Trappers thrilled with rising pelt prices

These are good days to be a trapper in northwestern Ontario as prices for wild furata recent Toronto fur auction exceeded the expectations of many trappers.

Tracy Herold of Red Lake said themoneyhercatchbrought in was nearlydouble what she earned last year.

Pine Marten pelts normally fetch $80 to $100 dollars each, but Herold said "one of my martens went for $250 and I averaged $143."

"A top-lot marten went for $685 for one [pelt]."

Herold said she and her trapping partner made nearly $10,000 for 70 marten pelts.

Prices for beaver and lynx were good, but not quite as impressive as marten, she added.

Fetching higher prices for pelts is a welcome change for trappers, as gas prices and other costs associated with working the trade have risen.Becauseof thosehigh costs,people who operate trap lineshave often simply broken even.

Herold said she believes a cold fall in Russia and parts of Asia may have led to a decline in pelt supply from those areas, sparking the jump in pelt prices here.

She also noted trappers are using more humane traps that cause less damage to fur, which improves the quality of the pelts.