Nova Scotia Introduces Coyote Bounty

Earlier this week I wrote about a price incentive being considered for coyote pelts in Nova Scotia to reduce coyote-human conflicts.  This week, the province has announced that it will initiate a new program that will pay trappers a $20 bounty per coyote.

Read the full story here.

Trapper and Predator Caller Fur Market Report

Click here to read Parker Dozhier’s latest fur market report (April 14, 2010) at the Trapper and Predator Caller’s website.

Predator Control Often Increases Game Bird Nesting Survival

A recent study undertaken by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks and South Dakota State University shows that in many cases, predator trapping can increase the nesting success of waterfowl and other game birds.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Trapping predators to protect duck and pheasant nests produces mixed results that a researcher says appear to be tied to the habitat and what kind of marauders are destroying nests.

A 3-year study compared nesting success on a 36-square-mile land block in which predators were removed against the nesting success in a comparable block without predator control.

“There’s no mistake about it, for the most part very intensified trapping efforts on a year to year basis obviously does have, for the most part, an impact on increasing nesting success,” said Chad Switzer, terrestrial program administrator for the GF&P.

As mentioned in the article, predator control isn’t the only factor involved.  Habitat and initial predator populations are believed to play a large role in the importance of predator control in game bird survival.

Read more here.

Price Support for Pelts Could Help Solve Coyote Problem

Ralph Surette, columnist for Nova Scotia’s Chronicle Herald, wrote a recent column about the coyote problem in the province and solutions that are being sought by the Canadian government.

It’s a clear fact that a large coyote population in the area has resulted in some serious human-animal conflicts, ranging from the disappearance of household pets to the tragic death of singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell, who was attacked by coyotes while jogging.

Another clear fact is that low fur prices have resulted in fewer trappers and hunters harvesting coyotes and helping to eliminate these overpopulation problems.

As Surette said:

My local trapper, Calvin Nickerson of nearby Glenwood, normally takes up to 20 in a year but didn’t this winter because of the price. I asked him what difference removing 20 animals from the area would have made to the general mayhem. “A lot,” he said emphatically. Mike O’Brien, manager of the fur bearers’ division for the Department of Natural Resources, generally agrees.

The local government has recently been discussing a price support.  Not a bounty, specifically, but a support that would ensure that the price of coyote pelts stay within an acceptable level year-to-year, to ensure adequate trapping effort and population control.

Part of the problem with the coyotes being suddenly brazen is that the price of their fur collapsed last year with the recession and trappers dropped off trapping them (there’s a worldwide market for the furs, used mostly as trim for cuffs, collars and parkas, but also for whole coats). The trappers’ federation has asked for price support to make up the difference to a minimum of $30 per pelt to a maximum of $50, and the province is considering it, or some form of it.

The experts believe that the price support could help achieve the province’s goal of minimizing human-animal conflicts.

He (Mike O’brien) has been scouring best practices elsewhere in North America as part of the new policy, to be announced shortly by Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell. The evidence is that bounties don’t reduce the population, he says, but trapping increases the coyotes’ “level of wariness” and keeps them farther away from humans: the most that can be hoped for.

It’s clear that the coyote problem locally, and in other places across Canada and the U.S.,  could be properly dealt with by taking the proactive approach that Nova Scotia is considering.

In the end, this is not the problem it’s made out to be, either biologically or politically. A minor amount of incentive for trapping, more public education and a targeting of problem animals will take care of most of it. The rest has to do with us living alongside nature, something we’re not very good at.

You can read the full story by clicking here.

New York Trappers Sponsor Youth Trapping Camp This Fall

The following is a press release:

A Youth Trapping Camp is scheduled for over the Columbus Day weekend in western New York this fall. This first of its kind program for the northeast United States is sponsored by The New York State Trappers Association (NYSTA) in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) at DEC’s Camp Rushford in Alleghany County.

The Youth Trapping Camp will be held Oct. 8, 9, 10 and 11, 2010. Campers need to plan on arriving about supper time Friday night and stay until after lunch on Monday.

The NYSTA has designed this Youth Trapping Camp to extend and enhance the State’s current 8 hour long Trapper Education Class, which is required of all new trappers regardless of age. The program will allow for in-depth learning of the topics; history and ethics, types and correct uses of traps, disease and biology of management of fur bearers as well as the humane treatment of our naturally renewable resource. The DEC will issue permits to set traps and possess fur bearers for processing so youth will have the full experience of trapping. There will be an experienced trapping mentor for every one or two youth to insure close hands-on lessons.

This Youth Trapping Camp will be for 12-15 year-olds only. They do not have to have their Trappers Education certificate before the camp as there will be the chance to get it through the scheduled weekend events.
NYSTA is excited about offering this learning opportunity to our young people at a time when there are so many other activities being offered youth of this age and drawing them away from learning about the out-of-doors. There is a fee of $40.00 per student to cover the cost of food and supplies. By State policy there is no charge for instruction for the Trappers Education Class given by NYS volunteer instructors. There is a limit of 25 youth for this camp. NYSTA is also asking for donations to help defray the costs of putting on the Youth Trapping Camp.

The camp will be staffed by NYSTA members with DEC assistance where their expertise is better used. A few other states have similar programs and report them to be wonderful experiences for the young trappers.

Applications for the Youth Trapping Camp and any other information can be obtained from Pat Arnold at patriciaarno@gmail.com, Phone number 315-644-4643.

