Trapper Predator Caller

Sand and Song Dogs

Jared Blohm — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:29:24 +0000

If it weren’t for some grass and the occasional yucca plant, I could have swore I was staring into the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert. Let’s just say whoever named this part of northwest Nebraska probably didn’t ruminate long before landing on “The Sandhills.” As our guide, Greg, ran the electronic caller from my left, I monitored the morning horizon for any sign of our targeted prey — coyotes. I couldn’t help but wonder how anything could hide in this country. All I could see was miles and miles of sand. Using my Bushnell Fusion 1600 ARC binocular/rangefinder, I scanned the hills for any signs of movement and ranged the most likely predator approach lanes in hopes a coyote would soon answer the howls now erupting from the call. With little to slow the wind down, I felt fortunate it was merely a light breeze I was staring into. John Vaca, the national trade manager and national pro staff manager for Final Approach/Bushnell, monitored the backside of the hill for coyotes trying to sneak downwind of the caller. My trigger finger itched to test the new Thompson/Center Dimension rifle resting on my shooting sticks. The rifle was smooth shooting and accurate in .223 on the range, and I had only begun to question the folks from T/C on the interchangeable bolts and barrels that allow the rifle to become anything from a .204 Ruger to a .300 Win Mag. My mind wandered with all the possibilities an interchangeable rifle presented. BANG! A single shot rang out from the backside of the hill just 12 minutes into the stand. Greg immediately broke into a ky-yi coyote distress call as my eyes darted to the right in search of a coyote running around the hillside — no sign of any. There were no follow-up shots either — a good indication John’s first shot was on target. A couple of minutes later, with no coyotes in sight and no more shooting from behind us, Greg whistled to signal an end to the stand. As we crested the hill, John pointed out the fallen song dog — a mangy female that trotted within 100 yards in the bottom of a saddle before she met a single Hornady V-MAX bullet and dropped. It was 6:56 a.m. This was our first stand on the first day of a three-day hunt hosted by Les Johnson of PredatorQuest and Spring Meadows Hunting and Fishing. Things were looking up, and the rest of the hunt didn’t disappoint either. Keep an eye on future issues of Trapper & Predator Caller for more on our Nebraska Sandhills predator hunt.

Mountain Lion Attacks Texas Boy

Jared Blohm — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:50:20 +0000

A mountain lion attack on a 6-year-old boy in west Texas was thwarted by the boy's father Sunday. Philip Caulfield detailed the attack in a story for the New York Daily News:

Rivers Hobbs was walking with his mom and dad on a sidewalk on Sunday between a restaurant and the Chisos Mountain Lodge in Big Bend National Park when the cougar crept up on him and lunged for his head.
"It had a hold of his face... the cat was clamped on his face," his father, Jason Hobbs, told local CBS News.
"I reached down and got my pocket knife out and stabbed the cat in the chest and it let go at that point," the brave pop said.

The boy received two large gashes and puncture wounds to his face from the attack. He was rushed to a nearby hospital. Park officials described the mountain lion as "young and in bad shape." There were reports the same cougar tried to attack another family earlier Sunday before being chased off when someone hit it with a backpack. Hopefully wildlife officials can track down the mountain lion and kill the dangerous animal. The Hobbs and the other family are very fortunate the attacks were not worse. Have you hunted mountain lions before? Leave a comment below about your experience.

Wolf Dilemma in N.D.

Jared Blohm — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:01:52 +0000

When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Great Lakes wolves from federal protection, Minnesota wildlife officials pushed forward a plan to control the population with regulated hunting and trapping. It caused an entirely different situation for wildlife officials in North Dakota — two sets of regulations and some confusion about how to go forward managing the wolf population. Brad Dokken covered the story for the Grand Forks Herald:

According to Stephanie Tucker, furbearer biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the delisting only includes the portion of North Dakota east of U.S. Highway 83 and the Missouri River. That means the state manages wolves in eastern North Dakota, while wolves west of Highway 83 remain under federal protection because they fall in a gray area between the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain wolf populations. Tucker said there are no plans to offer a wolf season because sightings are rare, and the state doesn’t support a wolf population.

It's just another interesting wrinkle in a very complicated delisting process. Would you buy a wolf tag if they were offered in your area? Leave a comment below.

