Marten Page Added

Check out the new marten page recently added to Trapping Today. The page gives a brief overview of marten biology and habits, and gives some tips and tricks that may be useful to marten trappers. You can navigate to the page by clicking on the ‘Furbearers’ tab above, then clicking on the marten picture located on the Furbearers page.

Summer 2008 Fur Market Report

 

I’m a little late in reporting, but it’s about time for another fur market update.

The final wild fur sales at the major auction houses took place in May.  Both NAFA and FHA reported excellent results, and it looks like the fur market is right on track for the upcoming trapping season.  NAFA sold 100% of most items, many at stellar prices, and FHA reported that this was its most successful May auction in recorded history!   Great news, since prices are not expected to fall anytime soon.

Raccoon maintained the high levels reached during earlier auctions, averaging over $25 in many areas.  This is a huge improvement from prior years, with strong demand and a small harvest due to winter conditions bringing prices up.

Coyote did not sell 100%, but good prices ($20-30) were paid for top quality items.  Coyote prices may drop a little this coming season since some inventory has been carried over.

Beaver continued to sell well, and at prices similar to years past.  This item seems to be creeping up slowly in price recently, but I wouldn’t expect to see huge price increases for beaver.

Bobcat and Lynx continue to bring exceptional prices and seem to be breaking records at every auction.  A number of western bobcats sold at over $1,000 each this spring, and top quality items averaged over $500.  Lynx averaged over $200.

Marten and fisher also commanded sky-high prices, with marten averaging around $100 overall, and fisher going at $65-75.

Grey fox moved a bit slower than expected, but NAFA remains optimistic about this item.

Muskrat seems to have finally stabilized, and sold well at around $3-4, with expectations of possible increases.  Mink prices did not change much from previous auctions.

Otter and red fox continue to sell at lower prices than in past years.  Other items sold well, at or near the 100% level.

Overall, fur prices continue to look good for trappers in 2008.

See the NAFA May 2008 Wild Fur Sale results here

See the FHA May Sale results here

Wolf Management Stalled

Well, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing any hunting or trapping seasons for wolves any time in the near future.

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago mentioning the possibility of a wolf season in the makings in the state of Michigan. Since then, the Michigan DNR adopted an updated wolf management plan, which didn’t include any hunting or trapping component, despite arguments that a wolf season might garner more public acceptance of wolves in the state.

Meanwhile, gray wolves had been removed from the Endangered Species List in the Rocky Mountains and the states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were preparing wolf management plans in anticipation of taking the reins from the federal government. Discussion about upcoming wolf seasons sparked renewed interest from hunters, suggesting the possibility that the wolf could be more than just a predatory nuisance to many who live in wolf territory.

The renewed hope for scientific wolf management was temporarily killed last week, though, when a federal judge ordered that the gray wolf be placed back on the Endangered Species List. How does a single judge have the power to reverse a decision made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and agreed upon by three states, based on sound scientific facts? The Black Bear Blog asks the same question.

Simply put, I’m not optimistic about hunting or trapping for wolves in the Lower 48 anytime soon.

Trapping Controversy in Nova Scotia

The conflict between trapping and pets is often misunderstood and severely damaging to the future of legal trapping in North America.  Pets are occasionally caught in traps set for furbearing wildlife, and each incident is heartfelt and depressing, usually stirring up controversy over whether trapping should be legal or not.

In a recent news article, Nova Scotia trapper Gary Fisher attempts to explain how today’s trappers operate in the province, and describe efforts taken to avoid catching pets in traps.

“We’re really trying not to catch people’s pets. That’s the message I want to convey,” Mr. Fisher says after demonstrating three types of raccoon sets and an underwater set for trapping beavers.

Fisher is one of many trappers who are pushing for others to be more responsible about where and how they set their traps, while at the same time urging pet owners to obey the law and keep their pets from running free in wildlife habitat.

Unfortunately, not everybody listens.

The Trapping Awareness Project started in 2005 amid concerns over landowners’ rights and pets getting caught in traps. There were nine incidents a couple of seasons ago, Mr. Morse says, but in each case, the trapper or pet owner wasn’t following the rules.

Partially due to concerns about capturing pets, many in the province are trying to pass a law requiring trappers to obtain permission before setting traps on private property, which currently isn’t required unless the property is posted.

They also want to require written permission to set traps within 1 kilometer of a dwelling, which seems to be an unreasonable request because of the high density of dwellings in many areas where furbearer population control (through trapping) is neccessary.

“In essence, if you take a map and you start to draw one-kilometre circles around properties, you discover you would need to have, in some cases, hundreds and even thousands of written permission statements in order to curb nuisance wildlife, and that is just obviously not practical,” Mr. Morse says.

“If you put too many obstacles in place, you’re going to put an end to this practice.”

And ending the practice of trapping is certainly the goal of some.  For others, they simply want to make sure that their pets aren’t caught in traps.

Ultimately, that requires the responsible actions of trappers and pet owners alike.

Be sure to read the story and check out the comments section.  Nova Scotians have as many different opinions about trapping as you could imagine!