Team Fur News
Boiling Traps
By FUR-FISH-GAME Editor, John D. Taylor
Getting my traps boiled and ready for trapping season proved to be a harrowing experience, yet it eventually yielded some results.
Lion’s Park was basically a 3-acre mature oak woodlot. However, inside that woodlot were buildings the Lion’s Club of Dallastown, Pennsylvania, used or rented out to host various activities. The buildings included a long meeting hall with major kitchen facilities, bathrooms, a bandstand and an open-air pavilion for cookouts. Scattered throughout the park were other amenities, including: a swing set, a merry-go-round, a long sliding board, a long cinder block barbeque pit under an open pavilion, nearby horseshoe rings, a ball field attached to the lower end of the park and some small brick barbecue pits, the kind you used to see in people’s backyards, near the open air pavilion. People grilled burgers and hot dogs on these for picnics.
From the 1970s through the 1990s, when the Lions Club was most active, they held summertime fundraiser chicken barbecues and other events at the park. At other times, the park was rented out to community groups, churches or for family reunions. Softball and baseball leagues used the ball field. And the neighborhood kids played some pickup games there, too. Sometimes, people came to the park to picnic or just hang out.
During the summers, the park was a very active place. Yet each autumn, the park returned to its true woodlot self.
Lion’s Park was about 150 yards down Blymire Road from my parents’ home. As a kid, I played on the swing sets – you could really get high, almost horizontal with the upper beam of the heavy metal swing set, if you worked at it – and the merry-go-round and sliding board. I traveled through the park, kicking up fallen oak leaves, to get to the Boy Scout woods, about half a mile from my parents’ home, to trap, hunt squirrels or simply escape the pressures of family life as a teeny-bopper, and even during my college years, since I was still living at home.
My parents’ home was part of a small suburban development adjacent to the park. The lots there were small. There was no way in the backyard to prepare trapping equipment. We had a permanent gas grill, but I would have burned up way too much gas to get traps boiled and dyed, so my parents nixed that idea.
Seeking an alternative, late one October day I came up with the bright idea of using one of those small brick barbecue pits by the open-air pavilion in the park. I’d gather a ton of the broken branches and other wood from the area around the pavilion, get a fire started, put the big steel tub my father used to burn leaves over the metal grate, add a couple gallons of water, get it simmering, then ad traps and walnuts from Aunt Pearl and have my traps ready to go.
And that’s exactly what I did.
I soon encountered a problem. The distance between the water-filled tub on the metal grate and the small fire I soon had roaring was inefficient. There was about a foot between the two. That grate would have been fine for cooking burgers or roasting weenies with charcoal briquets, but it was too high for the twig fire I was using to really get all that water in the tub boiling. I can understand that now. Back then, it didn’t occur to me.
I kept adding wood, adding wood – mostly small branches the wind had knocked down from the oaks – and traveling further and further away from the fire and the barbecue pit to gather more wood for the fire.
What I thought would be a couple-hour process, soon grew longer.
Darkness slowly crept across the park and that fire grew brighter, more easily seen, by the neighbors in the nearby development. I was decked out in the camouflage sweatshirt jacket I always wore trapping back then and blue jeans, so I was likely pretty invisible, especially when I was away from the fire for longer periods. This might have suggested to someone that some idiot started a fire in one of those brick barbecue pits and walked away, letting it burn down the park. Several of the neighbors probably guessed that crazy Taylor kid was the idiot, and he wasn’t really anything to worry about.. usually.
Then there was the anti-trapping schoolmarm down the road. A couple years earlier, that witch called the cops on me, because a “friend” claimed I shot a spring-loaded BB gun at her window, breaking the glass. I most assuredly did not, would not, do that. (The little weasel was the likely culprit.) A few days later, while I was setting traps in the Boy Scout woods, “Officer Friendly,” a township cop, drove up to the woods in his cruiser, walked back into where I was trapping, and asked about the BB incident. I proclaimed my innocence, but it did no good. He then escorted me – packbasket, traps and BB gun – out of the woods like I was being arrested. He put me in the back seat of his cruiser, asked me where my parents lived, and drove me home. My BB gun was confiscated, never to be returned, with no proof that I’d committed the vile offense. Still ticks me off.