Virginia Ready to Repeal Sunday Hunting Ban

Ben Sobieck — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:50:19 +0000

It looks like turkey hunters in the Old Dominion will soon have an extra day to enjoy their sport, according to a report released Jan. 27, 2012, by The National Shooting Sports Foundation. NSSF reports legislation (SB 464) to end the ban on Sunday hunting in Virginia was in the State Senate with an overwhelming vote of 29-11 to allow Sunday hunting on private lands. Companion legislation will now move to the House of Delegates for a vote. From the release: “Yesterday’s vote was a great step forward in our campaign to allow Sunday hunting in Virginia,” said National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “We applaud Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) for his fortitude and resolve in championing this bill through the Virginia State Senate.” NSSF is encouraging all sportsmen in Virginia to contact their state delegates and urge them to support SB 464. This legislation is limited to private lands and public marshes only and excludes deer hound hunting. Allowing sportsmen in Virginia to go afield on Sundays is part of larger effort to increase participation in hunting that also involves improving access and opportunity for sportsmen living in the state. Since most hunters take to the field on weekends, removing barriers to Sunday hunting will effectively double the value of most hunters’ licenses. The benefits of Sunday hunting, however, would not be limited to the sportsmen’s community. An economic impact report released by a coalition of America’s leading conservation, sportsmen’s and hunting organizations has found that removal of Sunday hunting restrictions would result in an estimated 3,927 new Virginia jobs. The report also notes that these jobs would pay more than $105 million in wages and contribute more than $296 million in additional economic activity to the commonwealth. Given this potential economic boom, the coalition is moving forward rapidly. “With yesterday’s victory in the State Senate, we are now moving our focus to the House of Delegates,” said NSSF Director of Government Relations Jake McGuigan. “Given that hunting license sales in Virginia have dropped from 500,000 in the mid 1970′s to 300,000 today, we need to educate sportsmen that in order to save one tradition, we need to modify another.” NSSF is a member of the Sunday hunting coalition which includes the National Rifle Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Archery Trade Association, Bass Pro Shops, Boone and Crockett Club, Cabela’s, Delta Waterfowl, Mule Deer Foundation, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and the Wildlife Management Institute. No matter what day you plan to hunt, don't miss out on Brian Lovett's Hunting Pressured Turkeys book.

Free Magazine: Predator Hunting 2012

Ben Sobieck — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:32:07 +0000

Read the Predator Hunting 2012 magazine for free right from the comfort of your computer. This free magazine, published annually by Trapper & Predator Caller, contains tons of predator hunting information. * Common missteps by new predator hunters. * Run and gun backpack calling explained. * Suit your methods to the terrain you hunt. * Do-it-yourself video predator hunts are affordable. * Follow the action on a Kansas predator hunt. * How to avoid getting busted on your approach. * Gear up with these hot predator hunting items. Click here to read the free magazine Predator Hunting 2012 right now.

Minnesota Considers Wolf Hunting and Trapping Season

Ben Sobieck — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:30:32 +0000

by Jacob Edson, F&W Outdoors editor Following last month's announcement that gray wolves will return to state management in the northern Great Lakes on Jan. 27, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced today that a limited gray wolf hunting and trapping season is being planned for late 2012. This is a hot-button topic for hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and wildlife managers alike. However, it appears Minnesota (the first of the three Great Lakes states to make a move) is taking a very wise approach to wolf management. According to the release:

