Connor Plaster

English IV honors

Angela Wilson

April 27, 2018

The Decline of Trapping

Thesis: Trapping furbearers has been around since the early 1800s and has been used for the sale

of coats and other products. It is also plays a vital role in managing the wildlife and livestock;

however, the skill has to be performed ethically.

I. Background: Explain the history of trapping

II. The sale of coats and fur products

III. Decline of the demand of fur products

IV. Selling trapped animals alive

V. From livelihood to hobby

VI. The process of trapping

VII. Ethics of trapping

VIII. Managing wildlife and livestock

IX. Conclusion

Connor Plaster
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English IV honors

Angela Wilson

April 27, 2018

The Decline of Trapping

Trapping has been around for a long time, as a matter if fact it has been around since the

ice ages. It was an easy way to catch meat to eat and fur to keep warm. Trapping became popular

in the United States around the early 1600s. Trapping furbearers has been around since the early

1600s in the United States and has been used for the sale of coats and other products. It is also

plays a vital role in managing the wildlife and livestock; however, the skill has to be performed

ethically.

Trapping became really popular in the United States around 1670 when the fur-buying

company Hudson’s Bay was founded in Canada (“Wild about Trapping.”). This company was

founded with the idea to buy North American fur pelts. The men and women who trapped the

furbearers played a role in the growth of the United States, so much so that “in 1804, President

Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke to explore the land

known as the Louisiana Purchase” (“Wild about Trapping.”). Thomas Jefferson wanted them to

explore and take notes on the type of resources the land provided and which animals called it

home. They found that the resources were plentiful just like the furbearers where plentiful. The

Beaver, Lynx, and Mink were the three most sought after furbearers; with beaver being the most

sought after. The men who trapped these animals were called Mountain Men, and they were

mostly responsible for opening up the western half of the United States for settlement and

exploration. Trappers began to help control the wildlife population as more and more people

began to settle the West. In the modern day, trapping is used as a way to earn income through the
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sale of furbearers’ pelts. It is also used to control the wildlife population and keep livestock safe

and unharmed. Last but not least, it is used as a way to get out of the house and just enjoy nature.

The sale of furbearers’ pelts has been around since the beginning of times. In 1670, the

year Hudson’s Bay Company was established, selling pelts became even more popular and

played a bigger role in the economy of the United States (“Wild about Trapping.”). When selling

furs, most trappers follow the NAFA regulations on how to prepare their pelts. NAFA is the

largest fur auction house in North America. It is also one of the largest wild fur auction houses in

the world. Pelts are sorted in three different categories for selling. The first category is size and

length. There are ten sizes that the pelt can be depending on which animal the pelt is from; these

ten sizes are small, medium, medium large, large, extra large, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL, 6XL. They

measure each pelt from the base of the tail to the tip of the nose to determine the size. The bigger

the size the more money the pelt will be sold for in auction. The second category is quality. This

is where most trappers mess up and damage their pelt for auction. It is important that trappers

have the correct tools. For example, almost all trappers have a fleshing knife. In order to get all

of the fat and meat off, the pelt trappers have to have a sharp fleshing knife, and they have to

know how to properly use it. Also, these tools must be cared for properly . It is important to

follow the guidelines set by NAFA if the trapper wants the pelt to be high quality and sell in

auction at the best possible price. If there are any holes in the pelt from the bullet hole or

mistakes during the fleshing process, they must be sewn up. The trapper should use the correct

color thread when sewing up the holes. The color the trapper uses depends of the animal and the

color of that animal. The third category is color. The color of the pelt is most often out of the

trapper’s hands. The color is often based on the region of where the animal lived and was

trapped. For example pelts trapped in late spring often have kidney spots. These are light-colored
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almost yellow round spots on the inside of the pelt. Having a kidney spot can reduce the value of

the pelt in auction. All three of the categories and the score in all three of these categories

determine how much the pelt will be sold for in auction. The better the score in each category the

more money the pelt will be sold for (Wild Fur Pelt Handling Manual). The process of making

pelt auction-ready is time consuming and requires in-depth knowledge of the guidelines. These

guidelines are designed to help trappers make the best quality pelt that will get the most amount

of money at auction.

The decline of trappers is just one of the many reasons there is a decline in the demand of

fur products. Most of the trappers today are those who have been on the traplines for decades,

they often use the same technique their parents and their grandparents used (“Fur Trapping Is

Finding New Converts in NH after Decades of Decline | New Hampshire.”). Another reason for

the decline is the changing economy and marketplace. Despite increased interest during the last

three to four years, trapping has not returned to the prominence it held through the 1970s, when

fur pelts brought their highest prices, trapper Roger Burnham of Hebron said (“Fur Trapping Is

Finding New Converts in NH after Decades of Decline | New Hampshire.”). Back in the day,

most trappers could depend on the prices of the fur to make a living, but now most trappers can

barely break even most times. It has really just became a fun hobby and way to get outside for

most people. Furs prices began to fall around the 1980s due to rise of animal rights organizations

popping up. For example PETA, one of the largest animal rights organizations was founded in

March of 1980. Due to the rise in animal rights organizations and the drop in fur prices, the

demand for fur has dropped exponentially in the last couple of decades making it hard for

trappers to make a living.

