Signs are pointing towards a banner year for trappers in Saskatchewan.
Mike Gollop is the provincial fur administrator for our province.
He says the recent north American fur auction in November had several highlights to it, everything from $10 muskrat pelts to $170 for marten and fisher to $700 for lynx were realized.
“So if we have an increase in the number of animals harvested and then you look at these prices I think we’re going to see a real spike upward in the total volume and the total value of fur sold this year.”
Gollop adds several trappers who were out of the industry have also come back and he thinks they could top 2000 trappers certificates this year:
“New trappers are interested and I’m hearing that a lot of fellows that haven’t trapped in a long time are coming back in so everyone’s kind of seeing the pot of gold out there now.
Gollop estimates there could be more then 2000 licenses in the province before the year is through.
He says it’s tough to gauge how high prices will get though.
For one reason the season is still in mid-swing and for another Gollop explains many buyers hang onto their pelts until the spring.