Tom Landwehr, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said the agency is taking a “deliberate and science-based” approach to implementing initial wolf hunting and trapping seasons. “Our job, as a natural resource agency, is to implement the state’s Wolf Management Plan, which includes provisions for public taking of wolves,” said Landwehr. “That means we will be taking actions to ensure the long-term survival of the species while also addressing conflicts between wolves and humans.” In the weeks ahead, DNR biologists will begin to identify wolf management harvest units and develop other criteria specific to a Minnesota season. Components of the proposed season framework must still be approved by the Legislature, and a chance for public comment will be provided later this year. “Without a history of regulated wolf seasons, we don’t know what kind of hunter and trapper interest and success rate to expect,” said Dan Stark, DNR large carnivore specialist. For these reasons, he said, it is necessary to be conservative during initial seasons. Stark said the DNR proposal would manage wolves as a prized and high-value fur species by setting the season when pelts are prime, limiting the take through a lottery and requiring animals be registered. This approach, he said, is different than simply allowing hunters to shoot a wolf as an “incidental take” while primarily pursuing another species such as deer. “Minnesota is different than other areas where wolf hunting is offered, in part, because we have much higher hunter densities and a more compressed big-game hunting season,” Stark said. “Our proposal is a separate season that takes into account when pelts are prime and have their highest value,” Stark said. “This approach will provide hunters and trappers the opportunity to specifically target wolves while minimizing conflicts with other hunting seasons.” Bravo, Minnesota. I for one am all for a wolf hunting and trapping season (my bet is that public trapping becomes Minnesota's main wolf management technique, and wolf hunting will experience modest participation and low success after the first couple of years). However, I think it's also important for hunters to view wolves as a wild resource and valuable member of the ecological landscape ... not just a verminous competitor for the deer resource. A season structure such as this will facilitate that mindset as well as allow a scientific and adaptable management plan.

Review: Buck 110 Knife

Ben Sobieck — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:40:38 +0000

Review: Buck 110 Knife by Ben Sobieck, T&PC online editor To say the Buck 110 changed how outdoorsmen carry knives is like saying Henry Ford was merely forward-thinking. No, the Buck 110 knife defined a moment in history. Its explosive popularity hit camps across 1960s North America almost overnight. The days of carrying bulky kitchen or military knives into the field were over. Cutting power was now as easy as slipping the Buck 110's canoe-shaped frame into a pocket. I'm a knife nut anyway, but nothing in my collection rivals the prestige of the Buck 110. It's a top choice when I'm working at my ranch, hunting in the field or just going about daily business. There's a certain comfort in knowing the Buck 110's design is older than I am. It's like having a mentor in my pocket, a reminder of how to do things right the first time. From the silky-smooth lockback release that keeps its 3 3/4-inch clip blade standing at attention to the brass bolsters on the handle, the Buck 110 showcases the beauty of performance-driven simplicity. Trappers, predator hunters and all other outdoorsmen owe it to themselves to add a Buck 110 to their knife collection. They'll be part of a hunting story far larger than themselves. They'll also have a knife that they can count on, a real friend.v Click here to order a Buck 110 from ShopDeerHunting.com.

Sending Well Wishes to Parker Dozhier

Ben Sobieck — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:30:22 +0000

Parker Dozhier, long-time T&PC fur-market expert, seriously ill by Jim Spencer, T&PC editor You’re going to notice a big hole in the next issue of Trapper & Predator Caller. It’s the first issue since January 1983 that doesn’t have a new, up-to-date “Fur Market Report” from Parker Dozhier. In early January, soon before deadline day, Managing Editor Jared Blohm received a note from Parker saying that he’d just found out he had a serious illness and that he would no longer be able to write his “Fur Market Report.” So, for the first time in nearly three decades, this magazine does not have a comprehensive and fresh market report. We’re re-running the “Market Briefs” and “Regional Reports” from the January issue, and that information is still mostly accurate. We are currently searching for another experienced fur market analyst to take Parker’s place in the magazine. That, of course, is going to be difficult. No one is irreplaceable, but Dozhier comes as close as anybody I’ve ever known. He’s possibly the most knowledgeable fur market analyst in the world. Certainly, there’s no one in the business with a wider circle of friends, sources and business acquaintances throughout the industry, nor anyone with more skill at pulling accurate information out of all those sources. I talked to Parker soon after he gave us the bad news. As I said, his illness is serious, but when we talked, he was in good spirits. In typical Parker fashion, he was busy making plans and getting his ducks in a row. “I’ve got some serious decisions to make in the near future,” he said, “and I can’t help but feel I’m letting a lot of people down by not being able to continue writing the market report.” Which, of course, isn’t true. He’s given more than his pound of flesh to the trapping industry. Since he was a young man growing up in Brinkley, Ark., he’s been involved in — and pretty much consumed by — the fur business. He comes by it honestly — his dad was a fur and pecan buyer, and the elder Dozhier taught his son the ropes. After a brief stint as a television newsman in Little Rock, Parker “dropped out,” moved to a mountaintop in the Ouachita Mountains and got back to doing what he loved — messing around with fur. As a trapper and fur buyer, he’s traveled the world, hitting every continent except Australia. Almost single-handedly, he opened the otter and muskrat fur trade with China, making the first shipment of about 3,000 otters to that country in 1985. Trappers across the country owe him a huge debt, and I’m proud to be able to count his as a friend. I asked Parker if I could put his address in this message, in case folks wanted to send notes or cards. He said that would be fine, and again in typical Dozhier fashion, added, “I think those PETA folks have stopped trying to take me down anyway. And if they do come, I hope they come to the front door.” Somehow, I don’t think that would be a very wise thing to do. Here’s his mailing address: Parker Dozhier, 262 Sharon Terrace, Hot Springs, AR 71913. He can also be reached by e-mail at HeTraps@aol.com. Drop him a note if you get a chance; even tough, old trappers need cheering up sometimes. Jim Spencer, of Calico Rock, Ark., is executive editor of T&PC. To contact Jim, send e-mails to modernmountainman@gmail.com. Visit his website at www.treblehookunlimited.com.

