2020-2021 and 2021-2022Furbearer Hunting Regulations
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission
June 12, 2020
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Derek Broman- ODFW Carnivore-Furbearer CoordinatorTom Stahl- ODFW Fish Conservation & Recovery Program Manager
Presentation OverviewProgram OverviewLicense TrendsGeneral Regulation ProposalsSpecies and Season Information
2K.Kohl
Furbearer Program OverviewProgram and regulations include 23 species:
• 6 protected and 17 subject to harvest
Regulations primarily for licensed activities
Licenses include hunters, trappers, and fur dealers
Trapper Education mandatory for new trappers
License required for those 12 and up, but always required for bobcats and river otters
License number (brand) assigned for life3
Furbearer Program OverviewMandatory reporting for all license holders
• Species (17) • County (36) • Activity (hunt/trap/pursuit/roadkill)
• Hunt type (calling, dogs, opportunistic)• Effort (days hunted/trapped, avg number traps)• Non-harvest (animals released, opportunity passed)
Mandatory check in for bobcats and river otters• Sex, age, and tag pelt
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K.Kohl
Furbearer Program OverviewExtensive regulations are product of substantial public process and various work groups
• Branded traps• Trap and set design• Set back restrictions• Area closures• Trap check requirements
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Furbearer Program OverviewOther regulation factors
• New science including genetics and human dimensions• National and international regulations• Best Management Practices (BMPs)• Compliance with Oregon Trappers Code of Ethics and
the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation• Law enforcement
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Furtaker Licenses Issued1989-2019
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000#
Lic
ense
s
Year
FurtakersFurbearer Hunters
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Furbearer Program Overview
• Furtaker program revenues of $374K/biennium
• Costs to administer furtaker program is $45K/biennium
• Costs do not include staff and district work associated with addressing damage by furbearers
• Small piece of the management activities for all of the species in the Carnivore and Furbearer Program
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Furtaker Reporting2009-2019
0
20
40
60
80
100
% R
epor
ting
(On-
Tim
e an
d L
ate)
Year
Furtakers Furbearer Hunter Total
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*2019 is incomplete
Furtaker Reporting2009-2019 On-Time Reporting
0
20
40
60
80
100
% O
n-Ti
me
Rep
ortin
g
Year
Furtakers Furbearer Hunters Total
10
Species and Seasons
711
D. Budeau
Furbearer Harvest and Furtaker Interest
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Most harvested species: muskrat, coyotes, and bobcats Most targeted species: bobcats, coyotes, and raccoons
BOBCAT
COYOTE
RACCOON
BEAVER
MUSKRAT
STRIPED SKUNK GRAY FOX FURTAKER’S TARGET SPECIES*
MUSKRAT
COYOTE
BOBCAT
BEAVER
NUTRIA
RACCOON STRIPED SKUNK
AVERAGE ANNUAL HARVEST*
*top 7 presented
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AFWA Trapper Survey (2015)
Oregon averages 36.5 days trapping
Even use of private-only, public-only, or both
32% trap for damage (60% contacted to address damage)
Market prices can drive licenses, effort, and harvest•Source of income is a low priority for Oregon trappers with 68% saying ‘not important’
•Average expenditures ($1,897*) far exceed any profit*does not include time
Furbearer Harvest and Furtaker Interest
Unprotected Mammals
Open Entire Year for:Badger, Coyote, Nutria, Opossum,Skunks, Weasels
Protected Mammals
No Open Season for:Fisher, Ringtail, Wolverine, Kit Fox, Canada Lynx, & 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 15
Pursuit Season Recommendations
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: 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 five business days after the season ends
Furtakers With Bobcat Record Cards
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
# Fu
rtake
rs
Year
Individuals Purchasing Record Cards 1999-2019
Western OR Eastern OR
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Bobcat Harvest Trends Annual Harvest 1999-2018
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0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
Harv
est
Year
Eastern Bobcat Western Bobcat
Bobcat Pelt Price Trends
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
Ave
rage
Pel
t Pric
e
Year
Average Oregon Bobcat Pelt Price 1999-2019
Eastern OR Western OR Statewide
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Bobcat Management Criteria
Harvest and Effort• Harvest, Participation, 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
Staff proposes no changes to bobcat bag limits
The Department has new requirement to report any take of Canada lynx to USFWS
Canada lynx are protected species and prohibited from take, but currently no mandatory reporting of incidental take
