take our dogs and let them run. We take ourselves and rejuvenate our city spirits. Tourists come to explore and see the wonders that our area provides.

In all of my time in Portage, I've never seen a sign mention this is an area for trapping. I've never seen a warning that traps are near nor instructions on what do when one encounters a trap. Since this is not only a local use area, but a tourist area. These instructions are imperative for safe trapping. But where are they? Coming across your dog's neck stuck in a trap or your child's leg does not fit in with the purpose of the Chugach National Forest, nor the desires of those who just spent millions of dollars to improve the trail for tourist and locals.

This is a huge state and plenty of areas in the southern valleys for trapping. Why do we need to place them so close to the trails? I vote to ban the use of traps in the Portage Valley.

Heather Caldwell
Girdwood

Troopers on a ticket binge in Hope

To the Editor:

Police have been on a ticket binge in Hope. Tickets are given out for the offense of “no seatbelts” or “expired plates” or “driving without insurance.” The troopers have been targeting Hope residents by such methods as parking at the Post Office, which is located off the paved Hope highway on a gravel road. I rode my bike with my dog on the Hope highway for 40 minutes today and saw a local truck haul hay to feed horses and then I saw the mail car come to town. That was the only traffic on the road. The troopers gave another ticket today at the Post Office for the violation of “no seatbelt.”

When the trooper was asked what was going on he said he was enforcing the law. The drivers were violating the law. I ask a simple question, don't we all violate the law? Every time we drive to Anchorage we may drive past a parked trooper at 56 MPH while the speed limit is 55 MPH. Do we expect to get stopped? No! And the answer why is because we expect the troopers to be more than monkeys and use judgment. Troopers are paid decent money and are expected to use judgment. People in Hope put on their seatbelts when they drive to Anchorage, we used good judgment. It is not too much to expect the State Troopers to use the same level of judgment.

In Hope we may drive to the garbage transfer site without our seatbelts. A few times a year to haul brush or get firewood we may use an old truck that is not registered or that we do not have insurance on. On the local streets we may ride a four-wheeler, which is against the law. These are not defiant actions against law enforcement; they are simply a lifestyle that follows reason and judgment. I would expect troopers to use the same level of judgment and use their time to patrol the Seward Highway where there have been numerous fatal accidents each year.

John and Dru Sorenson
Hope

A big ‘thank you' from the Girl Scouts

Girdwood Girl Scouts would like to thank the Tesoro Station and Alyeska Resort for allowing us to sell cookies at their locations this year. Tesoro was a great place to sell to travelers on the highway. Alyeska Resort very generously hosted a Milk and Cookie Break, treating employees to cookies and allowing us to sell cookies also. Thank you for supporting the Girl Scouts and helping us to reach our cookie sales goals!

Shelley Fiedler
Girdwood

Sign stealer stole memories too

To the Editor:

I am sure a person had a special need for it or you wouldn't have taken my open/close sign that we have used for years and that had special meaning for me. Enjoy it.

Marie Heinricks
Kobuk Valley Jade Company
Girdwood