(Spirit Lake)– Concern over public safety along county-owned rights-of-way, specifically the trail system, has the Dickinson county board of supervisors looking into the possibility of banning trapping from those areas.
The issue was brought to the table at Tuesday’s board meeting by Supervisor Paul Johnson. He says it stems from concern that was expressed to him by a constituent over some traps that had been placed along the right-of-way of the trail system in the Wahpeton area. Johnson expressed concern over the possibility of trail users or dogs wandering off the trail and getting caught in the lethal traps.
Likewise, Chris LaRue of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said trailuers and pet owners need take it upon themselves to exercise caution and common sense, and to make sure their pets on a leash.
LaRue feels any ban on trapping in county rights-of-way would be difficult to enforce. He added the state allowed the trails to pass through state-owned ground contingent upon those areas still being allowed for hunting and trapping. LaRue says any trapping ban result in the state not granting permission in the future to allow trails that would pass through its lands.
The supervisors took no action on the issue Tuesday.
Steve Litts, Director of the Dickinson County Trails Association, says one possibility would be to put up signs warning users not to wander off the trails and to make sure their pets are leashed.
