Every year my mom goes around the table and makes us say what we are thankful for. I am assuming this is what most mothers do at Thanksgiving, so it shouldn’t be too much of a shock. My answer is never planned out, even though I know it is coming, my answer is always generic; my kids, my husband, my amazing personality…you know something simple like that. This year though, this year is different. This year I am thankful to be a Trapper.
At the being of the year I was attacked by anti’s and it really put things into perspective for me. It got me thinking “is what I am doing is really helping?” “Do these crazy people threatening to burn down my house have a leg to stand on or are they just…. CRAZY?” Some of the comments I read from them opened my eyes to how many people live under rocks and how they don’t see the BIG picture. They go to the store, buy their products, go home, kiss their kids, cuddle their dog and that’s where it ends. They don’t realize what happens all around them to make their life the way they know it.
One of the places I am trapping this year I have harvested 4 coyotes so far and right next to that piece of land is a house with young children and a VERY small dog. I know that because of my trapping, those children and that little dog will all be together for Thanksgiving. They will no longer have to worry about letting their kids play outside or if that little dog will make it home. The coyote problem they had is no longer a threat to them. I also know that the farmer down the road, where they get their eggs from to make all the yummy pies for their Thanksgiving dinner this year, will have eggs because of the foxes I harvested there and kept his chickens safe.
I know that with the number of skunks and opossums my husband and I harvested so far this year will allow a few places for the turkey population to thrive next year. Their ground nests will no longer be robbed of eggs and young, and they will be able to grow. Hopefully there will be more tables with fresh turkeys on them next year than store bought. I think about the fruits, grains, vegetables, livestock, birds and so on that make it from farms to table across this planet because of the raccoons we harvested this year. We also make farmers jobs easier who are constantly fighting mother nature to provide us with food, clothing and other products that so many of us take for granted.
I think of how this year one of our landowners will be able to have dinner in his house and NOT IN A HOTEL because the beaver that were flooding his property, are no longer a problem. His driveway is no longer washed out and his basement is no longer in danger of filling with water. The trees in his yard are thriving again and fish are back in his stream.
Now yes, I know, I am only one person and in the grand scheme of things I really don’t make a dent but think, what if there were no trappers at all? Think of the over population of animals, the disease and destruction that would occur. Think of the inflation on products, fruits, grains and so on that would be caused. So many things would be affected if there were no trappers. So, this year…I am thankful I am a trapper, and thankful for all those other trappers out there who are doing their part to pay it forward.
From all of us at Trapping Girl Inc. We wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!