The new edition of our TV talk show Wildfire, airing for the first time tonight, is all about trapping. Our guest is Bobby Reynolds, who began trapping as a kid, and came back to it as an adult, inspired by his grandfather and father. He’s even trapping with their equipment.

Co-host James Cote is the lobbyist for the Maine Trappers Association, and for sure, trapping in Maine is being challenged like never before. A modest two-week extension of the trapping season for 2017 drew lots of negative comments, which I reported in an earlier column.

And in the past 12 years, we’ve had to defend bear trapping in two expensive ballot initiatives.

I’m hoping that this show will demonstrate the value of trapping, and its importance as part of our outdoor heritage. Bobby told us all about the latest humane trapping techniques, and had a wonderful story about a raccoon he recently found in his trap, sound asleep. He carefully released the coon, unharmed.

Each edition of Wildlife is aired on Time Warner cable station 9 on Tuesdays at 7 pm, Thursdays at 6:30 pm, and Sundays at 9:30 am. Each edition airs for two weeks. You can also access the show, including previous shows, online at www.vstv.me.