There was another neighbor up a side street from the park who was known for sticking his busy-body nose into other people’s business, as well as two girls who I'd ticked off by telling them to stop cutting through our hedge on their way to school (because I was getting blamed for destroying it).
Any of these likely suspects could have been responsible for what happened next.
In the darkness of that October night, two cars came down along the park, headlights blaring. One was a cop car. It was followed by a big passenger sedan. Both pulled up alongside the curb across from the open-air pavilion and the brick barbecue pit where I was attempting to boil and dye traps.
Oh crap, I thought, here we go again. My heartbeat increased rapidly and that sense of dread that I was going to get into serious trouble flooded my endocrine system. I stood by the fire, stirred the somewhat simmering water, and tried to act nonchalant.
A different township “Office Friendly” walked up and asked what I was doing. I flat out told him, probably in a somewhat angry tone, given previous experience, “Boiling traps.”
From the other car came another man. It was the high school superintendent, George W.W. Jones. My mother, an elementary schoolteacher, used to joke that the two Ws meant wise and wonderful. (I wondered if she thought him attractive in a buttoned-down, crew cut, authority figure kind of way.) But in my very limited encounters with him, he seemed like a pretty reasonable fellow. He was certainly less feared than assistant principal Bailetts, AKA: “Mouse,” the part-time cop with a reputation for busting kids. (He really looked like a big-eared mouse.) Or bald Mr. Johnson, AKA: “Eagle,” the other principal. When Clair Trout was the superintendent of high school, we had a regular cornucopia of wildlife as authority figures!
Jones was a Lion’s Club honcho at the time, and I suppose he was contacted by the cops because of this. I figured I was really in for it now – a “repeat offender” with the cops, at home and in school – when Jones strode up to the barbecue pit and asked what I was doing.
I repeated my answer, “Boiling traps.”
“Oh,” Jones said. “I used to trap when I was your age. Just be careful with that fire. There’s lots of leaves on the ground.” Being a good Boy Scout, I’d already cleared a 10-foot circumference of leaves away from the barbecue pit. I suppose he and the cop noticed that.
“I will,” I told them.
With that, after a short conversation away from my hearing, both the cop and Jones left. I felt like I’d dodged an artillery barrage of “you’re-in-trouble now, Trapper Johns.”
For the next 45 minutes or so, I continued trying to create boilage in the tub, but it never happened. The water steamed some, but I ran out of easily available wood, my flashlight batteries were wearing out, so I said the heck with it. I dumped the trap water on the now smoldering fire, causing a great hiss of steam vapor to rise, put the traps in the bucket, gathered the rest of my accoutrements and walked home.
Whenever I saw wise and wonderful Jones in the hallways at school, I always said, “Hello, Mr. Jones,” after that.
He usually smiled. And that felt pretty good.
Trappers gotta stick together.
Influenza Suspected In Recent Snow Goose Deaths
A Northhampton County, Pennsylvania, snow goose die off was attributed to avian influenza. Photo: Ray Hennessy/Unsplash
Avian influenza is suspected in the deaths of hundreds of snow geese found recently at a Northampton County, Pennsylvania, quarry. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is coordinating a response to this that includes safe removal, testing and disposal of these birds. Wild waterfowl and shorebirds are considered natural carriers of avian influenza and might shed the virus in their feces and saliva despite appearing healthy. HPAI also can lead to sickness or death in raptors (hawks, eagles), avian scavengers (crows, gulls, ravens) and wild poultry (turkey, grouse). The virus typically does not affect bird species that frequent backyard bird feeders. Clinical signs of infection in wild birds are often non-specific, but might include neurologic dysfunction such as circling, head tilting and difficulty flying. Dogs encountering HPAI also are at risk of infection. Dog owners should keep their dogs up to date on vaccinations and preventive medications, prevent their dogs from coming in contact with wild birds or their feces, and should not allow dogs to consume environmental water. Those encountering other sick or dead wild birds anywhere in Pennsylvania can report them by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453). Any sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at (717) 772-2852. If you have had contact with sick or dead birds and are not feeling well, contact your primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258). Visit www.pa.gov/pgc.
