Trapline Journal Weblog

Many cases of rabies in furbearers, bats and pets are being reported around the US.  Wisconsin, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, California, Tennessee, Florida, New Jersey and Ohio.

Take care this and every fur trapping season when handling your catch by wearing gloves and washing your hands thoroughly after handling animals. If you see or catch an animal acting strange, report it to your states Department of Health.

The Trapper and Predator Caller has a new product called Extra which is a bi-weekly e-mail magazine. Topics in the July 17, 2007 issue are:

• Cougar Suspected in Minnesota Goat Attack
• Missouri Group Experiences Mountain Man Trapline
• Specialty Set: Mink By the Bucket
• Sneak Peek at the August T&PC Issue
• How Fast Can a Coyote Run?
• NTA Convention Just Two Weeks Away

Sign up for the email newsletter is free. Just go to their website at http://www.trapperpredatorcaller.com and enter your email address in the box below “Sign up to receive free news and updates”.

Recently, the Trapper and Predator Caller Magazine website was updated with a Forum and Subscriber information. The login/registration box is a little hard to find. It’s the dark brown box about halfway down on the right side of the ‘Home’ screen.

On the Subscriber Information pages, you can check on your subscription beginning and expiration dates. There’s been some mixups with state trapping associations subscriptions recently and checking your subscription online could save you a phone call. If you register through the Subscriber Information pages, be sure to check “Not a Subscriber”, even if you are a subscriber. This is because the subscriber features have not been implemented yet. For more info, check the posts on the Trapper and Predator Caller forum.

The deadline for submitting an application for one of 1010 bobcat tags is August 15th. The applications can be delivered to an area office by the 15th, or if mailed, must be postmarked by the 15th. There is a $5 non-refundable application fee. The drawing will be held on September 14th at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Harrisburg headquarters. The public is invited to attend.

Applicants must use the form found on page 89 of the 2007-08 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations, or at “The Outdoor Shop” on the Game Commission’s website http://www.pgc.state.pa.us.

The bobcat hunting season will take place Oct. 20 through Feb. 16. The bobcat trapping season will be held from Oct. 21 through Feb. 17.

The results of a survey conducted for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies provides information for trappers who wish to compare themselves with other trappers in their area or across the country. The 121-page report is titled “Ownership and Use of Traps by Trappers in the United States in 2004″.

Interesting facts from the report:

• In 2003-2004 there were 103,051 active trappers in the US
• The average trapper used 39 traps per day
• The average trapper owned 112 foothold traps, 50 bodygrip traps, 3 padded foothold traps, 3 cage traps and 36 snares
• The primary species targeted for trapping was raccoon, followed by red fox, coyote, muskrat, beaver, mink, bobcat and grey fox
• In 2004, 35% of trappers targeted coyote, 17% bobcat, 35% red fox, 34% muskrat, 25% mink and 14% grey fox
• 60% of trappers surveyed had been contacted to trap nuisance wildlife

The entire report is available from the Fur Takers of America - What’s Happening page. The entry to download the report is dated 2/17/07.