NAFA Posts Promising Results From March 2010 Fur Sale

The March 2010 fur sale at North American Fur Auctions reaffirmed feelings in the industry that the fur market was experiencing a serious comeback.  Prices advanced significantly, and most items sold at or near 100% clearance.

Click here to see the March 2010 NAFA Fur Sale Results.

The next NAFA auction will be on May 23-29, 2010.

The Wildlife Pro Network

I recently stumbed across the Wildlife Pro Network, a website and blog that’s dedicated to nuisance wildlife control and the trapping industry.

Robb Russell founded the Wildlife Pro Network in 2007 to connect the nuisance wildlife control industry with hunters and trappers.

You can find the network at Wildlifepro.net, and find the blog at skinnymoose.com/wildlifepro.

My favorite part of the Wildlife Pro Network is the podcast.  Mr. Russell puts together a regular podcast, updated with a new episode every several days.  One of the more recent podcasts, titled “Today’s Modern Trapper”, features a 2 1/2 hour long discussion between some of the legends of the trapping industry: Newt Sterling, Bob Noonan, Clint Locklear and others.

You can subscribe to the free podcast on the iTunes store, or visit the podcast site here.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Opposes Montana Trap Ban

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a group dedicated to preserving elk and other game in the Western U.S. and beyond, recently issued a press release opposing I-160.  I-160 is a voter initiative that will be on the 2010 ballot, introduced by radical environmentalists who wish to ban all trapping on public lands in the state of Montana.

February 25, 2010

Elk Foundation: Trapping OK, I-160 Not OK

MISSOULA, Mont.—Like hunters, trappers play an important role in wildlife conservation and management today. That fact, alongside its general opposition to policymaking via the initiative process, has led the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to come out against I-160, which would ban trapping on public lands in Montana. David Allen, RMEF president and CEO, said, “We’ve helped conserve and improve wildlife habitat on over 600,000 acres—most of it public land—in Montana. Many of those acres wouldn’t be open at all to the public if it weren’t for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. We’re deeply invested in Montana public lands and we have absolutely no problem with regulated trapping.” Allen said I-160 appears to be a backdoor anti-hunting measure backed by out-of-state financiers trying to change Montana values and lifestyles. He added, “At a time when we’re facing significant impacts from wolves and other predators on elk, deer and livestock, we need to ensure that all of Montana’s management tools remain viable for the future.” “Initiatives always carry a risk of unintended consequences, but they’re especially concerning when it comes to changing wildlife management policies. The initiative process removes science and opens the door to emotional influences. We believe that wildlife is a resource that deserves to be managed professionally,” said Allen. “RMEF will continue to support conservation professionals, sportsmen and landowners as the best voices in wildlife policymaking.” About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Kudos to the RMEF.  We’ll keep you posted on more I-160 news.  I fully expect more groups dedicated to sound wildlife management and agriculture to come to the forefront and publicly oppose the initiative.

First Ever Trapping Show Comes to Satellite TV

It’s official.  Beginning this summer, a new show dedicated entirely to trapping will be airing on satellite televisions around the world.  F&T’s North American Trapper, something that most of us could only dream about in the past, will be hosted by popular outdoor television host Alan Probst and broadcast over 32 million households starting in July.  Here’s what Probst had to say about the show:

Fellow Trappers,

I am writing this with much joy and also to inform you that for the first time ever….there will be a Nationally Broadcast TV show reaching over 32 million HH’s starting in July of 2010 that will focus on nothing but trapping and the trapping industry. This is the first of its kind and all 00:28:30 of each show will be dedicated to the promotion of trapping, furbearers, the fur industry and the debunking of anti-myths on trapping abroad. I/We as a group could definitely use the support of everyone in the trapping community on this. Any and all ideas pertaining to the show will be received with open arms.

The show will be broadcast on In_Country_Television (ICTV) which can be found on basic subscription packages on DirecTV channel 344 and Dish Network channel 230 which as stated earlier reaches over 32 million HH’s. This is a big day in trapping history and the approach of the show is education and sportsman awareness to the benefits that trapping produces for not only trappers, hunters, but also sportsmen in general.

We will be airing F&T’s North American Trapper starting in July of this year. The format is 13 Original episodes that will run through the end of September and those original 13 episodes will be rebroadcast until the end of December 2010.

The show will air twice a week with its Primetime slot on Sunday evening’s at 11:00pm EST and another timeslot at 6:30am EST on either Thurs, Fri, Sat or Sun. (TBD)

This show would not be possible without our title sponsor who is F&T’s Fur Harvester’s Trading Post and they should be commended for their support of such a venture. Duke Traps is also on board for the duration of this show at this time and should be commended as well.

Click here to read the Trap Line blog post.

I’m just one of a huge group of trappers who can’t wait until July!

West Virginia Proposes New Otter Trapping Season

Texas isn’t the only place river otters are making a comeback.  The recovery of otter populations in a number of states across the nation has been an exciting trend, and is opening up the opportunity for responsibly regulated trapping seasons.

Just recently, wildlife officials in the state of West Virginia announced their plans to allow the trapping of river otters beginning in the 2011-2012 trapping season.

Rich Rogers, furbearer project leader for the Division of Natural Resources, said recent research showed that otters had become abundant enough to be trapped.

“We had known how widely they had spread throughout the state, but we didn’t know if there were enough individuals to support a trapping season,” Rogers said. “We finally got the data we needed to make a decision on that.”

Click here to read more about the otter recovery and the proposed trapping season.