The trapping industry in Saskatchewan generates approximately $1.81 million (1992-2001 mean) of
revenue annually through raw fur sales, for about 3,200 registered trappers. Many trappers depend on
raw fur sales to supplement their annual income from other sources. Fur species are a renewable
resource. Proper conservation management and humane use will ensure the long-term sustainability of
the resource and the trapping industry.
Trapper Code of Conduct
Trapping is a privilege - not a right. Maintaining public acceptance of trapping as a legitimate vocation is
the responsibility of all trappers and resource managers. Responsible trappers follow a strict Code of
Conduct:
- Trap in the most humane way possible.
- Avoid capturing non-target animals.
- Maintain a high degree of proficiency in pelt preparation.
- Use the best available kill-type trap when harvesting fur animals on land.
- Use underwater sets wherever possible. Use proper locks and slide wires set in a sufficient depth of
water on all hold and drown-type shore sets.
- Anchor traps or snares securely enough to hold the largest potential catch.
- Ensure that neck snares set on land are equipped with proper locking devices (W-13.1 REG 1- 24(2)h).
- Check traps regularly, as early in the day as possible (W-13.1 REG 1 - 24(3)).
- Make only as many sets as you can effectively manage.
- Carefully record the location of trap sets.
- Know and use proper releasing and killing methods.
- Dispose of animal carcasses properly so other people will not be offended.
- Respect the rights and property of others, and assist landowners with removal of problem wildlife.
- Encourage and support trapper education and public awareness programs.
- Help new trappers learn proper conservation and humane fur harvesting methods.
- Promptly report the presence of diseased animals to the nearest Saskatchewan Environment office.
- Protect and conserve wildlife and its habitat.
- Respect and obey laws.
Wild Fur Animal Season Dates and Royalties
An important criterion used in setting fur animal seasons is primeness of
the pelt. In a fully prime pelt
both the guard hairs and the underfur have reached optimum length and
density. On the leather side of
the pelt, the roots of the new hairs have decreased, and the melanocytes
(pigment-containing cells) in the
hair roots have ceased producing the pigment melanin and have contracted,
resulting in a skin that is
soft, flexible and creamy white. In an un-prime skin, the underfur and guard
hairs are not fully developed
and are at low density. The leather is bluish to black as a result of active
pigment production in the hair
roots. In order to realize top value, trappers are urged to harvest fur
animals during peak prime period.
Fur royalties must be paid on all wild furs before sale or export (W-13.1
REG 1-60). Royalties should be paid
where the first transaction occurs, by the fur dealer, auction company, or
trapper (if selling fur privately or
retaining the pelt). Any person authorized to take fur animals in
Saskatchewan shall, upon request,
provide Saskatchewan Environment with any pelt information requested (W-13.1
REG 1- 59(2)). Royalty rates,
pelt primeness and season dates (W 13.1 REG 1- 28, W 31.11- 31(2)) are
presented in the table below.