Ohio’s Sturgeon Stockings Take Hold
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources released 5,780 lake sturgeon in the Cuyahoga, Sandusky, Scioto and in Maumee rivers as part of ongoing restoration efforts this fall.
Reintroduction efforts for state-endangered lake sturgeon expanded in 2025, says the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. As part of a large, regional partnership, 6- to 8-inch-long juvenile sturgeon were released in the Cuyahoga, Sandusky, and Scioto rivers for the first time, and in the Maumee River as part of ongoing restoration efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Toledo Zoo reared the fish for release. Last fall, some 2,000 sturgeon were released in the Cuyahoga River; 3,000 in the Maumee River; an additional 750 went to the Sandusky River; and 30 juvenile sturgeon were surgically implanted with monitoring tags by Ohio State University then released in the Scioto River. Lake sturgeon are long-lived fish and grow to several feet in length as adults. They are an endangered species in Ohio. Once abundant in Lake Erie and the Ohio River, lake sturgeon spawned in tributaries of those waters but declined during the last 150 years due to dams blocking to spawning sites. Following water quality improvements and barrier removals, habitat assessments have demonstrated that the Cuyahoga, Maumee, Sandusky, and Scioto rivers have suitable habitat to support spawning lake sturgeon. Lake sturgeon feed on invertebrates and small fish. They are capable of reaching 6 to 8 feet in length and upwards of 200 pounds over their 100-year lifespan. Biologists expect lake sturgeon released in the river to return to these waterways to spawn. Visit wildohio.gov.
Sharptailed Grouse Habitat Conserved In Big Bend Wildlife Area
The ranch includes over 1.5 miles of the Columbia River and expansive sagebrush habitat. Photo: Tyler Roemer/Western Rivers Conservancy
Delivering a boost for wildlife, recreationists and public lands, Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) conveyed Big Bend Ranch, a 2,135-acre property featuring 1.5 miles of Columbia River frontage, to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for permanent inclusion within the Big Bend Wildlife Area. The project conserves excellent habitat for one of Washington's most imperiled species — Columbian sharptailed grouse — while opening new recreation opportunities for the public. Located 14 miles northwest of Grand Coulee on the south shore of the Columbia River, Big Bend Ranch, with its large swaths of sagebrush-steppe habitat, provides essential habitat for grouse, including Columbian sharptails, one of the state’s most at-risk species. In addition, the ranch includes ponderosa pines, scattered seasonal wildflowers and a wetland formed by a natural spring, which creates a rare haven for neotropical birds in this arid region. WRC purchased Big Bend Ranch in January 2024 and recently completed transfer of the property to WDFW. The Big Bend Wildlife Area now encompasses 24,000 acres of protected wildlife habitat and public lands. Visit westernrivers.org.
Mexican Wolf Captured North of I-40, Relocated
A male Mexican wolf was captured north of I-40 in New Mexico this fall by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish then returned to the Gila National Forest. Photo: Medic1480/Shutterstock
A Mexican wolf – No. 3065, a male – was captured in November of 2025, north of Interstate 40, north of Gallina, New Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMGF) captured the wolf by helicopter. Afterward, the wolf was returned to the wild in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) in the Gila National Forest in Grant County, New Mexico. The decision to capture and transfer M3065 was made in accordance with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) current recovery permit. M3065 first moved north of Interstate 40 in mid-July of 2025. By late October, he made significant movements to the north, showing no signs of returning to the MWEPA. Dispersal events like this often occur when a wolf is in search of a mate. Since there are no other known Mexican wolves in the area, there was a potential risk of mortality as well as a likelihood of a negative interaction or breeding with domestic dogs.
