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Hartford (WTNH) - Trappers in the state are saying a highly publicized incident involving a trapped owl was a set-up to get the devices banned.

Lawmakers heard the pros and cons of the controversial leg-hold traps today. And, animal rights activists say it’s time for an outright ban.

Trappers who make a living by removing nuisance animals say there’s no need for change. Meanwhile, activists say they are ignoring the facts.

A Great Horned Owl that was recently euthanized because of complications from an injury that witnesses say were caused by a leg-hold trap has now become a rallying point for animal rights activists in the state attempting once again to ban the devices.

“Just as we’ve had a debate in this country about torture, so, we, in this session, in part, are going to have a debate here about leg traps and body crushing traps,” Senator Ed Meyer, of the Enviornment Committee, said.

Advocates of the ban brought a Great Horned Owl to the state capitol today to dramatize their point. And, a trapper who has converted his business to live traps.

“I stopped using these traps in ‘84. I’ve been using live traps ever since,” Skip Hilliker, of East Hampton, said.

But, the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen packed the hearing room today with nearly 50 trappers from around the state.

“I think it’s a set-up,” Bob Crook, of the Coalition of CT Sportsmen, said.

The longtime lobbyist for the group said today that the whole incident with the injured owl appears to be phoney. And, the D-E-P gave them fodder for the charge saying the trap that alledgedly injured the owl, didn’t work.

“It was broken and there was a key feature of the trap that was bent, which means the trap could not be set, so it leaves open the question; how did the trap get on the foot of the owl?” asked Edward Parker, D.E.P. Chief Bureau of Natural Resources.

“Supposition is somebody put it in there so why was put in there?” Crook asked. “Most probably to enhance the potential of this legislation that’s going on in there.”

“If it was altered at all, it probably was because of the effort they had to make to get the owl out of the trap,” Laura Simon, of the Humane Society of America, said.

Lawmakers heard testimony today that no where in the country is there an outright ban on all types of these trapping devices.