NAFA May Fur Auction Results Somewhat Disappointing

It appears that the fur market is not out of the woods yet.  After a surprising spring recovery of fur prices that had been severely depressed for some time, many trappers had high expectations for the May fur sale.  Unfortunately, the high March prices were not repeated in May.

Here’s a link to the results.

Overall, prices weren’t terrible, but did not continue the uptrend started in March.  Almost all items sold at lower levels than in March, with only muskrat, wild mink and lynx selling 100% of the quantity offered.

Here’s NAFA’s report:

Report on May Wild Fur Sale
Wild Fur met with selective demand and prices declined from March levels on the opening day of the
NAFA Wild Fur sale.

The sale began Wednesday with a large offering of Beaver of which 80% of the sundry owner sold at generally lower levels than March. Otters sold 92% while Muskrat and Wild Mink sold 100%, again at lower levels than March. China and Hong Kong dominated the sale.

Sables and Fishers were disappointing in both percentage of sale and price levels. Sables sold 62% with better qualities, large sizes withdrawn, while Fishers sold 35%.

Raccoons sold 75%, primarily to Hong Kong/China. Brown colours were mostly withdrawn, while better colours sold 100%, at easier levels than March.

Day two of the sale had a more positive result with Lynx Cats selling 85% of the sundry owners under very strong competition, with Greece the major buyer. Lynx sold 100% at newly established levels to Russia and Greece.

Coyotes sold 70% with heavy Coyotes for trimming selling 95% under strong competition. Flatter commercial goods were mostly withdrawn.

Red Fox sold 75% with good interest in the heavier types.

Here are a few of the approximate overall averages:

Beaver: $7-15, Otter: $19-45, Muskrat: $2.66-7.47, Mink: $13, Marten: $21-49, Fisher: $56, Raccoon: $3-15, Lynx: $25-88, Bobcat: $27-273, Coyote: $4-32, Red Fox: $17, Badger: $22.

For more specific averages based on area and size, and other species averages, click here to see the full NAFA Report.

These results indicate that the fur market may remain in a depressed state for some time, particularly as European economic concerns keep fur buyers from acting too enthusiastically.  Many of the transactions at the NAFA sale took place via private treaty after not meeting the minimum prices set at the auction, indicating low overall demand.

Still, prices for many items are much better than what we were seeing last fall.  The fur market will recover, the only question is how long it will take.

Trapping Supplies Review

Trapper C.J. Williams recently started a new blog, Trapping Supplies Review, dedicated to “Create a place where trappers could come and share their opinions on our sport, our equipment and our way of life”.

While it’s still in its infancy, the site looks like it has potential to be a great resource for trappers.

You can check it out by clicking here or visiting:  http://trappingsupplies.blogspot.com/

New Hampshire Study Documents Higher Bobcat Numbers

A four year trapping and tagging study by the University of New Hampshire and NH Fish and Game is beginning to document a significant comeback in bobcat numbers in the state.

As of late last month, UNH faculty and students, trappers and Fish & Game personnel involved in the effort had tagged 12 bobcats, collared them and taken small bits of tissue for DNA testing.

Litvaitis said trappers involved with the project are local to the Keene area and willing to help. Much of the trapping took place once snow was on the ground, Litvaitis said, noting many bobcats find food more scarce in the winter, lose substantial weight and are more willing to take bait. Only full-grown males, who can take down deer by themselves, make it through winter without struggles, and bobcats are showing up in back yards looking for bird feeders and the like much more frequently than 20 years ago. Litvaitis said he’s had close to 170 observation reports sent to him the last two years, more or less statewide.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is interested in learning more about the bobcat population, presumably to help guide their wildlife management decisions.

As the project is a cooperative effort with Fish & Game, Litvaitis said the agency has an interest in how many bobcats the state has compared to surrounding states. The agency hopes that will give it a better sense of how 20 years with protected status affected the animals’ distribution and abundance.

The return of a healthy bobcat population in New Hampshire is great news.  With this new knowledge of bobcat population status and today’s sound wildlife management practices and regulation, perhaps bobcats could again be legally harvested by sportsmen in the Granite State.

See the story here.

Click here for more info on the bobcat study and some great pictures.

Are We Headed for Another Fur Boom?

Think the fur industry is on its way back and we’ll see a boom in the fur economy in the next few years?  It may not be out of the question.

Take a look at this optimistic article on the future of the fur market:

Furs Are Back With a Green Conscious

With proper promotion and fashions trending toward fur garments, the trapping industry could see a huge expansion to keep up with a booming demand for wild fur.  Only time will tell.

Fox Trapping Could Become Legal in North Carolina County

Due to an increase in animal damage problems that has resulted from an exploding coyote population, another local government in North Carolina will be requesting that fox trapping be made legal in their area.  While trapping foxes is generally not legal in North Carolina, individual counties can request the North Carolina General Assembly allow fox harvest under special conditions.

The Winston-Salem City Council decided on April 19 to ask the N.C. General Assembly to pass an act directing the N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission to establish a season in Forsyth County for taking foxes with weapons and by trapping them in Forsyth County. Trapping foxes is now illegal in North Carolina. Any captured fox must be released.

The reason they want to make fox trapping legal is because it’s difficult to attract coyote trappers to an area to solve animal damage problems because they aren’t allowed to harvest foxes they catch while targeting coyotes.  Locals believe that more liberal fox regulations would attract more trappers to the area and help with the coyote problem.  Plus, there isn’t a shortage of foxes in the area.

Read more here.