And now for something completely different!

[RedEye]

Scene: You're out in the forest, just walking. You hear someone crying. Following the sound, you come to what appears to be a wolf, caught in a leg-hold trap. This trap is one of the biggies: in that you have to stand on the springs to make it release. As you look around, you see that the wolf has tear streaks on her (his, if you're a girl) face.
The wolf starts growling at you, showing more teeth than a dentist sees in a year. There is something wrong with the growl, though; it doesn't sound quite right for an animal, and you can see that it has what seem to be odd-looking paws on its forelimbs, and there is a broken branch in the trap's jaws.
You hear someone else coming, maybe the owner of the trap.
What do you do?
Okay, I got part of this from Wolf Lake...sue me.

[JoshuaMadoc]

Break the trap off and panic when I try to convince it into hiding or running away.

[Vagrant]

If I had anything that looked remotely threatening with me, I'd set it down and try to make myself look as non-threatening as possible. I'd basically try to make myself look small, and unimportant, as even if this is a sapient Werewolf--they may be operating on instinct after having been hurt badly.

I'd make my way slowly to the trap (because I tend to value the life of an animal as much as my own, and if I lose a leg in the effort then so be it!), and step on the springs, I'd do so very carefully as not to provide harm, and stay in place until the creature was free--thus making clear my intent.

If I'd made a mistake, that would've been my mistake to go, and I can think of many worse ways to go than being mauled by such a creature (thankfully). If the creature takes the opportunity to get away, at least s/he had been able to do so and I'd stay there to try and slow down whatever was after them (by whatever means possible). If the creature sees my intent and decides to face whatever it is with me, then it goes down that way and we give whomever thought a trap would be a funny idea a real what-for.

I wouldn't be much help, I doubt, as I'm not a fighter. But if I did see a creature in that state--then I've no doubt in my mind that I would be furious. And I doubt I'd be able to live with myself if I didn't manage to give the person responsible a few good smacks upside the head.

[Terastas]

Well, I'd probably ration that, if I have to go sooner rather than later, the best way to go would be doing a selfless act. For all I know, the wolf could gnaw its own leg off and then come after me on the remaining three, so as long as there's a chance of me being ripped to shreds no matter what, I'll place my bet on the high road.

As for whoever owns the trap, well, just like the protagonist from The Hunted, I have zero respect for anyone that tries to hunt (potentially dangerous quarry or otherwise) anything with traps, so nuts to whoever might be coming to pick it up. I'd like to think I'd have the balls to meet the guy halfway and clamp the thing on his face, but I'd probably just hightail it out of there ASAP.

I'm no expert on hunting accessories and whatnot, but I've seen a leg-snare before and they're not exactly brain surgery, so I'm pretty sure I could reset it, and hopefully the wolf or whatever it is will get the hell out of there.

And if I slip up and the trap catches me instead. . . Well, first I'll likely scream and let loose a string of profanity, but then I'll try and shoo the wolf off and wait for the presumptive owner of the trap to come along. I'll sit down on the ground and seethe to try to make it look like I've been there a while, and no matter who shows up, my story will be that I was just taking a nature walk to clear my mind until this happened. If it's another innocent passerby like myself, I'll say thank God and ask for help (or at least if he has a cell phone I can use to call for help), and if he's the owner of the trap, I'll shoot off my mouth at him and threaten to have his a** thrown in jail if I don't sue him into oblivion.

If I didn't get caught in the trap but I couldn't get away from it before whoever is coming showed up, the stories won't vary much: the bystander I'll warn and tell him we need to get rid of that, and the hunter I'd shoot off my mouth at because I could have been caught on it and then I'd have to have his a** thrown in jail if I didn't sue him into oblivion.

As for what the wolf was and what the wolf is going to do later, I'll worry about that. . . Well, later. It's true that the best actions don't always yield the best results, but at least if what I did does result in my death, I'll die knowing I did the right thing instead of wondering if I deserve it.

[Wingman]

Half of this seems to be at odds with the other. In the first half, it looks like the (were)wolf is caught in the trap, but in the second it says "there is a broken branch in the trap's jaws.". Was this intentional, is there both a leg and a branch in the trap? If so, then I'm guessing they were trying to use the branch to lever the trap back open, right?


Well, what I would do depends largely on why and how I'm there. It also depends on which "me" is there, be it me, or a fictional persona (Yes, a few of them would act in ways I would not, they're not all clones). Approaching anything that's only way out is through you is usually a bad idea without proper assessment of the situation.

In most cases, I'd stay where I was and try to get a look at whoever is coming. I've been told I'm a pretty sneaky guy, from the person who creeped up and hid behind me, not realizing I was there, during a game a hide and seek. Apparently I bear a strong resemblance to a tree stump. He was not happy when I did my legal duty and whispered "Hello Clarice." into his ear. And then the others spotted and chased him, running by me in the process. I just got up and walked away, my work there was done.