Species Area Season Dates Pelt Primeness Fur Royalty
Arctic Fox 1 Nov. - 28 Feb. 1 Dec - 15 Feb $0.30
Badger 1 Nov - 15 Apr 1 Jan - 31 Mar $0.40
Black Bear in Fur Conservation Areas 1 Sep - 31 May 1 Nov - 15 May $1.60
Beaver in Fur Conservation Areas
outside Fur Conservation Areas
15 Oct - 20 May
1 Oct - 31 May
15 Dec - 28 Feb $0.40
Bobcat 1 Nov - 15 Feb 15 Dec - 15 Feb $1.50
Coyote in Fur Conservation Areas
outside Fur Conservation Areas
15 Oct - 15 Mar
Open Season
1 Nov - 31 Jan $0.70
Fisher 1 Nov - 28 Feb 1 Nov - 31 Jan $1.20
Fox (red, silver,
and cross)
in Fur Conservation Areas
outside Fur Conservation Areas
15 Oct - 31 Jan
Open Season
1 Nov - 31 Dec $0.40
Lynx 1 Nov - 28 Feb 15 Dec - 28 Feb $2.00
Marten 1 Nov - 28 Feb 15 Nov - 15 Feb $1.30
Mink 1 Nov - 15 Feb 1 Nov - 31 Dec $0.90
Muskrat in Fur Conservation Areas
outside Fur Conservation Areas
15 Oct - 20 May
15 Oct - 30 Apr
1 Jan - 31 Mar $0.05
Otter 1 Nov - 30 Apr 1 Nov - 31 Dec $1.40
Raccoon Open Season 15 Dec - 15 Mar $0.20
Squirrel 1 Nov - 15 Mar 1 Nov - 31 Jan $0.05
Swift Fox Closed Season (Protected Species)
Weasel 1 Nov - 28 Feb 15 Nov - 15 Feb $0.10
Wolf 15 Oct - 15 Mar 15 Nov - 15 Feb $3.00
Wolverine 15 Oct - 15 Feb 15 Nov - 31 Jan $4.50
Mandatory Trapper Education
All first-time trappers, regardless of age, are required by regulation to
satisfactorily complete a Trapper
Education Course or pass an Equivalency Test (W-13.1 REG 1-33(a)).
Individuals who can demonstrate that
they have previously held a trapper’s license in another jurisdiction are
not required to take the Trapper
Education Exam. The mandatory exam can be taken in one of two ways:
• Purchase a manual from any Saskatchewan Environment office and complete or
verbally respond to
a multiple choice question examination and receive a mark of at least 70%.
• Attend a Trapper Education Course and then write or verbally take the exam
and receive a mark of at
least 70%.
In addition, people under 18 years of age and all first-time hunters and
trappers who have never
possessed a hunting or trapping license must graduate from a Firearm
Safety/Hunter Education course
before being eligible to obtain a fur license. Persons between the ages of
12 and 15 inclusive, must be
accompanied by an adult if using a firearm when engaged in trapping
activities in the field (W-13.1 REG 1-33).
Trapper education is an important part of fur animal management in
Saskatchewan. Humane trapping
education courses, workshops, and school/youth presentations are conducted
by the Saskatchewan
Trappers Association (STA) in southern Saskatchewan, and by the Northern
Saskatchewan Trappers
Association (NSTA) in the north.
Foot and Neck Snares
Mechanically activated foot snares, set to catch and restrain an animal by
the foot, may be used for all
fur species (W-13.1 REG 1- 24(1)c)), as part of normal trapping operations
covered under any of the regular fur
licenses.
To promote humane and responsible trapping, Saskatchewan Environment has
worked with the trapping
industry to develop standards and policies for the use of neck-snares in
Saskatchewan. A trapper who
wishes to use neck-snares is required to obtain a Special Permit from
Saskatchewan Environment
in addition to their regular fur license (see exceptions below). The Permit
requirement is intended to
provide Conservation Officers with the opportunity to inspect snare
mechanisms to ensure they meet
proper criteria (ie. to ensure humaneness and avoid incidental capture of
wildlife). The Special Permit
also provides a means for Saskatchewan Environment to ensure compliance with
the agreed to
standards and policies.
Free-hanging neck snares cannot be used without a Special Permit, except to
take fur animals under
the ice or Squirrel and Rabbit (W-13.1 REG 1-24(1 a, b)). A Special Permit
for use of free-hanging neck snares
can be obtained by qualifying persons at any Saskatchewan Environment
office. These permits are
issued to individual Fur Conservation Areas (FCA) within the Northern Fur
Conservation Block for
members of the individual FCAs. Free-hanging neck snares cannot be used to
harvest fur in the
South Saskatchewan Open Trapping Area, except for livestock predation
control. A Special Permit
is required and the snares used must be obtained from a Saskatchewan
Environment-approved snare
supplier.
Steel, spring activated, power neck snares can be used by trappers
throughout Saskatchewan to
harvest coyotes and fox only (W-13.1 REG1-24(2)j), provided they have a
valid fur licence and Special Permit
from Saskatchewan Environment for that purpose (W-13.1 REG6(2)). Power neck
snares must meet the
standards developed by Saskatchewan Environment in consultation with the
trapping industry.
