Initiative to ban trapping in Montana clears first hurdle en route to ballot

An initiative to ban trapping on public land in Montana has cleared its first hurdle toward appearing on the November 2010 ballot. The Montana Secretary of State's office has concluded that the initiative proposed by Florence-based Footloose Montana can appear on the ballot if backers can get enough signatures to qualify the measure. The group seeks to ban trapping on public lands in the state, save for "scientific, public health and safety activities." Footloose must gather 24,400 signatures from registered Montana voters in order to place the would-be law on the ballot...Missoulian