Sonoyta Mud Turtle Recovery
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s draft recovery plan for the endangered Sonoyta mud turtle to recover the subspecies, so it no longer needs Endangered Species Act protection.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has released a draft recovery plan for the endangered Sonoyta mud turtle. The goal is to recover this subspecies, so it no longer needs Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection. Far southern Arizona, at Quitobaquito Springs, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, is the only place in the U.S. where this small freshwater turtle lives in the wild, and the only place in the world where it currently has a stable population. The turtles can also be found in northwestern Mexico, primarily at several locations in the Rio Sonoyta basin in Sonora. Listed as endangered by USFWS in 2017, the Sonoyta mud turtle’s aquatic and riparian habitats hare being dewatered by groundwater pumping and drought. Since the turtle’s only U.S. population occurs within a national monument, most management falls to federal agencies, but Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) biologists still play an important role in recovery. The plan outlines actions and outcomes required before the species could be ESA delisted. It also estimates the time and cost to implement these recovery actions. The strategy focuses on conserving mud turtle habitat, monitoring the turtles and improving turtle management through scientific research to ensure current Sonoyta mud turtle populations continue in the wild within the U.S. and Mexico.
Information On Illegal Bighorn Sheep Killings Sought
Two wildlife agencies are asking for help on two bighorn sheep poaching incidents. Photo: Judd Cooney
Two wildlife agencies are asking for help on two poaching incidents. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police are asking the public for information on two incidents where someone shot and killed a bighorn sheep. Non-governmental organizations are offering between $30,000 to $45,000 in rewards for information leading to a conviction for each case. The first incident occurred east of Riggins in Idaho County, Idaho, when a poached bighorn ram was located by a sportsman above Big Salmon Road near Partridge Creek. The ram had been shot in mid-November of 2025 with no attempt to recover the animal. The second incident occurred outside Asotin, in Asotin County, Washington, in mid-December, when a yearling bighorn ram was shot and left in the Peola Game Management Unit. The agencies don't believe the two incidents are connected. IDFG encourages anyone with relevant information to contact the Idaho Citizens Against Poaching hotline at (800) 632-5999 or the Idaho Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office at (208) 799-5010. To provide information on the Asotin case contact WDFW at (877) 933-9847 or send a text tip to 847411. The public can also report online on WDFW's website. Tips can be provided anonymously.
WDNR Confirms CWD In Deer In La Crosse and Clark Counties
Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources confirmed two more cases of CWD in deer in LaCrosse and Clark counties. Photo: Missouri Department of Conservation
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has confirmed two positive chronic wasting disease (CWD) cases in wild deer in La Crosse and Clark counties. The LaCrosse County deer was a hunter-harvested adult buck taken within 10 miles of both the Monroe and Vernon County borders. As a result, La Crosse County, already under a two-year baiting and feeding ban, will have the ban extended for another three years. This will also reset following any future detections, as required by state law. Monroe and Vernon counties currently have three-year baiting and feeding bans in place for positive detections within each respective county. This detection will not impact those counties. The Clark County detection was the first CWD positive test in wild deer there. The deer was a hunter-harvested adult doe. Clark County was already under a two-year baiting and feeding ban. That ban will be extended another three years and will reset following any future detections. Since the detection was not within 10 miles of any county lines, no other counties are impacted by this detection. CWD is a fatal, infectious nervous system disease of deer, moose, elk and caribou. It is a prion disease. State law requires WDNR to enact a three-year baiting and feeding ban in counties where CWD has been detected, and a two-year ban in adjoining counties within 10 miles of a CWD detection. Baiting or feeding encourages deer to congregate unnaturally where infected deer can spread CWD. Visit WDNR’s CWD webpage, https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/cwd.
Preliminary 2025 Deer Harvests
Deer hunters experienced ups and down in harvests across several states.
Deer hunters saw ups and down in harvest numbers in 2025-26 deer seasons.
• Minnesota hunters harvested 186,203 deer during the 2025 hunting season, a 9% increase from 2024, according to Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources. The statewide harvest was 5% higher than the five-year average. About half the deer harvest occurs over the first two weekends of the firearms season, so weather during those two weekends is an important influence on hunter success and overall harvest. Hunting conditions were favorable during this time.