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Back in the 1950s when trappers received around one hundred and twenty dollars for a

fox pelt, trappers were able to make a living from selling their pelts. Most trappers back in the

day would run huge trap lines miles long. Now most trappers only run around sixty to seventy

traps because they don’t have the time or money to do more. The price of fur has dropped

significantly since the days when trappers ran huge trap lines. There are also strict laws around

trapping now. These laws were pushed by animal rights organizations. For example, traps must

be checked every twenty-four hours so an animal does not suffer alive in the trap for days with

no relief. There is also a season that people can trap now, and the season comes when these

animals are the least active during the year. Trappers also cannot damage a beaver dam, and the

sale of dead trapped animals is illegal. To clarify, a trapper cannot sell the carcass for meat. The

North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission also requires trappers to buy a tag for a bobcat

when trying to sell the carcass (“Trapping Laws and Safety”). These laws have caused a decline

in trapping over the years. The rise of animal rights organizations and stricter laws around

trapping is the reason why trapping has seen a huge decline.

With the fall of fur prices, it has become popular for some trappers to sell coyotes and

foxes alive. It is legal to sell trapped animals alive in only five states: North Carolina, West

Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Georgia. North Carolina has the most lenient laws

around selling trapped animals alive. Trappers can make up to three times more by selling them

alive rather then selling their pelts. Dog trainers along the coast of North Carolina pay anything

from sixty to one-hundred dollars for bigger coyotes. The dog trainer then puts the coyotes in a

huge cage, and then lets special highly trained dogs chase them around so the dog handler can

train them. They then sell these dogs for hundreds of dollars. The laws around selling trapped

animals alive can be really tricky, and the trapper has to be careful so they do not break the law.
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For example, the animal must be sold within twenty-four hours of being taken out of the trap,

and the animal cannot be sold more than once. The animal must also be tagged and registered.

Only certain animals are legal to sell alive. Only coyotes and foxes are legal to sell alive. Foxes

are sold for around fifty dollars, and coyotes are sold for sixty to one hundred dollars (Hawkins).

When trapping first became popular in the United States, trappers made their living of

these furbearers. They would work all day walking their trapline. Trappers depended on these

animals to feed their families. Trappers also relied on fur prices to be high, and foreign investors

to buy their fur from auction. In the 1700s, 1800s, and through the mid 1900s, everything worked

out well. Trappers were catching and providing the perfect amount of fur, and investors were

buying that fur in auction for a fair price. But in March of 1980, PETA was founded, and started

an animal rights movement which killed the fur market and made it hard for trappers to make a

fair and honest living (“Fur Trapping Is Finding New Converts in NH after Decades of Decline |

New Hampshire.”). Fur prices dropped as the NAFA lost support from major investors. Trappers

were shamed for the mistreatment on animals and often called killers for trying to sell fur and

make a living. New laws were pushed for by animal rights organizations, but many were not

passed. After years of harassment and a decline in fur prices, trappers are not longer able to make

a living and provide for their families. There are few trappers who are able to make decent

money selling their fur. The majority of trappers now enjoy trapping as a hobby not a livelihood.

Trappers were humane in the way they dispatched and sold their animals, but that was not good

enough for the animal rights organizations. As a result, they bullied and harassed the trappers out

of a lifestyle and into a hobby.

Trapping can be a really fun and exciting hobby if the trapper enjoys being outside. The

process of trapping is a lot more complicated than most people think. The first thing the trapper
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will need to do is purchase all of the items he needs to begin trapping. This can be really pricey,

and he will spend around two-hundred dollars just to get the basic items. Trappers will need to

purchase traps. The two most common traps are the Minnesota brand and the Duke brand.

Minnesota brand traps are higher quality but are more expensive. Then, trappers will need to

purchase lure and bait. Finally, trappers will need to purchase all of the tools necessary like dirt

sifter, kneeling pad, gloves, pan covers, stakes or drags, and a catch pole. All for these items are

important in the processing of trapping, so it is important that they purchase all of these if the

trapper wants to do well. After the trapper has purchased all of the necessary items, he will need

to get wax. The trapper will then melt the wax in a pot and dip the traps in the wax to make them

rust proof; this process also takes away the smell of the metal. After this step is completed, the

trapper will be ready to set traps. Before the trapper touches anything at the trap site, he will need

to put on gloves. This is important because coyotes and foxes have a adequate sense of smell,

and any smell could scare them off. First, the trapper will need to find a good location to set the

trap. Open fields are always the best way to go; it is good to find a bend in the field or a well-

worn path. If the trapper sees any feces or footprints, it is always better to set on that location.

