There’s no question that the fur market has changed considerably over the years. What once was an industry that many Americans made their living from (including trapping, pelt handling, tanning, coat manufacturing and more) has evolved into hobby with supplemental income for most, supporting only a few remaining full time trappers and fur handlers.
The last great fur boom occurred in the 1980’s, when skyrocketing fur prices sent multitudes of new trappers into the field with the hopes of making a living off the land. Since then, both fur prices and trapper numbers have waned, and North America’s fur harvest is only a small fraction of what it once was.
Still, the fur industry is alive in the United States, primarily fueled by demand for fur garments from Asian and European markets. Old trappers die out, new ones are introduced to the game, and groups of enthusiastic fur harvesters fight to maintain these traditional practices in the face of ever-increasing urbanization.
The Mifflin Lakes Fur Company of Ohio is one of those companies that’s still alive in spite of a downsized market. In his Ashland Times-Gazette article, Ted Claar gives an overview of the company, the past and present of the fur industry, and the need for continued sustainable harvest of furbearing animals.
After a brief overview of fur market history, Claar explains the downturn in the market since the 1980’s:
According to Bright, the fur industry has changed dramatically since the early 1980s due largely to animal rights organizations. Since that time, humans have sought to develop man-made faux furs using non-renewable petroleum resources. Many of the non-natural furs and clothing produced from the petro-chemicals are non-biodegradable and will remain in landfills for centuries.
And with the decline in the fur industry, furbearer populations have been more difficult to keep in check:
The drop in demand for animal furs has led to fewer trappers and therefore an over abundance of furbearers.
Raccoons invade corn fields and raid farm grain bins and barns. The farmer, to maintain his livelihood, often has no choice but to dispatch the pests.
An uncontrolled population of muskrats and beavers can undermine earthen farm ponds, dikes and levees leading to destabilization. Pond owners often must resort to shooting the pests and leaving the bodies and furs to rot.
Animal populations certainly have a way of getting out of control in the absence of human intervention, particularly when a free service (population control via regulated trapping) has gone by the wayside.
Claar and the folks he interviewed don’t seem to see a very bright future in the fur market:
The future of the fur business looks dismal. An exploding supply of furbearers, coupled with a forced decrease in the market, is not favorable to the business or the animals.
I tend to disagree. Perhaps it’s my sometimes optimistic nature, but I like to think that the fur industry will bounce back. Recent economic downturn aside, we have expanding markets in Russia and China, and as other developing nations continue to experience economic growth, demand for fur will only increase.
Kudos to Claar for a great, informative article. I only hope the future of the fur industry is brighter than some people tend to predict. I do know one thing: as long as there is a market to sell fur, there will be trappers like us out there harvesting furbearers, and enjoying every minute of it!
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