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 … [Read more...]
Maine Fur Auction Results
Below are the results of a fur auction held in York County, Maine last week. The sale was relatively small, but may give guys a bit of a clue about where fur prices are headed this season. These results and others are available on the Maine Trappers Association website. If you have any fur auction results from your area, feel free to post in the comments section … [Read more...]
The River Otter
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has put together an excellent summary of information on the North American river otter, a species pursued by trappers in many U.S. states. The article was recently published in a Stueben County, New York newspaper. Click here to read the article. It doesn't get into otter trapping, but does give some good background … [Read more...]
Trapping Is Humane
Amongst the mayhem of recent lawsuits by environmental groups to ban certain types of trapping in Maine to 'protect' Canada lynx, much discussion has ensued on message boards, blogs and various other websites. Many questions have risen about trapping, as a larger base of the uninformed public has started hearing more about this issue and wants more background. In one of those … [Read more...]
Judge Rejects Request to Stall Trapping in Lynx Habitat in Maine
Maine trappers won a small victory this week when the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit by anti-trapping groups rejected their request to restrict trapping in lynx habitat for the rest of the season. The request to cut the trapping season short in lynx habitat came after a second lynx was killed in a trap in northern Maine, prompting arguments that the state's trapping laws … [Read more...]
Fur Market Update
Lots of people are still asking questions about the state of the fur market this year. The fact that the Trapper magazine and Fur-Fish-Game magazine each came out with polar opposite market reports this month further raises questions about the situation. F-F-G was quite optimistic, while the Trapper was extremely cautious and negative about wild fur prices this year, based on … [Read more...]
Preparing Pelts is An Important Part of Trapping
Trapping isn't all about catching critters in the field. It's also about skinning, stretching, and fleshing the hides of those animals to prepare them for the fur market. A New York newspaper recently published a great story about a man that skins and prepares pelts for a living. It's a busy time for this guy during trapping season, since many trappers no longer have the … [Read more...]
Second Lynx Killed in Northern Maine
Another Canada lynx has been reported killed in a trap in northern Maine this week, but this time the animal was found dead by a Maine state game warden after following tracks in the woods. This is the second lynx confirmed killed by trapping this year, further indicating that the lynx population is as abundant as it's ever been, but its prey densities are declining, causing … [Read more...]