Results of the 2010-2011 Illinois Trapper Survey

Alessi, Mark G.; Campbell, Linda K.; Miller, Craig A.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/45804 Copy

Description

Title

Results of the 2010-2011 Illinois Trapper Survey

Author(s)

• Alessi, Mark G.
• Campbell, Linda K.
• Miller, Craig A.

Issue Date

2011-09-09

Keyword(s)

• furbearers
• trappers
• average days
• harvest season
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Illinois Natural History Survey

Abstract

A random sample of 1,200 persons who purchased a 2010 resident Illinois trapping license was generated from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources licensing database. Licensees were mailed a 4-page questionnaire, and we received 767 (66%) questionnaires. Trapping license sales increased 12% from 2009 (3,751 licenses) to 2010 (4,202 licenses).Trappers set an average of 23 traps for an average of 27.8 days or nights during the 2010-2011 season, and they harvested an estimated 198,653furbearers (up 69% from the 117,597harvested in 2009-2010). An estimated 88,233 raccoons (Procyon lotor) were trapped by trappers during the 2010-2011 Illinois trapping season, an increase of 68% from the estimated 52,431 trapped during the 2009-2010 season. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) harvest was the next highest at 63,257 muskrats trapped (98% increase from previous year). Twenty-one percent of trappers hadtaken the trapper’s education course, and 53% of trappers introduced at least one person to trapping in the past five years. Sightings of North American river otter (Lontra Canadensis) and bobcat (Lynx rufus) by trappers, and harvest of furbearers by hunting,were also documented.

Publisher

Illinois Natural History Survey

Series/Report Name or Number

Technical Report INHS 2011 (33)

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45804

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Illinois Natural History Survey Grant/Contract No: W-112-R-20

Copyright and License Information

This document is a product of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and has been selected and made available by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is intended solely for noncommercial research and educational use, and proper attribution is requested.

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