Furbearer Harvests and Values

Trapping is a business operation because a product (fur) is sold. Good record-keeping is important for any business, but with trapline management, it is also important should the trapper want to apply for a registered trapline. Applications are assessed on numerous criteria including a trapper’s annual harvest or production. Trappers should keep records and receipts for all pelts sold to verify their harvests. Pelts should be sold in the year that they were caught and under the trapper’s own licence or permit.

Fur marketing options:

Pelts may be sold to a licensed fur dealer.
Pelts may be consigned to a fur auction company.
Pelts may be sold to fur dealers and auction house companies at the Thompson Fur Table, an annual event usually held the third week of December in Thompson, Manitoba.
may be sold privately; however trappers must provide buyers with their name and licence number and must pay the royalty at a Manitoba Conservation office prior to sale.
Pelts may be commercially tanned and resold; however, the royalty must first be paid. Usually the tanning establishment will pay the royalty and add it to their price.

Properly preparing furs results in a higher return.

Manitoba Trapper Licences Issued

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
Open Area (OA)	6051	6037	5854	6073	6225
Registered (RTL)	1685	1745	1452	1505	1345
Total	7736	7782	7306	7578	7570
Included in above:
TIL²	96	85	49	75	85
Youth OA	134	119	90	83	123
Youth TIL
Youth RTL	70	65	82	74	58
Total	204	184	172	157	181
*To May 2011

Furbearers Taken by Manitoba Trappers

	-- 5 Year Averages --			*-- Annual Total --*
Species	1994-1998	1999-2003	2004-2008	2009-2010	2010-2011*
Badger	162	146	159	97	33
Bear	28	63	36	39	28
Beaver	30,962	21,901	16,661	10,499	8,175
Bobcat	0	18	13	22	9
Coyote	2,404	5,397	8,275	5,528	4,748
Fisher	2,100	1,836	1,563	1,328	800
Fox (red/cross/silver)	2,557	2,140	2,181	1,399	894
Fox (white/blue)	723	100	140	3	31
Lynx	148	698	799	517	386
Marten	17,509	20,111	19,782	16,160	9,007
Mink	6,031	4,713	3,464	2,023	1,672
Muskrat	76,121	25,042	22,835	23,386	9,150
Otter	1,904	2,403	1,297	877	1,384
Raccoon	2,813	2,419	2,826	2,006	3,797
Squirrel	9,613	4,683	3,943	2,676	1,404
Weasel (long & short-tailed)	2,941	2,838	4,186	2,628	1,434
Wolf	264	264	343	307	165
Wolverine	48	38	36	39	25
*To Feb 2011.

Average Auction Values of Manitoba Furbearers

	-- 5 Year Averages --			*-- Annual Total --*
Species	1994-1998	1999-2003	2004-2008	2009-2010	2010-2011
Badger	$22.46	$41.39	$37.56	$37.56	$43.90
Bear	$77.84	$120.44	$74.40	$63.74	$138.15
Beaver	$31.48	$23.86	$24.79	$14.01	$17.80
Bobcat		$161.61	$119.76	$79.16	$199.38
Coyote	$32.20	$40.68	$34.71	$24.10	$55.83
Fisher	$47.76	$34.94	$63.35	$43.57	$50.44
Fox (red/cross/silver)	$23.45	$28.26	$24.84	$16.42	$26.55
Fox (white/blue)	$25.42	$21.90	$18.76	$21.40	$29.73
Lynx	$92.86	$114.43	$145.95	$76.99	$148.86
Marten	$48.88	$48.05	$66.85	$47.77	$61.78
Mink	$22.17	$17.89	$19.23	$13.78	$15.94
Muskrat	$3.50	$2.69	$3.46	$4.50	$6.93
Otter	$72.20	$128.83	$88.72	$40.81	$52.63
Raccoon	$19.37	$15.75	$15.93	$12.97	$15.86
Squirrel	$1.30	$1.13	$1.17	$1.19	$1.05
Weasel (long & short-tailed)	$3.67	$3.76	$4.70	$3.48	$4.15
Wolf	$111.00	$106.65	$131.33	$93.72	$235.63
Wolverine	$221.85	$226.18	$225.15	$202.07	$216.28

Royalty - Total Collected

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
$45,080	$43,651	$32,840	$23,374

Wildlife Branch

Furbearer Harvests and Values

Manitoba Trapper Licences Issued

Furbearers Taken by Manitoba Trappers

Average Auction Values of Manitoba Furbearers

Royalty - Total Collected