Checking Traps and Snares
Anyone who sets traps or snares must return to check them on a regular basis
(W-13.1 REG 1-24(3)).
Regulations require that traps or snares must be checked at least every 24
hours in the South
Saskatchewan Trapping Area if the sets are within 5 kilometers of a town
with a population exceeding
1000 people or at least every 72 hours if the sets are farther than 5
kilometers. Sets must be checked at
least every 120 hours in the Northern Fur Conservation Block.
List of traps certified by the Government of Saskatchewan to meet AIHTS
requirements as of 19 March, 2004
Species Scientific Name Killing Traps Restraining Traps
Badger - Taxidea taxus Results to come
Beaver - Castor canadensis Under Water Sets:
Belisle Super X 280 and Super X 330
BMI 280 and BMI 330
Bridger 330
LDL C280 and C330
Rudy 280 and Rudy 330
Sauvageau 2001-8 and Sauvageau 2001-11
Species-specific 330 Dislocator Half-Magnum
Species specific 440 Dislocator Half-Magnum
Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 280, 330
Land Sets:
Belisle Super X 330
BMI 330
Bridger 330
LDL C 330
Rudy 330
Sauvageau 2001-11
Species-specific 330 Dislocator Half-Magnum
Species specific 440 Dislocator Half-Magnum
Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 330
Bobcat - Felis rufus
Belisle foot snare
Coyote - Canis latrans Belisle foot snare
Bridger #3 equipped with 5/16 inch (8 mm) offset, double
rounded jaw laminations using 3/16 inch (5 mm) on top side
of jaws and 1/4 inch (6 mm) on underside of jaws, with 4 coil
springs and a swivel center mounted on base plate.
Fisher - Martes pennanti Belisle Super X 160 and Super X 22
Koro #2
LDL C160 Magnu,
Sauvageau 2001-5 and 2001-8
Lynx - Felix lynx Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 330
Belisle foot snare
Victor #3 Soft Catch (unmodified)
Victor #3 SOFTCATCH with 4 coil springs
Victor #3 with 3/16 inch (5 mm) jaw, 4 coil springs and swivel
center mounted on base plate
Marten - Martes
americana
Belisle Super X 120
BMI 126 Magnum
LDL B120 Magnum
Rudy 120 Magnum
Sauvageau C120 Magnum
Sauvageau 2001-5
Muskrat -Ondatra
zibethicus
Underwater sets:
Jaw-type leghold trap with submersion system
Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 110
Land sets:
Triple M
Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 110
Woodstream Oneida Victor CONIBEAR 120
Otter - Lutra canadensis Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 330
Raccoon - Procyon lotor Belisle Classic 220
Belisle Super X 160, Belisle Super X 220
BMI 160, BMI 220
Bridger 220
LDL 160, LDL 220
Rudy 220
Sauvageau 2001-6, 2001-7 and 2001-8
Species-specific 220 Half-Magnum
Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 160
Woodstream Oneida Victor Conibear 220
10
Weasel - Mustela spp. Victor Rat Trap
Wolf - Canus lupus Results to come
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is
a federal/provincial
committee that studies, reports on and assigns a status to various species
of plants and animals in
Canada. COSEWIC considers information from the most reliable sources and
assigns status in one of
the following categories:
EXTINCT: A species that no longer exists.
EXTIRPATED: A species no longer existing in Canada, but occurring elsewhere.
ENDANGERED: A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
THREATENED: A species likely to become endangered in Canada if the factors
affecting its vulnerability
do not become reversed.
SPECIAL CONCERN (VULNERABLE): A species of special concern because of
characteristics that
make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.
NOT AT RISK: A species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk.
DATA DEFICIENT (INDETERMINANT): A species for which there is insufficient
scientific information to
support status designation.
In Saskatchewan, the Wolverine is listed as vulnerable by COSEWIC. Swift Fox
is listed as endangered.
Plains Grizzly is listed as extirpated. No furbearers are at risk because of
trapping activities.
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