Just back from a hike in the Monongahela NF near Seneca Rocks, where we found about 50 lbs of meat scraps and a leg-hold trap wired to a tree and set right in the middle of a trail along the river. This set-up was about half a mile down a gated road... had I not seen the barely-visible trap under the leaves, I would now very likely be awaiting rescue in hypothermia conditions with a tib-fib fracture.

(yes, this is the point where many of you should and will smack the desk and say "Damn it... too bad he saw that trap!")

It is currently racoon trapping season in West by God, and the locals are desperate for any kind of entertainment and potential income now that the Super Bowl has passed and spring gobbler season is still months away. Trapping is legal, but ANY exposed bait is a no-no. So...

Keep your eyes open if traveling on less-used paths in coon country (along rivers and creeks)- a leg hold trap is capable of breaking the leg of the average hiker unless you are wearing very sturdy high-top boots. To report open baiting, call the Dept of Natural Resources at (304) 558-2754.

Be careful out there... climbing is risky enough!