My only concern about this is those trap locations--there must be dogs and cats and other "non-target" animals running around back there as well--heck, in the video you can hear someone's dog barking at these guys. There's really no way they can be certain that their traps are ONLY going to kill nutria, right?

I'm with Dave J. on this one... what's to stop an outdoor cat, pet or feral, from getting caught in one of these "instant-kill" traps?

Um, shouldn't they wait until the actual apocalyse before eating nutria? I mean, what's the point of living a miserable post-apocalyptic life BEFORE it happens?

If you really think the apocalypse is coming, you should be using your last dollar to snort blow off of an escort's inner thigh.

@Dave J: Agreed. I think you can shoot the things instead. There are rules about discharging a firearm close to residences, but I suspect that if you wanted to hunt them with a bow and arrow in the city, nobody could complain. Given that they aren't afraid of humans, you could probably get pretty close and they are about the same size as a fat girls leg, so how could you go wrong? (I know, they might move. How about if you get two other people to hold them down while you hit them?)

These traps were set on runs coming out of blackberry hedges where nutria are denning and where only nutria have been active. This is based on the landowner's experience and my personal tracking knowledge. The property owner kept their cats indoors during the evening while traps were set and the dog next door is behind a fence. We did not catch any "non-target" animals. Despite peoples affection for feral cats, they are incredibly destructive to native songbird populations, perhaps even more destructive than the nutria is to wetland habitat. While I do not trap feral cats, I would not be opposed to anyone who does or the possibility of an accidental catch. From the perspective of one who has never trapped, it may seem that these traps are haphazardly placed but the reality is that they are set in key locations often in water or coming out of water where cats do not venture.

... There's a rat in the kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat thats what I'm gonna do

BTW for the best Nutria Hunting footage on the web check out Dave Attell's Insomiac episode in New Orleans

New Orleans' Nutria

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.…

I remember when Vera Katz had the vision to introduce the nutria to the Rhodie Garden in Eastmoreland. What a joke that women was.

People who are disgusted by the idea of eating nutria should avoid free range chicken at all costs. There is no creature with nastier eating habits than the chicken. I have never eaten nutria but I have eaten countless numbers of their cousins the groundhog. If BBQ nutria is even half as good as groundhog they are meat from heaven. Wash them down with a few slugs of Jack Daniel's.

Tennessee Hillbilly