DNR says furbearer populations ‘in good shape’ leading into season opener

Craig Sweet, president of Iowa Trappers Association, is set to begin his 53rd season fur trapping this fall, just as soon as he gets the rest of his crops out of the field.

According to Iowa Department of Natural Resources, furbearer season, which began Saturday in Iowa, has had an “uptick” in interest due, in part, to workshops led by Iowa Trappers Association.

Sweet said the more than six-decade-old organization has always held trapper workshops, but has started to hold more beginner-friendly classes in regions across the state.

The result, according to Sweet, has been a diverse crowd — men, women, “oldsters and youngsters” — interested in learning how to trap. He said most attendees are interested in trapping because they have fur-bearing critters causing problems on their properties.

“A lot of it is coming from people that are owning property and are wanting to control populations on their property for nest raiders and stuff like that,” Sweet said.

There are 13 furbearer species that Iowans can hunt or trap from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28: raccoon, muskrat, coyote, red fox, gray fox, beaver, mink, opossum, badger, striped skunk, weasel, river otter and bobcat. Beaver season, according to DNR, extends until April 15.

Sweet said he traps “everything that’s harvestable” in Iowa. Many of these critters, he said, are also viewed as a nuisance because they can cause damage to crops, gardens or livestock.

The Iowa Trappers Association also has a series of publicly available videos on YouTube that detail basic trap setups and more advanced sets.

Historically, fur trapping was a profitable industry in Iowa. According to reports from DNR, species like beavers were so desirable at one point that the populations were almost decimated in the state.

Throughout the decades, various pelts were more desirable than others, depending on fashion trends. Skunk, for example was frequently warn by movie stars in the early 1900s until the 1930s, which led to a spike in skunk fur trade.

In the late decades of the 20th century, anti-fur harvest groups, a drought and weak global fur market led to a “crash” in furbearer harvests in Iowa.

DNR reported harvest trends have remained low since. While still low, harvest numbers increased to nearly 92,000 in the 2023-2024 season, which was up from around 65,600 the year prior.

Since 2020, roughly 15,000 Iowans participate in fur harvest season each year.

Vince Evelsizer, a DNR biologist specializing in furbearers and wetlands, said species populations for the upcoming season are in “good shape.” Evelsizer said most species are trending higher except for gray fox populations.

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Muskrat populations have historically been tied to season precipitation amounts, as the slinky rodents live in marshes and wetlands, but DNR’s trends in furbearers report said overall populations have been declining since the late 1980s.

Evelsizer said water levels in streams, marshes and rivers are better this year than last year, which might mean there are higher muskrat populations.

“A lot of north Iowa marshes have water in them, which bodes well for species like muskrats, and the weather outlook is favorable heading into the first two weeks of the season,” Evelsizer said in a news release with DNR. “We’re not expecting freeze up for water trappers.”

Evelsizer said fur prices this year are similar to last year, with a slight uptick in badgers, wild mink and striped skunk pelts.

Sweet said most trappers participate in the sport for fun, or to control animal populations, rather than to make money on the fur.

“With the current markets, you got to do it because you like it,” Sweet said. “Because in the long run, you’re going to end up losing money.”

Sweet said he tans some of the pelts he harvests to hang on his walls or to give away at Iowa Trappers Association events.

Furbearer hunting and trapping season began Saturday, and Evelsizer encouraged prospective trappers to review regulations and to have a “safe trapping season.”

This article was first published by Iowa Capital Dispatch.