So, chances are that I'd get a look at whoever is coming before they spot me.

Call me heartless, but if it was some game warden come to tranq the wolf and dismantle the trap, I'd be fine with walking away. Though, my curiosity would get the best of me. So, if feasible, I'd move off to the side, or remain where I was if I was already there. Either to render assistance, or render the guy unconscious with a a liberal dosage of tender mercies from behind. Eh, even if I couldn't overpower the guy, I'd most likely be able to push him into range of the wolf.

[Whisperwind]

i'd probably double back on my trail as best i could and try to steal a glance at the person coming.. if they look threatening i would make up some bullshit emergency (car broke down or something like it) to try to lure him away with me, and then hopefully figure out a way to get him gone for a while.. then try to get back to the wolf, try to make it known that i'm not going to hurt it, and attempt to open the trap.

there are a lot of "ifs" but it all depends on who reacts how and to what.

[WolfMontana]

And if I slip up and the trap catches me instead. . . Well, first I'll likely scream and let loose a string of profanity, but then I'll try and shoo the wolf off and wait for the presumptive owner of the trap to come along. I'll sit down on the ground and seethe to try to make it look like I've been there a while, and no matter who shows up, my story will be that I was just taking a nature walk to clear my mind until this happened. If it's another innocent passerby like myself, I'll say thank God and ask for help (or at least if he has a cell phone I can use to call for help), and if he's the owner of the trap, I'll shoot off my mouth at him and threaten to have his a** thrown in jail if I don't sue him into oblivion.

It'd be interesting, if a hunter was coming who was trying to trap a werewolf, if he/she thought *you* were the werewolf they'd been hunting, and you'd just changed back? Course, that makes the clothes thing interesting... but still, some folks think clothes change with the werewolf, so who knows.

I'd be a little stunned by the whole scene at first, but would work as quickly and calmly as I could to release the beastie. I'd then either get eaten or mauled (oops), or pursued and shot at by the hunter (oops), or just get yelled at alot (yay!).

Regardless, it would indeed be an interesting day.

[Kaebora]

I'd approch slowly. If it snapped at me too wildly when reaching for the trap, and my coaxing didn't calm it, I'd be forced to leave it to its fate. Aside from being turned into a werewolf, you can get nasty diseases even from human bites.

I've been in this situation before when in the rockies. A poacher's trap caught a fox, and it was snapping wildly at me and my dad. We tried to hold its head down with a boot to release it without getting bitten, but it was flailing too wildly. We had to leave it. We came back an hour later with food, and while it was munching down on ham we took the trap off its leg. It wasn't broken, just bleeding a little. The fox limped along, following us for about 15 minutes, then we didn't see it again. I'm thinking it wanted more ham.

[WerewolfKeeper3]

Hmmm... probably try to make it feel comfortable around me, then try to get the trap undone. If the hunter did show up, and, depending on the area, i'd remind him it's illegal to hunt or trap wolves, and that i've just finished calling the local authorities...

SOmething tells me though, he'd have gun... and then i'd remind him it's illegal to kill someone.

Him: "But it's not illegal to kill a freak like that thing."
Me: "Really? Well then, what proof do you have that i am a freak?"
Him: "You're standing by it..."
Me: "I just came walking through the woods. It was a nice day out and i figured with it being this close, i might see what the forest is like."
Him: "Fine... whatever... but i'm not letting that thing get away."
Me: "It's a wolf."
Him: "It's a monster..."
Me: {throws rock at hunters head and sets creature free.}
Him: "Why you...!"
Me: "It's gone... which means you shoot me, you won't see sunlight for a long, long time."
Him: "You... {long list of profanities} you let a murderer escape!"
Me: "Really? What'd it do, kill a dairy cow?"
Him: "That {bleep} killed my son!"
Me: "Doubtful... that wolf looked more likely to run away from a human that attack it."
Him: "That's not what my son said. I told him not to get involved with them."
Me: "Okay... i'll be leaving now." {slowly walk way, leaving the hunter to stare back at the forest with an angry and sorrowful look on his face}
End scene

Hmm... depends on a lot of things, but i would probably try to get the creature free first... and all you have to do is switch out who/what the wolf killed and it works... unless it was actually a dairy cow...

If it was a passerby, i'd just say i was trying to help the wolf.

Eh... just like RedEye to suddenly make me think of a story line...

Kaebora: The Fox Piper of Ham-mond.

[Terastas]

It'd be interesting, if a hunter was coming who was trying to trap a werewolf, if he/she thought *you* were the werewolf they'd been hunting, and you'd just changed back?

That would be part of the reason I'd scream profanity at him: to draw as much attention to me as possible, both from him away from the fleeing wolf, and from anyone else that might be walking/driving by when it happens.

