Meaning of overtrap | Babel Free

Definitions

To put too many traps in (an area) or among (an animal population), and thus to trap too many (animals, for their population to recover).

Examples

“[...] from the Europeans, they began to overtrap the forests in search⟳ of pelts to trade⟳. To overtrap is to kill⟳ too many animals, causing the animal population to decrease.”

“Overtrapping can occur⟳ under some situations, but it has been the experience⟳ of trappers and marsh-owners generally that it is almost impossible to overtrap a normal muskrat population. It is far better to overtrap an area than to undertrap it. Keep⟳ populations of predators, as foxes, raccoons, and minks within reasonable limits. The annual drain on the muskrat by predators may become⟳ very serious.”

“[C]oyotes[,] particularly, will pull⟳ out if they happen⟳ to spot one of their own⟳ kind tangled in the traps. A smart one will vamoose even if it spots a trap⟳ sprung or a rabbit in it. That's one reason⟳ why you can overtrap a territory, too.”

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