Furbearer Management Registration Information

2019-2024 Annual Fur Production and 5-Year Average Based on Export Permits

Species	2019-2020	2020-2021	2021-2022	2022-2023	2023-2024	5-Year Average
Badger	107	167	64	30	19	77
Beaver	6,712	6,222	6,094	6,025	8,264	6,663
Bobcat	21	31	23	5	16	19
Coyote	32,106	29,148	27,536	9,526	11,786	22,020
Fisher	784	625	613	665	870	711
Fox	1,263	1,748	1,205	443	931	1,118
Canada Lynx	1,700	1,618	918	1,175	1,213	1,325
Marten	4,419	3,828	3,887	4,584	6,054	4,554
Mink	399	277	203	182	215	255
Muskrat	10,048	10,381	8,335	2,172	2,633	6,703
River Otter	169	194	153	154	178	170
Raccoon	50	42	15	451	15	115
Skunk	71	203	66	99	168	121
Squirrel	1,927	3,829	2,042	4,486	5,003	3,457
Weasel (Ermine)	2,508	1,925	1,755	2,173	2,378	2,148
Wolf	544	507	318	513	632	503
Wolverine	53	115	46	51	64	66

Fur Production Based on Export Permits

Species	2023/2024 Season			2022/2023 Season			% Change
	Number of Pelts	Avg Price	Economic Value	Number of Pelts	Avg Price	Economic Value	Number of Pelts	Avg Price	Economic Value
Badger	19	$40.02	$760	30	$22.39	$672	-37%	79%	13%
Beaver	8,264	$37.88	$313,040	6,025	$41.18	$248,110	37%	-8%	26%
Bobcat	16	$528.00	$8,448	5	$432.12	$2,161	220%	22%	291%
Coyote	11,786	$24.76	$291,821	9,526	$35.58	$338,935	24%	-30%	-14%
Fisher	870	$73.65	$64,076	665	$51.54	$34,274	31%	43%	87%
Fox	931	$7.81	$7,271	443	$8.62	$3,819	110%	-9%	90%
Lynx	1,213	$182.58	$221,470	1,175	$149.13	$175,228	3%	22%	26%
Marten	6,054	$73.02	$442,063	4,584	$56.81	$260,417	32%	29%	70%
Mink	215	$10.32	$2,219	182	$4.02	$732	18%	157%	203%
Muskrat	2,633	$2.89	$7,609	2,172	$2.69	$5,843	21%	7%	30%
River Otter	178	$48.50	$8,633	154	$41.65	$6,414	16%	16%	35%
Raccoon	15	$5.94	$89	451	$9.09	$4,100	-97%	-35%	-98%
Skunk	168	$28.49	$4,786	99	$17.78	$1,760	70%	60%	172%
Squirrel	5,003	$0.80	$4,002	4,486	$1.34	$6,011	12%	-40%	-33%
Weasel (Ermine)	2,378	$8.32	$19,785	2,173	$5.40	$11,734	9%	54%	69%
Wolf	632	$361.86	$228,569	513	$315.65	$161,928	23%	15%	41%
Wolverine	64	$517.73	$33,135	51	$480.31	$24,496	25%	8%	35%
Total Fur Value:	$1,657,777			$1,286,632			29%

Trapper Statistics 2023/24
Registered Licences	1,444
Partner Licences	1,318
Resident Licences	1,201
Registered Fur Management Areas	1,632

Trapping and Cougar Management

In recent years, the number of cougars accidentally killed by trappers in Alberta has increased. Cougars are carefully managed as a hunted game animal in Alberta, and no trapping season exists. In areas where incidental mortality of cougars is high, hunting quotas for cougars may need to be reduced to prevent population declines. As important stewards of Alberta's wildlife resources, trappers should take precautions to limit the number of cougars and other non-target species that are accidentally captured.

Most cougars are captured in snares set for wolves or coyotes, or in large conibears set for lynx, bobcats, or wolverines. Cougars are not trap-shy and are much more easily captured than wary species such as wolves. Therefore, trappers should take steps to reduce the chance that a cougar will find their traps. Avoid placing snares or large conibears in areas where ungulates are wintering. When possible, place your sets in open areas where cougars will feel uncomfortable. Keep snares and traps well away (>200 m) from baits; use canid-specific gland lures, urine, andscats to lure wolves and coyotes to your sets. If you see cougar tracks near your sets, close the snares or pull the traps until the cougar has moved on. Consider moving your sets to a new area if you're seeing regular cougar activity. By taking these few simple precautions, trappers can reduce the chance that they will accidentally catch a cougar, leaving more of these animals for enjoyment by all Albertans. For more information on cougars and cougar management in Alberta, download the Management Plan for Cougars in Alberta at: http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife

Reminder: All cougar harvests (even accidental) must be registered at a Fish and Wildlife office immediately!

Accurate harvest information helps in managing the furbearer resource, and ultimately benefits the trapping industry. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Control of Problem Wildlife

Regulations allow landholders (residents only) to take immediate action to control some problem wildlife. The following privileges are beyond those permitted under fur management licences during fur seasons.

Please contact your district Fish & Wildlife District Office when furbearers other than the species shown in this section are destroying property. A damage control licence may be necessary.

Section 38 of the Wildlife Act specifies that no person shall hunt wildlife or discharge firearms on or over occupied lands, or enter on such lands for the purpose of doing so without the consent of the owner or occupant.

Beaver may be hunted and trapped, without a licence and during all seasons, on privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with written permission from the owner or occupant of the land.

Wolf¹ may be hunted (but not trapped) without a licence during all seasons, as follows:

• on privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with permission from the owner or occupant.
  
• on public land by a person authorized to keep livestock on that land, or by a resident who has written permission from that authorized person.

The above authorities to hunt wolves extend to lands within 8 km (5 mi.) of the land described above, provided the authorized person or resident has right-of-access.

Coyotes¹ may be hunted (but not trapped), without a licence, at all times of the year throughout the province:

1. by a resident who has right of access to hunt on lands that are not public lands within the Green Area;
   
2. by the owner or occupant of privately owned land, on the privately owned land;
   
3. by a person maintaining livestock on public land, on that public land; or
   
4. *on lands described in c) that are in the Green Area, by a resident who is authorized in writing by the person described in c).

* These pelts must be salvaged.

(1) For further information and other seasons regarding the hunting of wolf and coyote, please refer to the current Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations.

Red fox may be hunted (but not trapped), without a licence and during all seasons, by a resident on privately owned land to which the resident has the right of access.

Badger and Red Squirrel may be hunted or trapped, without a licence and during all seasons, by a resident on privately owned land to which the resident has the right of access.

Skunk and raccoon may be hunted or trapped during all seasons by the owner or occupant of land, or by a person authorized by the owner or occupant, or by the holder of a licence authorizing the trapping of furbearing animals.

Rabbit or hare may be hunted (but not trapped), throughout the province, at any time of year, without a licence on land which the person has the right of access for hunting. A resident may use snares to take rabbit or hare, provided the snare meets Regulatory Requirements for the Use of Trapping Devices.

Bobcat may be hunted (but not trapped) by a resident on land which the resident has the right of access for hunting in WMUs 102, 104, 106, 108, 112, 116, 118 and 119 and that part of WMU 110 east of Highway No. 2 and south of Highway No. 3 from November 1 to February 28.