FHA Reports “One of the Best Opening Auctions” Ever

Jared Blohm — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:38:59 +0000

Fur Harvesters Auction held their first auction of the season this past weekend, and the results are very encouraging for furtakers. A news release from FHA calls the sale "one of the most successful January auctions in our company`s history." The full release and auction results are below: Jan 7 2012 Fur Harvesters Auctions first sale of the season was one of the best opening auctions in our company`s history. Over 20 Chinese of which many were first time to North Bay took a very active position throughout the day. All International markets were represented with over 50 active buyers competing, resulting in all time record prices for articles such as Arctic Wolves, Arctic Fox and Polar Bears. Beaver which averaged $19.50 last January and averaged $31.50 at today`s auction an increase of 60%. No one can recall such a tremendous increase over such a short period of time. This will come as great news to all beaver trappers and is long overdue. Long hair items like Red Fox witnessed huge price hikes as well with several lots selling over $100, finishing the day with eastern fox averaging $53.43 an increase over 90% compared to last January. Otter continues to advance with China and Greece competing aggressively. Otter advanced over 80% over last January`s level with a final overall average coming in at $82. Muskrats continue to sell strong with a clearance of 100%. Our Arctic wolf collection sold at an all time record high with many countless skins selling between $800 to over $900 with a closing average of $403. Arctic fox topping at $200 and averaging $71.92 broke an all time historical record. Everyone at Fur Harvesters Auction wish to thank the great many buyers that attended and made this sale one of the most successful January auctions in our company`s history. Members of our team are currently promoting wild fur at the Beijing fur fair and the following week will see us in Istanbul fur fair, Turkey. Our March sale is well positioned as it follows the two most important Fur Fairs in the world...Hong Kong, and Milan. We are optimistic that our offerings will surpass last season high production levels. In closing we wish to thank all of you who put your trust and confidence in marketing your great product through North Bay. Respectfully, Mark Downey CEO, Fur Harvesters Auction Inc.

As Auctions Near, Optimism Grows, Especially for Muskrats

Jared Blohm — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:36:29 +0000

As the major North American fur auctions begin this winter and record-high prices continued at the season’s first European auctions, optimism is high for the fur market. Alan Herscovici, the executive vice-president of the Fur Council of Canada credits "design innovation, the opening of vast Asian markets and the fur industry’s progress in articulating its side of the ethical debate" for the promising market in an article on the North American Fur Auctions' website. Of particular note is the muskrat market, which was the focus of multiple newspaper stories this week, including one in the Wall Street Journal:

The North American muskrat market has been booming, thanks to soaring purchases by Chinese and other newly rich nations that need muskrat fur to line coats and footwear. Specifically, they want muskrat bellies, the felt-like fur that is practically impermeable to moisture. At $10 per pelt—five times what muskrats fetched in the 1990s—pelts were trading at new highs when bidding for last season's furs ended in June.

The Grand Rapids Press added more on the muskrat:

“The Chinese can’t get enough of them,” said Kevin Syperda, owner of Sy’s Fur Shed, a fur buyer in Pierson. “We call (muskrat) the poor man’s mink.” Syperda says muskrats defy economics: They are in high supply and their demand is high, yet the price for them is going up for the third consecutive year.

We'll learn a lot more about the market in the coming weeks, but heading into auction season, it looks very promising for trappers, especially those who have targeted muskrats.