Nowadays in the U.S., it's damn near impossible to go anywhere and not be within shouting distance of someone. Even if we are alone, he should still be worried about people that might be out of sight but still in earshot, and even if he does think I'm a werewolf, he can't automatically suspect everyone else that shows up.

The only possibility I wouldn't be prepared to deal with would be the game warden, but animal control, wildlife officers and the like only ever use cage traps, usually the ones involving a cage where the door slams shut once the animal has been lured inside it or whatever. If a game warden used a leg-snare, the humane society would be all over him for it, so I think I can pretty well rule them out as a suspect.

Though if it was a warden, that would certainly make the threat of a lawsuit that much more intimidating. I wouldn't particularly care if they thought I was a dick trying to play the lawsuit lottery or not; if they were using snare traps, their opinion of me can't possibly be lower than mine of them. Words for the wise: if a total douche bag calls you a total douche bag, take it as a complement.

[Silveera-Ice]

Ok, I would use that stick as a lever to open it, maybe. I would also aproach slowly and at the wolfs level so he knows im not a threat...
Im hoping that he will stop crying once freed so that the person coming may not see the wolf, just in case he is the owner. Also, You dont know if the wolf will be able to run away once released or if it would turn and attack you.

[outwarddoodles]

I noticed a lot of people here are absolutely sure they'd take the altruistic option.

I won't lie to myself: I'll do what I can, and hopefully negotiate. Otherwise, I'm OUT of there.

(/selfish, but honest.)

[vrikasatma]

Traps are usually attached to a peg or corkscrew-type device buried in the ground.

I'd dig up the peg. Approaching scared, pissed, injured werewolf not required.

The trap would still be on his paw but he could move elsewhere. I'd escape by another route, and/or parallel the werewolf so I could assist in removing the trap under less difficult circumstances.

[Leonca~]

[Vagrant]

On the topic of altruism, something comes to mind based on what Outward said: Are we all being honest about what we claimed, and if so, why?

In my case, it's because that I revere Werewolves, I won't lie about it because there are no two ways about it--I worship the ideal of a Werewolf. And if the Werewolf in the trap wasn't actively snapping and thrashing at me like it had the intent to eat me, would I put my life on the line to save something that I hold so dear?

Honestly, I would. Compared to such a creature, I'd consider my life as unimportant--I don't have a particularly high view of myself anyway. And if I could have "Saved a Werewolf" under my belt, then I wouldn't care too much about dying, even if it was at the hands of the trapper. Because to my mind that's a worthy cause to die for.

There are many people that have convictions, and causes, and things they believe in so much that they would die for them. For me, this is one of those things.

Thoughts?

[vrikasatma]

Lots of great thinking on this (theoretical) thread, but I'd just like to insert a Reality Check here:

It's illegal to disrupt a trapline, legally set by a licensed trapper, in all states and most provinces. So if you're out in the woods and come across an animal in a snare, leave it alone or you'll be paying a lot of money and maybe spend some time behind bars.

Also, it might have been set by a Native American and that's his only income, particularly in the provinces and the northernmost states. No income = drunk and starving Injun.

The semi-good news is that body-gripping traps are on the way out in most places. Trappers are rapidly turning to cage-type traps.

[Terastas]

On the topic of altruism, something comes to mind based on what Outward said: Are we all being honest about what we claimed, and if so, why?

I'm sure I'd be hesitant and everything I listed would come after an "umm. . ." period, but I'm pretty sure that's what I'd do for a couple of reasons.

1) It's a leg-snare trap. Those are "on their way out" for a good reason -- they're inhumane. Furthermore, I'm making the assumption that if it's a forest I can be "just walking" in that it's an area where trapping of any variety shouldn't be legal.

If it was a wolf in a cage trap, then I'd probably wait and see what the owner of the trap has to say, but if he was using a snare trap in a place where some poor guy walking his dog could have easily found it the hard way, I'm assuming the owner of the trap has no claim to a moral high ground in this.

2) Fear. Sounds crazy, I know, but honestly, I'd be more afraid of the wolf getting out of the trap itself and coming after me. A normal wolf I'm assuming wouldn't try to hunt/fight while injured, and I'm assuming something "more than a wolf" would have the capacity to recognize intent. So yeah, I'd be on the verge of crapping my pants while I was trying to release the trap, but honestly I think I'd be more afraid of what could happen if I didn't try to help it.

That ties into what I said about "if I have to go" earlier. If there's a chance I'm going to die no matter what I do, I'm at least going to die doing something I won't regret.

[Vagrant]

vrikasatma: That would be operating under two assumptions...

1) The person in the scenario is an American.
2) The scenario is happening in America.

There are many other countries that have Wolves, and who knows how many might actually have Werewolves (should they exist, speaking hypothetically for this thread), and I imagine that the use of traps wouldn't be so widely legally protected everywhere.

Just food for thought.

