2018-2019 and 2019-2020Furbearer Trapping and Hunting Regulations

Oregon Fish and Wildlife CommissionJune 7, 2018

Derek Broman ODFW Carnivore-Furbearer Coordinator

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Presentation Overview• License and Pelt Price Trends• Species and Season Information• General Regulation Proposals• Program Notes

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Furtaker License Sales Trends1987-2017

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Furtakers Furbearer Hunters

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New Furtaker License Trends1997-2017

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Returning Furtakers New Furtakers

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Furtaker Reporting Trend2007-2017

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Furtaker Reporting Trend2007-2017 On-Time Reporting

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Furtakers Furbearer Hunters Average

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Average Annual

Pelt Prices

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$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

E BobcatOtterW Bobcat

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

MartenMinkRed FoxGray Fox

$0

$10

$20

$30

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

BeaverRaccoonMuskrat

AFWA 2015

Report-Average

Trapping Expenses:

US $1,694 Oregon $1,761

Species and Seasons

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D. Budeau

Unprotected MammalsOpen Entire Year for:Badger, Coyote, Nutria, Opossum,Porcupine, Skunks, Weasels

Most Included in Harvest Report

Protected MammalsNo Open Season for:Fisher, Ringtail, Wolverine,Kit Fox, Sea Otter

Season Recommendations

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K.Kohl

Furbearer Harvest Season Recommendations

• No Proposed Changes to Season Dates for most Furbearer Trapping and Hunting

─ Beaver Nov. 15 – Mar. 15─ Bobcat Dec. 1 – Feb. 28─ Marten Nov. 1 – Jan. 31─ Muskrat Nov. 15 – Mar. 31─ Mink Nov. 15 – Mar. 31─ Raccoon Nov. 15 – Mar. 15─ River Otter Nov. 15 – Mar. 15

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Furbearer Harvest Season RecommendationsProposed Changes to Season Dates for Red Fox and Gray Fox

• Red Fox assumed to be non-native in eastern Oregon counties, therefore no closed season in 9 counties. (Oct 15-Jan15 elsewhere)

• New genetic information suggestsmany are actually native red fox

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No Closed Season

Open Season Oct 15- Jan 14

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Greet al. 2017. Genetic Characteristics of Red Foxes in Northeastern Oregon. Northwestern Naturalist 98:73-81

Furbearer Harvest Season Recommendations

• Currently:─ Red Fox Oct. 15 – Jan. 15 or

Open All Year in Baker, Gilliam, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler Counties

─ Gray Fox Nov. 15 – Feb. 28Statewide

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• Propose:─ Red Fox Oct. 15 – Feb. 28

Statewide

─ Gray Fox Oct. 15 – Feb. 28Statewide

Pursuit Seasons

Bobcat:Sept. 1 – Feb. 28

Red and Gray Fox:Sept. 1 – Feb. 28

Raccoon:Sept. 1 – Mar. 15

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Harvest:Dec. 1 – Feb. 28

Harvest: (Proposed) Oct. 15 – Feb. 28

Harvest:Nov. 15 – Mar. 15

Bobcat Information

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• Bobcat Record Card required to hunt or trap• Lower jaw and harvest information must be submitted to

ODFW to have ownership tag affixed and must occur within 5 business days after the season ends

Furtakers With Bobcat Record Cards

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Individuals Purchasing Record Cards 1997-2017

Western OR Eastern OR

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Bobcat Harvest Trends Annual Harvest 1997-2016

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Eastern Bobcat Western Bobcat

Bobcat Pelt Price Trends

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Average Oregon Bobcat Pelt Price 1997-2017

Eastern OR Western OR Statewide

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Bobcat Pelt Price Trends

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Relationship between Bobcat Pelt Price and Record Cards1997-2017

Eastern Pelt Price Eastern Cards Purchased

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Bobcat Management Criteria

Harvest and Effort• Harvest, Participation, and Effort,

and Catch Per Unit Effort

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Harvest Demographic Structure• Proportion of Females

• Proportion of Kittens and Juveniles

• Proportion of Adult Females

• Average Age of Harvest

Low fluctuation, within long term averages

2015 and 2016 higher than long term averages

Lower proportion in 2015 & 2016 and below long term averages

2015 and 2016 lower than long term averages

Eastern OregonSubstantial decline in harvest, participation, and effort, but Catch Per Unit Effort values have increased slightly and remain within long term averages

Department proposes no changes to Eastern Oregon bobcat bag limit (5)

Bobcat Management Criteria

Harvest and Effort• Harvest, Participation, and Effort,

and Catch Per Unit Effort

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Harvest Demographic Structure• Proportion of Females

• Proportion of Kittens and Juveniles

• Proportion of Adult Females

• Average Age of Harvest

Low fluctuation, within long term averages

Increasing, above long term averages

At or below long term averages

Low in 2015 and 2016

Western OregonLower harvest, participation, and effort, but Catch Per Unit Effort values remain within long term averages

Department proposes no changes to Western Bag Limit (no limit)

Currently, killing traps and their placement restrictions are categorized into three groups:

General Regulation Proposals

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Jaw spread less than 7.5”• Limited by Set Back

Restrictions from trail, trailhead, picnic area, etc. on Public Land

• Nomenclature (220’s and smaller)

Jaw spread 7.5 to <9”• Limited to 50 feet

from water (except when authorized by ODFW) and by Set Back Restrictions on Public Land

• Nomenclature (280’s)

Jaw spread 9” and greater• Limited to Water Set

Only• Nomenclature (330’s

and larger)

"Killing trap" means a device used to kill a mammal as part of a trap system.

General Regulation Proposals

Staff proposes to modify 635-050-0045 to restrict killing traps with a jaw spread of 7.5 inches or more to a water set except when authorized by ODFW

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Oregon Trappers Association request restricting 7.5+” to water set only on public lands

Functionally, this would create two categories of killing traps and their placement and streamline regulations

635-050-0045General Furbearer Regulations (9) It is unlawful for any person to trap for furbearers, predatory animals or unprotected mammals using:

(d) Any killing trap having a jaw spread of [9]7.5 inches or more in any land set except when authorized by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

General Regulation Proposals

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Furtakers are required to surrender lower jaw of harvested bobcat or river otter to have an ownership tag (i.e. CITES Tag) affixed to their pelt by ODFW Staff.

Information on sex and date and county of harvest is also required and usually exists on jaw tags provided by ODFW.

Staff concerned mismatched tags and jaws, reducing data quality.

Staff proposes to modify 635-050-0183 to require information isattached to each jaw to qualify for ownership tags.635-050-0183

Bobcat and River Otter Ownership TagsA furtaker shall be responsible for surrendering to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife the lower jawbone including both canine teeth and information on sex, date of catch and county of harvest attached to[with] each individual Oregon bobcat and river otter jawbone to qualify for ownership tags. A district office may, on a case-by-case basis, waive the lower jawbone requirement, for example if the furtaker provides evidence that failure to provide the jawbone is due to unexpected circumstances beyond his or her control.

Furbearer Program Notes

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• Considering online Trapper Education Course and Exam

• Petition for marten harvest regulation changes on August Commission agenda

• Furtaker assistance with research projects and data collection

• Montane Red Fox DNA Collection

• Starkey Multi-Carnivore Study (OSU, ODFW)

• ODFW Alsea Cougar Study

• SW Oregon Carnivore Diet Study (U of Wisconsin)

• Furbearer Research

• Kit Fox (High Desert Southeast Oregon)

• Sierra Nevada Red Fox (Central Cascades)

• Fisher (Applegate WMU)

Questions

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K.Kohl