• In Montana, a total of 4,203 hunters visited the Big Timber, Columbus, Lavina and Billings check stations in the region with 487 total harvested mule deer, 384 white-tailed deer, 284 elk and 58 antelope. Mule deer, elk and antelope harvests were greater than 2024 figures, but whitetail harvest this year was slightly below 2024’s bag.
• In Illinois, 81,225 deer were harvested during firearm season. This is down slightly from the 82,496 deer taken during the 2024 firearm season
• In Nebraska firearm deer harvest was down 7% statewide. Harvest declined from 28,056 in 2024 to 26,029 in 2025. Nebraska’s Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) expected this, given that deer populations are down after several years of drought, harsh winters and disease outbreaks. Deer permit numbers were reduced as a result. Whitetail harvest fell 10% from 2024, with buck harvest off 3%, antlerless harvest down 26% and 54% from five years ago. Mule deer harvest rose 4%. NGPC’s goal is to recover enough deer that buck harvest can increase 20% for whitetail and 25% for mule deer.
• North Carolina hunters tagged a total of 188,099 deer. Top counties were Randolf, with 5,016; Anson, with 4,009; and Cleveland County with 3,889 deer. Deer hunting in North Carolina continues through February with an urban deer archery season.
• In West Virginia, hunters harvested 33,775 antlered deer during the state’s two-week buck firearm season. Greenbrier County hunters harvested the most bucks (1,730), followed by Preston (1,349), Randolph (1,198), Hardy (1,165), Pendleton (1,135), Pocahontas (1,089), Monroe (1,057), Grant (1,039), Fayette (991) and Hampshire (923). The 2025 harvest was 18.5% below 2024’s bag of 41,435 bucks. All WVDNR districts registered a decrease, except District 4 which was up 7.5%. WVDNR says the decline was the result of an increase in hard mast production, which spreads deer out across larger areas, and an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease in the western part of the state.
Missouri Deer Regulation Changes Proposed
Some deer regulations are changing in Missouri. Photo: Nikil Mistry/Unsplash
In Missouri, the Conservation Commission gave initial approval for changes to state deer regulations. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says the changes will simplify regulations and help keep chronic wasting disease (CWD) infection rates low, so Missouri’s deer herd remains healthy. Plans include removal of the five-day CWD firearms deer season, since harvest data shows this season portion hasn’t resulted in a significant increase in harvest. The CWD Management Zone – counties with confirmed cases of CWD and those within 10 miles of a confirmed detection – would also be eliminated. The zone has increased over time, from the original six counties in 2012, to 82 counties in 2025. This led to complex regulations between counties. Eliminating the Zone will simplify related regulations. Also, placing feed and minerals for deer would continue to be prohibited in counties with confirmed cases of CWD and those within 10 miles of a CWD detection. The Antler Point Restriction (APR) has also been removed in in CWD Management Zone counties in the past because yearling bucks – which the APR protects – travel many miles and can spread CWD long distances. Given the current distribution of CWD, the APR remains in place in only 18 counties. Removing the APR from these counties will help minimize the spread of CWD and simplify regulations for hunters. MDC invites the public to comment on these proposed regulation changes through February 14, 2026 at mdc.mo.gov/about-regulations/wildlife-code-missouri/proposed-regulation-changes. Visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer
Florida Black Bear Hunt Results
Florida’s black bear season resulted in 52 bears being harvested from 172 permits issued in four bear management units. Photo: Pete Nuji/Unsplash
Florida hunters harvested 52 bears during the 2025 bear hunt, after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) approved final amendments to bear hunting rules, which took effect during the 2025 hunting season. The new rules established Bear Hunting Zones (BHZ) within four of the seven existing Bear Management Units. A random drawing of 172 permits were issued across the four BMUs – East Panhandle, North, Central and South – and each permit allowed the harvest of one bear within the assigned BHZ. Florida’s bear hunt had a success rate very close to other states with similar hunt parameters, FWC says. All harvested bears were physically checked by FWC staff and bear response contractors, providing valuable data that will influence future management strategies. Regulated hunting allows the FWC to manage bear population growth. Balancing wildlife numbers with suitable habitat keeps populations healthy.
