Post by FWS on Nov 22, 2009 8:59:07 GMT -6
Trapping license sales on the rise
Misunderstood segment of the outdoor community provides public service in population control on some wild species.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Special to The Patriot-News
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has been watching a steady increase in the number of trappers and furbearer/predator hunters for several years with an appreciation for the free population control of species such as raccoons and coyotes provided by those sportsmen.
In 2006, there was a noticeable increase in trapping pressure and furbearer harvests corresponded. License sales increased from 23,941 in 2005 to 26,589. Then, last year, license sales rose again to 28,033.
And this year furtaker license sales appear on track for an even higher total. As of the end of October, the commission had sold more than 27,000 of the licenses, substantially more than the 23,235 sold by the same point last year.
"There seems to be a general increase in interest among people to trap or hunt furbearers; there's a great deal of excitement associated with trapping and predator hunting," said Matt Lovallo, supervisor of the commission's Game Mammals Section.
Commission executive director Carl G. Roe said Pennsylvania is lucky to have trappers, houndsmen and predator callers, who all play an important role in the state's wildlife management program.
"Many Pennsylvanians benefit directly from the services of trappers, hound hunters and predator callers, because these specialized sportsmen and sportswomen manage everything from weasels to coyotes," Roe said.
"They rescue farmers and other landowners both directly and indirectly from the damage and costly repairs furbearers can daily cause to homes and businesses throughout the state."
Roe also said that in 2008 trappers and furbearer hunters utilized about 350,000 surplus furbearers from the commonwealth's rural and suburban areas.
"Maintaining an annual harvest of this size would benefit thousands upon thousands of Pennsylvanians by reducing home, crop or property damages and the number of after-dark roadway obstacles motorists encounter," he said.
The 2008 Game-Take and Furtaker Surveys estimated that fur-takers took 142,808 raccoons (121,446 in 2007), 74,059 muskrats (72,174), 54,273 opossums (41,168), 44,745 red foxes (52,000), 23,699 coyotes (28,974), 20,845 gray foxes (18,613), 12,331 skunks (9,818) and 8,621 mink (10,004).
"Right now, many trappers, and particularly those in southern tier counties, are waiting to set and run their traplines until the pelts on the furbearers they intend to trap become more prime," Lovallo said.
"Fur primeness for raccoons, foxes and coyotes usually is about right in most areas of the state by the first week of November. It's always better to start trapping for these furbearers no sooner than early to mid-November to improve their pelt value on the market."
However, many of the state's furbearer trapping and hunting seasons are already under way.
The general trapping season -- for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels -- opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21. The season for mink and muskrats is Nov. 21 to Jan. 10; beavers, Dec. 26 to March 31.
Raccoon hunting season began Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, and the season for skunks, opossums and weasels runs from July 1 to June 30, except for Sundays. Red and gray foxes hunting season opened Oct. 24 and runs through Feb. 20, including Sundays. Coyotes have a year-round season (July 1-June 30) and can be hunted on Sundays, too.
Pennsylvania also has bobcat hunting and trapping seasons. The bobcat hunting season started Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, except for Sundays. Bobcat trapping is Oct. 25-Feb. 21.
Misunderstood segment of the outdoor community provides public service in population control on some wild species.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Special to The Patriot-News
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has been watching a steady increase in the number of trappers and furbearer/predator hunters for several years with an appreciation for the free population control of species such as raccoons and coyotes provided by those sportsmen.
In 2006, there was a noticeable increase in trapping pressure and furbearer harvests corresponded. License sales increased from 23,941 in 2005 to 26,589. Then, last year, license sales rose again to 28,033.
And this year furtaker license sales appear on track for an even higher total. As of the end of October, the commission had sold more than 27,000 of the licenses, substantially more than the 23,235 sold by the same point last year.
"There seems to be a general increase in interest among people to trap or hunt furbearers; there's a great deal of excitement associated with trapping and predator hunting," said Matt Lovallo, supervisor of the commission's Game Mammals Section.
Commission executive director Carl G. Roe said Pennsylvania is lucky to have trappers, houndsmen and predator callers, who all play an important role in the state's wildlife management program.
"Many Pennsylvanians benefit directly from the services of trappers, hound hunters and predator callers, because these specialized sportsmen and sportswomen manage everything from weasels to coyotes," Roe said.
"They rescue farmers and other landowners both directly and indirectly from the damage and costly repairs furbearers can daily cause to homes and businesses throughout the state."
Roe also said that in 2008 trappers and furbearer hunters utilized about 350,000 surplus furbearers from the commonwealth's rural and suburban areas.
"Maintaining an annual harvest of this size would benefit thousands upon thousands of Pennsylvanians by reducing home, crop or property damages and the number of after-dark roadway obstacles motorists encounter," he said.
The 2008 Game-Take and Furtaker Surveys estimated that fur-takers took 142,808 raccoons (121,446 in 2007), 74,059 muskrats (72,174), 54,273 opossums (41,168), 44,745 red foxes (52,000), 23,699 coyotes (28,974), 20,845 gray foxes (18,613), 12,331 skunks (9,818) and 8,621 mink (10,004).
"Right now, many trappers, and particularly those in southern tier counties, are waiting to set and run their traplines until the pelts on the furbearers they intend to trap become more prime," Lovallo said.
"Fur primeness for raccoons, foxes and coyotes usually is about right in most areas of the state by the first week of November. It's always better to start trapping for these furbearers no sooner than early to mid-November to improve their pelt value on the market."
However, many of the state's furbearer trapping and hunting seasons are already under way.
The general trapping season -- for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels -- opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21. The season for mink and muskrats is Nov. 21 to Jan. 10; beavers, Dec. 26 to March 31.
Raccoon hunting season began Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, and the season for skunks, opossums and weasels runs from July 1 to June 30, except for Sundays. Red and gray foxes hunting season opened Oct. 24 and runs through Feb. 20, including Sundays. Coyotes have a year-round season (July 1-June 30) and can be hunted on Sundays, too.
Pennsylvania also has bobcat hunting and trapping seasons. The bobcat hunting season started Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, except for Sundays. Bobcat trapping is Oct. 25-Feb. 21.