Terastas: That's exactly what I was looking for, thanks. I just wonder how many would push past that fear and need for survival to do something right, even though it could mean their undoing at the end of the day.

[Midnight]

.

[vrikasatma]

vrikasatma: That would be operating under two assumptions...

1) The person in the scenario is an American.
2) The scenario is happening in America.

Amending: I said "States" and "provinces," meaning all of North America, U.S. and Canada.
Okay, so to be pedantic...

American and Canadian Pack members, DON'T disrupt a legally-set trapline. You'll pay a major fine and could go to jail, and possibly be sued. Police records suck, getting reamed by a lawsuit sucks even harder, being a factor in another Native American going hungry and turning to the ol' firewater sucks canal water.

[RedEye]

Okay, for those who have posted some legitemate questions, I'll elaborate.
1: The trap is a #5 leg-hold or so-called "Bear Trap". They are illegal outside of Alaska and certain Canadian Provinces. This trap requires at least 125 pounds of pressure on the springs to force them down and make the trap reset. Even a licensed trapper can go to jail for using one of them in the lower 48. Even Native Americans.

2: The stick is obviously a dropoff from the nearest tree, and it's broken about two inches above the trap's jaws. The broken section is still attached to the rest of it by bark. It is pointing toward the whatever-it-is that is trapped.

3: The trap is fastened to a rootlet of a nearby tree by means of a lock and chain (also illegal).

So far, so good.

And, BTW: I'm completely FOR the outlawing of these sort of traps. Cage types may cost more, but they are less dangerous for everybody and do less damage to the animals trapped.
Now, just because I'm the kind of guy I am, let me ask: Suppose that the trapped animal is a wolf (not that I'm saying it is). It is a wolf that has made the leap and learned to use tools of a sort. It is a mutant, more intelligent than a dozen wolves of the standard sort. And...there is a tag on the trap, it's a semi-legal trap line.
This is an "Extra Points" question to the stated question. What would you do?
Now that you know this...?

[WerewolfKeeper3]

Hypothetically... if no one saw you disrupt the trap... and you have no intentions of touching said trap to leave finger prints... how would they know if:
1: You'd released it and
2: that the animal got out on it's own somehow
3: I'd release it one way or the other because honestly... i don't like the idea someone can take away an animals ability to escape capture just so it would be easier to kill it and skin it. No offense to anyone by the way, with that last comment.
4: if someone was coming that way... i'd meet them half way and say i just heard a report about a rabid animal in the woods, that it was spotted in the area and that everyone was cautioned not to go into the woods. Or somesuch nonesense to get them to go in the other direction. And then i'd let the animal loose... i go to prison or have to pay a fine... okay... like i said, if nobody saw me...
it's just hypothetical after all... not like this will ever happen or anything...

[Midnight]

.

[vrikasatma]

All good, Midnight

In light of clarifications...
If the wolf in the trap is indeed a werewolf, there's not a lot I can do for him that he can't do for himself. He's probably a little freaked out and panicking, hence the crying jag.

If the owner of the trap is actively hunting werewolves...then he's probably armed to the teeth. And probably a lot tougher than I could handle. Again, the werewolf in the trap is better-equipped to handle the situation.

If it's a bear trap...I'm assuming this is happening here in my home state of Oregon (there's National Forest land less than an hour from me, in three directions). I'd get as many photos as I could and beat feet for the nearest fish and wildlife station, stat. I should mention that wolves are a protected species here in Oregon, so wolf or werewolf, that trapper would be severely breaking the law. Illegal trap, illegally chained to a tree, killing an endangered species. And guess what? We have the National Fish & Wildlife Bureau's forensic lab, and everything that comes with it, just a couple hours southeast of me. That trapper wouldn't see the light of day for awhile.

Possible sacrificed werewolf? [regretful shrug] Yeah
But he'd be the last one to die in Oregon.

[Terastas]

RedEye's points:
1) If it's a bear trap, I am definitely releasing it.

2) I don't really see how that will help. I suppose I could try and wedge it in along with the wolf's leg and try to pry it open so the wolf can slip it out, but I think I'd sooner just break it off and use it to distance the wolf and I, let him bite into that instead of one of my limbs.

3) I think it'd be easier to release the trap than break that, so I'll leave that alone.

As for what Vrik said about a werewolf being more capable to handle the situation. . . Well, yeah, I'd ration that too, but I'd have to let the werewolf out of the trap before I could expect him/her to handle it.

If it's a wolf, it should get the hell out of their ASAP. And if it's a werewolf, it should have the capacity to recognize my intent, and I expect it will still get the hell out of there ASAP. My expectation either way is that I'll never see it again (I certainly won't expect to see it in that area again). And if we do inexplicably cross paths again, I'll expect the terms of the second chance encounter to be better than the first (or at the very least that the wolf's mood will be better).