TRAPPING UP-DATE

On August 30/31 Canadian buyers and brokers attended the wild fur auction in North Bay, “the last Wildfur Auction house in North America and the world” according to Robin Horwath, General Manager of the Ontario Fur Managers Federation. Of course international travel restrictions prevented any foreign buyers from participating in the live auction.

Horwath attended to check out the furs and to talk to buyers before the Sunday morning auction. “Everyone told me that there is good demand for wildfur around the world and if it were not for the travel restrictions this would have been a fantastic auction.”

He said that the auction began at 8:00 a.m. with 1100 wolves, followed by 340 wolverines in which there was much interest and successful sales. After lunch they auctioned 300 black bear pelts.

The Fur Harvesters Auction then announced that from Friday, September 4 until Friday, September 11 it would be hosting an on-line auction

Horwath attended the auction as a trapper with pelts to be auctioned and as General Manager of the OFMF to support the FHA. “Most of the staff at FHA are trappers who know the hard work that goes into harvesting the furbearers and the work in properly preparing the pelts for auction. Kudos to the FHA for trying the online auction to allow international buyers the opportunity to bid on wildfur for the global market.”

I contacted Carmen Cotnoir, a retired teacher and former president of the trappers’ association and she said that she had yet to receive a cheque for her furs. As in most aspects of life, “Covid did not help the situation at this year’s auction…Time will surely fix many things…one thing for sure I am still going trapping this year.”

I also contacted Mark Taylor the PR guy for the FHA but I guess he’s out on his trapline. More to follow. Perhaps.

Photo –Carmen Cotnoir on the trapline.