Indiana Sportsmens Roundtable Update

[two70]

A nuisance permit can be issued for problem wildlife…

https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/files/fw-NuisanceControlPermitReg.pdf

https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=7181

It's a little late by that point...

Nor does a more robust, substantial management program prohibit a nuisance permit system.

 

[greg]

Lol, if your definition of getting it done is meeting the extremely low quota that IDNR grudging set, then sure. Such success is not much comfort to those landowners that spent a lot of time and money to stock ponds only to have them depopulated by voracious otters. Screw those people though I guess as long as the uninformed and uninvolved can get an emotional high from idealizing cute furry animals.

I think I'd wait a bit to call my shot on otters until after the novelty of trapping them wears off and to see if increased quotas continue to be met. I'm also at a bit of loss for how otters and bobcats are all that comparable when trapping is clearly the best method(or more accurately, the only realistic one) for managing otters while hunting or better yet, hunting combined with trapping is a better option for bobcats.

So what should the quotas be for Otters/Bobcats…. Being you seem to be smarter than the people being paid to manage them!

 

[HoosierHunter07]

The quota will be met so fast itll cause heads to spin
Like Wisconsins wolf season. The set qutos for the state. Expecting most of it to be filled from the northern counties. Then unexpectedly to the "biologist" their quota was filled in record time and a good majority of them from the southern farm land counties where they didn't expect any at all. Meaning the wolves where way more populated then they thought

I agree. I think you're gonna have to be quick if you want to tag a cat the first season.

 

[greg]

I agree. I think you're gonna have to be quick if you want to tag a cat the first season.

Yes… especially if you are in the southern part of the state where the population is high!

Every good management plan has a starting point….

 

[greg]

Their mission is to manage the resource first, not to prioritize catering to people that idealize animals but have no understanding of management or even the need for it.

The river otter is perfect example of another cute, cuddly appearing animal that is a idealized by many and an absolute f'ing menace to those that have to actually deal with them.

Yes, the consumptive and Non-consumptive users are a factor.

 

[Mij]

We are yet to see or hear what the rules will be, but given the fact that cats are one of the only furs with any value, I can see any quota being met rather soon. The rule/laws will/can be adjusted after initial research.

I’ll go out on a limb here and guess Indiana cats well fured and prime will bring 200.00 bucks. Long liners will hit those areas with high population counts. Combine cats with good beaver areas and the quotas will be met even quicker.

I’m assuming a cites tag will be mandatory.

 

[HoosierHunter07]

I’ll go out on a limb here and guess Indiana cats well fured and prime will bring 200.00 bucks.

Thanks for that. I needed a good laugh today. Did you make a mistake and add an extra 0 in there?

 

[Mij]

Thanks for that. I needed a good laugh today. Did you make a mistake and add an extra 0 in there?

Nope. You have any ideas about the current fur market? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[HoosierHunter07]

Nope. You have any ideas about the current fur market? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Here's a screenshot of the Idaho Trappers Association's sale this year. Eastern cats averaged $42.30. Some might break $100, but I seriously doubt we see $200. I'd bet most are in the $10-30 range

 

[logguy]

I have confidence in the TRAINED wildlife people in Indiana. They are making proposals on their data. I think they can adjust harvest numbers after a time. Bag limits can be increased a lot easier than , over harvested populations can be increased.

 

[Mij]

Here's a screenshot of the Idaho Trappers Association's sale this year. Eastern cats averaged $42.30. Some might break $100, but I seriously doubt we see $200. I'd bet most are in the $10-30 range

At this last March Fur Harvester Auction sale, an international sale. Furs from 2022/23. Lynx cats from the Western Great Basin sold for 1,200 to 1,500+, average was 400.00/600.00, cats from the Great Lakes area and the Midwest sold for 75.00 to 150.00 the Southern and Coastal cats sold for 35.00 to 75.00. Canadians sold for 150.00 to 250.00.

Many local buyers held off prices because they didn’t know if they had a market for fur or not. Could be the reason for your prices. Or the number of bidders available.

North America is the only place in the world where these cats can be purchased.

This info is from Gary Schroeder he is the owner of a fur buying business in Moscow Idaho and writes the Fur Market Report for FFG.

I‘ve never sold local I’ve always put up my own fur and sold at the international auctions in Canada. Well for about 50 years anyway, after I learned what I was doing. And had to make my living from it. It was my only winter income for 25 years.

 

[yetti462]

Yep. We curse the day otters were released. We used to have tons of fish in the creeks but otters come in and wreck absolute havoc .

The creeks that run through my farm are void of fish. I trapped my otter there this past winter and have plenty more to get. They wiped my neighbor's pond out. DNR did good reintroducing those bastages.

 

[Mij]

 

[greg]

FYI…
Here are the Trappings license numbers from the 2023-2024 season and the sales to-date for this season. We also have ~336 Lifetime trapping licenses that to the DNR knowledge are still active, which isn't represented in these numbers.

 

[Mij]

FYI…
Here are the Trappings license numbers from the 2023-2024 season and the sales to-date for this season. We also have ~336 Lifetime trapping licenses that to the DNR knowledge are still active, which isn't represented in these numbers.

View attachment 359980

Watch those ~1400 raise to x5 when the war in Ukrain/Russia ends. That nonres # will climb a lot when long liners can pay for fuel with the incidental catches.

2024 was a result of the war. Prices are slowly coming back as held over 2023 fur runs out. JMO.

I still think we will see 200.00 for fresh, well handled lynx if we get a season.

The ranched mink and fox are gone. Wild fur will be the name of the game. Again JMO.

 

[greg]

There will be a season the law requires it but the law doesn’t say what the Bag limit has to be… the DNR will determine that and how they are taken.

 

[Mij]

There will be a season the law requires it but the law doesn’t say what the Bag limit has to be… the DNR will determine that and how they are taken.

Ya, guess I was only thinking of myself when I said we. I don’t expect I will have a chance for a few years. I’m not going to make a 4 hour round trip over country where I don’t have permission for a limited number of cats. Now if it comes to be that we get a season in my area, where I have permission (about 6 counties) I’m in. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[two70]

I have confidence in the TRAINED wildlife people in Indiana. They are making proposals on their data. I think they can adjust harvest numbers after a time. Bag limits can be increased a lot easier than , over harvested populations can be increased.

You mean the same people that have been saying there is a need for years but refused to act until the legislature passed a bill forcing them to?