We are dedicated to trap-free public lands

​After hearing too many stories about dogs being horribly injured or killed by legal traps on public lands, in the winter of 2007 a group of Montanans who enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, boating and recreating on Montana’s public lands and waterways gathered to discuss how we could help keep those lands safe for people and their pets.

As we shared stories of encounters with trappers and traps, it became apparent how few Montanans understand the danger that trapping poses to people and their pets.  Because each trapper can set an unlimited number of traps, a total of tens of thousands of traps –steel-jawed foothold traps, body-crushing Conibear traps, and wire snares– can be present on public lands across the state.  Virtually all popular waterways have traps along them at some point.  Traps, we came to understand, kill not only our pets, but valued and endangered wildlife.

From those initial gatherings and discussions rose Footloose Montana, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, driven by an interest in informing Montanans about the scope and danger of trapping on public lands, funded by local individuals contributing from their own checkbooks.

You and your pets are not immune from the danger of traps.  If you ski, hike, fish, hunt, kayak, raft, or just stroll along Montana’s public lands, you may run into traps—and when a companion animal is trapped, you may not be able to save it in time.
Footloose wants Montanans to know about trapping on our public lands, and we want to enlist you in our mission.
  • Whenever you find a trap on public lands or waterways please contact us so that we can warn others of the need for caution in that area.
  • If you have stories to tell about pets or people running afoul traps, please contact us so that others may understand just how pervasive this problem is.
  • Help us spread the word by telling friends who ski, hunt, fish, hike or boat on public lands or waters about traps and about this website.
Monte the lab and his owner at the public fishing access site where Monte was injured by a foothold trap.
Monte the lab was a victim of a foothold trap set at a public fishing access site on the Bitterroot River.
Picture
Bobcat caught in a foothold trap.

​Membership

​Our membership is diverse.  We are a rapidly growing coalition of folks brought together by the many various arguments against trapping on public lands in our state.
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