Bob’s Passion
Phil Taunton
Friday, February 2, 2007
A lot of history surrounds the practice of fur harvesting in North America.
From the early Native Americans to the European Explorers and the adventuresome American Frontiersmen, mankind has coveted wild fur.
Bob Redeker, Olpe, is proud to be a part of this legacy and wishes to pass the fur-harvesting heritage and tradition on to others. Across the state, the Kansas Hunter Education and Furharvester Education Programs have greatly benefited from his knowledge and experience. Bob also is a licensed Animal Damage Control Agent. Bob related the following information to me:
The exploration and colonization of the United States was a result of the fur trade. New York City, St. Louis and New Orleans are just a few of our major cities that owe their beginnings to trappers, settlers and Native Americans who exchanged furs for goods at these early trading posts.
Even today, wild fur is still pursued and harvested in significant numbers. Many different species of furbearers can be legally taken in Kansas.
Beaver, badger, bobcat, red fox, grey fox, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon and skunk are some of the most common species harvested in our state. Coyotes are a large part of the Kansas fur harvest each year, but are not classified as a furbearer.
One of the responsibilities of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is to regulate the harvest of furbearers. This season usually runs from Nov. 15 thru Feb. 15, with the beaver season extending to March 31.
Season dates are carefully selected to coincide with the time when furbearer pelts are “prime” — or at their best pelt quality — and to not interfere with the rearing of young. There also are restrictions on how and where certain traps and snares can be set. Trappers are required to check their traps every day and all traps are required to have tags on them with the user’s name and address.
There are approximately 5,500 licensed fur harvesters in the state of Kansas. For many of these individuals, fur harvesting is an important part of their outdoor-oriented lifestyle.
And they are quite proficient in what they do.
Estimates show more than 20,000 coyotes and 66,000 raccoons were harvested last season. More than 6,000 bobcats also were taken in Kansas last year, more than any other state. One hundred — five of these cats were taken in Lyon County alone. Across Kansas, 203 bobcats were harvested by hunters while pursuing quail, pheasants, rabbits and deer.
A fur harvester license is required to take any furbearer in Kansas. Coyotes may be shot by hunters with just a hunting license, but a fur harvester license is needed to sell their fur if they are trapped.
The Kansas fur harvest has quite an economic effect. Estimated fur sales to Kansas fur dealers alone surpassed $600,000 last season. This figure is conservative, since many trappers ship their furs directly to large fur houses or sell out-of-state. Also not included in this estimate are the many dollars fur harvesters spend on equipment, supplies and license fees.
While fur use in the U.S. is largely subject to the whims of the fashion industry, most pelts are destined for cold climates, where their primary use is that for which they were originally intended: warmth and comfort. After passing through one of the major fur auction houses in the northern U.S. or Canada, most pelts are eventually shipped overseas to Russia, China, South Korea or other cold-weather countries.
The primary use for fur is clothing, but pelts also are used for rugs, wall hangings, fine art brushes and high–quality fishing lures. The glands and tissues from some furbearers are used to make perfume, leather preservatives, salves and moisturizers. Some people even use the meat of raccoon, beaver and muskrat for tasty table fare and as a food source for pets.
Fur harvesting, particularly regulated trapping, is an important tool in maintaining a balance between wildlife and people wherever they are harvested. Furbearers are notorious for various types of damage — beavers destroying trees, muskrats burrowing into ponds and lagoons, coyotes killing livestock — and trapping is the technique most often used to keep them in check.
Trapping also reduces threats to the health and safety of people and their pets, like rabies and Lyme disease.
Control of predatory furbearers also can enhance reproduction of ground-nesting birds like quail, prairie chicken and waterfowl, particularly in marginal habitat areas. Although habitat management is the key to increasing ground-nesting bird numbers, trapping can play an important role in keeping predator numbers in check.
This is considered one of the major benefits of trapping by many landowners and sportsmen in Kansas today.
Regulated trapping is supported by all 50 state wildlife agencies, The Wildlife Society, and many other conservation organizations that recognize the important role trapping plays in wildlife management. However, trapping is not without controversy, particularly related to animal welfare.
Consequently, in 1997, state and federal wildlife agencies began a program to develop Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for trapping in the U.S. This project is part of a scientific effort to address the welfare of captured animals by identifying the most humane, efficient, practical and safe trapping techniques and equipment.
The results of these studies are being published and made available to state wildlife agencies and trappers.
Kansas trappers are encouraged to use the traps that meet the criteria from these studies. Foothold traps, dog-proof raccoon traps, cage traps, restraint snares and body-gripping traps have been tested.
With the new trap types and technology made available to trappers today and the knowledge gained from BMP’s, Kansas trappers can be quite versatile in the harvest of most species, even around pets, livestock and in populated areas. Fur harvesting can instill a strong appreciation for wildlife and the environment, plus it can be a challenging and rewarding outdoor activity.
If anyone wants to become more involved in fur harvesting, you can join the Kansas Fur Harvesters Association or the National Trappers Association, or contact Bob Redeker at 475-3786. For more information about KDWP regulations, BMP’s, or furbearer management, contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks 620-342-0658.
To contact Phil, you can e-mail him at ptaunton@cableone.net