The trapper will make a hole around 8 inches deep and around six inches above where the

trapper wants the pan of the trap to be. This hole is where the bait will go. Next, the trapper will

get his steak of anchor which ever the trapper prefers and begin to drive it into the ground. He

will need to make sure the trap will not be able to be pulled out of the ground once the animal

has been caught. Then, the trapper should begin to make a hole the size of the trap; remember

that the pan must be six inches from the hole. Once the hole for for the trap is made, the trapper

will begin to bed the trap.

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Next, remember to push around the sides of the trap so if the animal steps on the side of

the trap it doesn't move because this will scare it away. Once the trap is bedded properly, then

the trapper will place the pan cover over the pan of trap. Once this is done, begin to put small

amounts of dirt on the trap and make sure all of the metal is covered with a thin layer of dirt. The

trapper can also push down of the sides of the trap to make sure the trap is bedded securely.

Next, the trapper will get his desired bait and put that bait into the hole the trapper first dug,

making sure the bait is all the way down in the hole. Next, the trapper will get out the desired

lure. There are many ways the trappers can put lure at the trap site; the most common and best

way is to break off a stick; pour lure on it; and place it in the ground. By placing the stick in the

ground with the lure end at the top, it allows the wind to carry the smell of the lure bettering the

chance of a furbearer smelling it. Once this is done, the trapper will then clean up and make sure

there are no signs of a human being there. The process of trapping can be time consuming and

even frustrating at times, but nothing beats the excitement the trapper will feel every time he

catches a furbearer.

All trappers live by a unwritten code of laws around how they treat and dispatch their

animals. The Minnesota Trappers Association said “Each trapper has the duty to become as

knowledgeable and skillful as he can, and to apply that knowledge and skill in a responsible

manner” (“MTA Trapping Ethics”) when asked about how ethics play a role in trapping. This

means all trappers should dispatch the animals in the most humane way possible. They should

also use all or as much of the animal that they can. If the trapper is selling the animal alive, then

the should make the animal as comfortable as they can. Also, he should treat and feed the animal

well. The trapper should make sure he uses the correct size trap when targeting a certain animal.

For example, when trying to trap raccoons, the trapper should not use a MB 550 which is one of
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the biggest traps the trapper can buy because this will most likely break and cause the animal

pain. The trapper should always fasten and make sure the trap will not go anywhere. If the trap is

not fastened properly, the animal could get caught and not only would the trapper lose his trap,

but the animal would most likely die from carrying the trap around. It should always be a top

priority and responsibility to the trapper to use correct ethics and morals when trapping animals.

One of the biggest reasons people trap is to manage their livestock and the wildlife

around them. Coyotes are not only responsible for the deaths of a lot of sheep and goats, but they

also hunt deer. Many deer hunters trap or shoot coyotes in an effort to manage the deer to coyote

population; most hunters want the coyotes completely gone. Coyotes are one of the most feared

animals by farmers and livestock owners. Foxes are not as big of a problem for farmers unless

the farmer has chickens. Most farmers try to put a protective barrier around the chickens, but in

most cases the fox is too smart and is able to still get in the enclosure. Another furbearer that

most turkey hunters are afraid of are racoons. Racoons eat turkey eggs and if not managed will

completely destroy the wild turkey population on the hunter’s land. Some farmers will pay top

dollar and do anything to get rid of coyotes and foxes. Trapping is a popular and very effective

way to manage the wildlife and protect the livestock of most farmers. This is why it is very

common to see farmers who trap.

The decline of trapping started in the early 1800s and is still declining today. There are

several things that can be blamed for the decline of trapping, whether it is the rise of many

radical animal rights organizations or the fall of fur prices due to the loss of support of foreign

investors. Trapping will always be around due to the fact that livestock owners will do anything

to keep their livestock safe and outdoors men will always enjoy being outside while also

managing their local wildlife.

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Works Cited

“Fur Trapping Is Finding New Converts in NH after Decades of Decline | New

Hampshire.”NewHampshirecom, 19 Oct. 2014,

www.newhampshire.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20141019%2FNEWHAMPSHI

RE02%2F141019016.

Hawkins, Don. Personal interview 2 April 2018.

“MTA Trapping Ethics.”

MTA Trapping Ethics, www.mntrappers.org/mtatrappingethics.html.

“Trapping.” Laws & Safety,

ncwildlife.org/Trapping/Laws-Safety#6097414-tagging-requirement.

“Wild about Trapping.” Wild-About-Trapping.com- A Brief History of Trapping in North

America, www.wild-about-trapping.com/features/features_011_trapping_history.htm.
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Wild Fur Pelt Handling Manual. WFSC,

www.nafa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/NAFA_PeltHandlingManual-E-web.pdf.