As the world's supply of raw furs has diminished in recent years, more demand for new fur stocks has created some significant price hikes at raw fur auctions. In February, the North American Fur Auction held in Canada resulted in the sale of nearly all 700,000 fur pelts brought to the auction block. We have seen fur prices climb the past two years along with a new foreign demand for North American wild fur pelts. The Division of Wildlife says Ohio's raccoon population has increased 800 percent over the past 15 years. Beaver abundance has also increased over the past decade, while prices paid for beaver pelts have more than doubled from 1994 to 1995.
Trapping remains an important management tool for helping to balance furbearer populations in Ohio.
A gradual decline in trapping participation and harvest during the 1980s and 1990s, however, has led some furbearer populations to expand out of control in many areas. While far from the high fur prices trappers enjoyed some years ago, today's fur market appears to be recovering because of increased foreign demand and a diminished supply. And while domestic producers continue to market their farm-raised furs, the world demand for wild furs is what is providing better pelt prices and renewed interest in trapping . It's hard to accurately predict the future economic impact of the fur industry as it stands today, but the opportunity is here now to recapture interest in trapping in Ohio. Raccoon, Mink - November 13 through January 31.