Snowmobilers: Ride Safe And Sober
Two of the most common off-highway vehicle crash contributors are weak ice and impaired operation. Photo: Rachel Hershberger/Travel Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds snowmobilers to stay sober on the trails this season and be aware of unsafe ice. Two of the most common off-highway vehicle (OHV) crash contributors are weak ice and impaired operation. Both can be mitigated through smart decision-making. Plan to get home safely by riding sober. Not only is it illegal to operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but it also puts you, your passengers and other recreators at risk. Additionally, monitor ice conditions by consulting with local experts, such as outfitters, bait shops and fishing clubs. WDNR does not monitor ice conditions. Be aware that several factors determine ice quality. Float coats, life jackets and rescue ropes can be lifesavers. Snowmobile clubs work hard to ensure riders enjoy a quality riding experience. Respect their work by staying on marked trails. Operation on closed snowmobile trails is illegal.
West Virginia Fall Turkey Harvest
West Virginia’s fall turkey harvest was more than 50 below last year’s bag, due to heavy mast production and fewer poults surviving a rainy spring and summer.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) says hunters harvested 537 wild turkeys during the 2025 fall season. This is 52.5% below last year’s harvest of 1,130 birds, 38.1% below the five-year average (868) and 49.9% below the 10-year average (1,072). All counties were below their five-year average with the exception of Pendleton, Logan and Wayne. The fall turkey harvest is influenced by hunter participation, brood production and mast conditions. WVDNR says the decrease was likely caused by spring and early summer rainy conditions, which decreased poult survival and increased hard mast production. While WVDNR’s brood survey observed an increase in brood numbers – 189, 12.5% above the five-year average – the poult-per-hen ratio, an index for tracking reproductive success, was the lowest it has been in the five years (1.78 pph). Also, this year’s mast survey revealed that hard mast production was abundant across the state, which results in birds being widely distributed. Counties with the most harvests include Mason (27), Monroe (26), Nicholas and Pendleton (23 each) and Pocahontas and Upshur (22 each). Visit WVhunt.com.
Missouri Spring Turkey Regulation Changes
Missouri’s spring gobbler hunting regulations for 2026 will allow only one bird for non-resident hunters.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters of regulation changes to spring turkey hunting. Three of the most significant changes include: nonresident hunters will only be allowed one bird, nonresident landowners will still have a harvest limit of two bearded birds, and youth hunters can harvest a second bird earlier. The regulation changes were approved by the Missouri Conservation Commission in December and are in effect for the 2026 spring season. Public comments and other feedback showed that resident turkey hunters expressed concern over nonresident participation and overcrowding on some public areas. MDC says reducing the nonresident spring harvest limit should reduce the number of days that nonresident hunters spend hunting, thereby alleviating some of the crowding or pressure that resident hunters encounter. The 2026 Spring Youth hunt will be April 11-12. The regular spring turkey season is April 20 through May 10. Visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Indiana State Trappers’ Association
The Indiana State Trappers’ Association (ISTA) will hold a fur sale February 14, at the Miami County Fairgrounds, 1029 W 200 N, in Peru, Indiana. You must be an ISTA member to sell furs. Lot numbers can be purchased prior to the sale, and buyers will be coming in from several states. Both events include food, trap raffles and 50/50 contests. Doors open at 8 a.m. Sales begin promptly at 9 a.m. local time. (Dale is in the Central Time Zone and Peru is in the Eastern zone.) For more information, call or text Byron Tiede (219) 863-3803.
New Mexico Trapper’s Association
The New Mexico Trappers’ Association will hold a fur auction and rendezvous March 5 – 8 at Mountain View Christian Camp, in Alto, New Mexico. For more information, contact Shelly (575) 649-1684 or email gypsytrapper@yahoo.com.
West Virginia Trappers’ Association
The West Virginia Trappers’ Association will hold their annual Spring Fur Auction March 6 - 8, 2026 at the Gilmer County Recreation Center, 1365 Sycamore Run Road, in Glenville, West Virginia. Vendors will be present throughout the weekend. Consignment for finished fur, roots, deer horns etc., begins at 9 a.m., Friday, March 6, and on Saturday, March 7. The fur auction will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. Ginseng will be sold to individuals outside, and not through the WVTA auction. Admission is free, all are welcome. Contact Jeremiah Whitlatch (304) 916-3329 or visit www.wvtrappers.com
Virginia Trappers’ Association
The Virginia Trappers’ Association (VTA) will hold its Eastern fur sale on March 14, at 12400 Herndon Rd, in Spotsylvania, from 7 a.m. until finished. Inspections begin at 8 a.m., the auction starts at 9 a.m. Same day registration is available. Also, on June 5 and 6, 2026, VTA will hold its annual Rendezvous at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, 4808 S. Valley Pike Rd., in Harrisonburg. Call or text Craig Kunkel at (540) 539-1409 for more information.
New Jersey Trappers’ Association
The New Jersey Trappers’ Association will hold a fur auction Sunday, March 22, at Space Farms, located at 218 County Rd. 519, in Sussex, New Jersey. Fur intake opens Saturday March 21, at 9 a.m., the auction is Sunday, at 9 a.m. (no fur accepted on Sunday). Call Jay Staudt (908) 896-2638 or visit New Jersey Trappers Facebook page.
Connecticut Trappers’ Association
The Connecticut Trappers’ Association will hold a spring fur sale April 4, at the Tolland County Agricultural Center, located at 24 Hyde Avenue, in Vernon, Connecticut. Fur drop off is 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. CTA membership is not required to sell fur, and there is no commission. Buyers are welcome. Contact Cameron Kelsey (619) 997-2345 or Scott Kneeland (860) 234-3192.
Texas Trappers’ and Fur Harvesters’ Association
Texas Trappers’ and Fur Harvesters’ Association will hold their Spring Rendezvous April 24 and 25 at the Mashburn Event Center, located at 1100 7th NW, in Childers, Texas. Visit www.ttfha.com for more information.
Maine Trappers’ Association
The Central Maine Chapter of the Maine Trappers’ Association will hold its annual Spring Fur Auction April 26, at the Palmyra Community Center, 768 Main St., in Palmyra, Maine. Doors open at 7 a.m., the auction begins at 8 a.m. Maine wardens will be on site to tag furs. A 3% commission is charged. Contact Ted Perkins at (207) 570-6243.
Coming in our March 2026 Issue
Features
• Make a Game Plan For Early Season Gobblers - Bruce Ingram details how he approaches the first week of spring gobbler season.
• An Alaska Spring Bear Hunt - Lucas Byker shares his experiences hunting over baits for spring bears in Alaska.
• Spring Shad - Robert Cates catches American and hickory shad — and some big catfish— in North Carolina’s Neuse River.
• Early Great Lakes Muskies - Rob Dankowsky looks at fishing for muskies as the waters of the Great Lakes warm.
• The Turkey And The 10 Gauge - Rebecca Costello shares a surprising tale of loss and gain in the spring turkey woods.
• Running Away From Home - Garhart Stephenson finds stress release fishing North Dakota’s smaller waters fishing for white bass, crappies, trout and walleyes.
Other Stories
• Brand Loyalty And Beaver Lures – Chris Schroeder explores using a variety of lures for fooling beavers.
• Micro Food Plots – Brandon Mitchell shares how he creates micro food plots to lure deer during hunting season.
• Trapping In A Down Market – Mike Schoonveld examines some tips for trapping when fur prices are rock bottom.
• Make Reloading Easier With Ergonomics – Daniel Palmcook tells how, using ergonomics, you can organize your reloading bench to make processes easier.
• Archery Super Slam – Tom Miranda tells how he accomplished an archery super slam, taking all 29 species of North America’s big game.
• More Than Sheds – Donald Frayvolt found more than he bargained for while shed hunting, including a rifle left by deer hunters.
• Utilizing Dog Proof Traps – Andrew Zysek looks at how to use dog proof traps on your trapline.
• Turkey Trickery – Gregory S. Lloyd explores the lighter side of a Pennsylvania spring turkey hunt for a gobbler that seems impossible to tag.
End of the Line Photo of the Month
Reece Field, Waukesha, Wisconsin
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