Staff propose reporting requirement of any incidental take or other forms of take of protected species (wolverine, fisher, ringtail, sea otter, Canada lynx, and kit fox) to the Department within 48 hours
General Regulation Proposals
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General Regulation Proposals
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Stakeholder request: change Eastern Bobcat Record card to Statewide Record card
Request allows furtakers to hunt/trap in eastern and western Oregon while maintaining eastern Oregon harvest restrictions and other prohibitions
Staff support the request and propose incorporating the modification
CurrentRecord Card Open Area Harvest Limit
Eastern Eastern Oregon 5
Western Western Oregon None
ProposedRecord Card Open Area Harvest Limit
Statewide Statewide 5
Western Western Oregon None
Beaver Management
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As furbearers, beavers are an important species for conservation and management in Oregon
Through dam building, beaver are a keystone species by the modifying of environments
Known benefits include improving habitat conditions for 50+ Oregon Conservation Strategy Species including ESA listed fish
Beaver Biology & Ecology
Beaver Biology & Ecology
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Beaver live in colonies of 2-8 individuals, are territorial, density-dependent breeders, and home ranges average 0.75 linear mile
Beaver occur where there is habitat and it consists of early-seral conditions and deciduous tree species near the waterline for food and building material and sufficient water depths to avoid predators
Detections difficult as beaver are nocturnal and most do not build dams, detecting other beaver sign is needed to determine presence
Single colony needs 18 acres of mature willow annually
Climate change has mixed effects on beaver habitat
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Beaver dams receive much attention for their secondary effects of modifying habitat and abiotic factorsDocumenting dams and other sign show relationship between beavers and dam presence and persistence• USFS survey data for five eastern Oregon National Forests
documented 123 records of beaver sign but dams at only 28% of locations
• OSU’s West Fork Cow Creek (Umpqua Basin) project documented 80 beaver detections but dam at only 17% of all locations and 22% of locations in areas modeled to be suitable for dams
Dam ‘habitat’ does not address beaver habitat
Beaver Biology & Ecology
ODFW Beaver Activities
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Furbearer Program, furtakers, and harvest data
Oregon Beaver Working Group
Umpqua Beaver Working Group
AFWA Furbearer Technical Work Group and surveys
Beaver Relocation Requirements
Joint Memos and MOUs with agencies and partners
Written or financial support for external projects
Conducting and collaborating on research
Public and professional presentations
Wildlife Damage Database and Wildlife Control Operators
Data sharing with agency partners
limiting
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Beaver Ponds and FishPotential Future Benefits and Climate Change
• Temperature• Flow• Riparian• Floodplain• Surface/groundwater connection
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Beaver Ponds and Fish
Support for Beaver Ponds• Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds• Conservation and recovery plans• Beaver Work Group
• Restoration coordination, including “intrinsic potential” maps• Inter-agency coordination and staff directives• Fish passage guidance• Research, models, on-going monitoring
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Beaver Ponds and Fish
Oregon Beaver Status
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No contemporary nor science-based statewide population estimate exists, but techniques can be used at smaller scales
For perspective, conservative estimate could include:• Use beaver density (5 beaver per colony, 1 colony per mile,
1 mile gap between colonies), river miles, and river size • Omit ponds, lakes, coastline, smaller stream reaches, and
dispersing juveniles
Beaver Regulations
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Tillamook County
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Tillamook County
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Conservative Estimate• Use beaver density (5 beaver per colony, 1 colony per mile,
1 mile gap between colonies), river miles, and river size• Ignore ponds, lakes, coastline, smaller stream reaches, and
dispersing juvenilesTillamook County
488 miles of ≥5th Order
1,221 beaver2,782 beaver (include 3rd and 4th order at 50% occupancy)
Oregon Beaver Status
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Mandatory harvest reporting allows close monitoring of harvest and activityHarvest has declined but metrics show a decline in trapping, not beaver
Over the last 5 years (2014-2018)• Annual statewide beaver trapper harvest 1,529
• Trapping harvest in 35 of 36 Counties (none in Coos)
• Highest average in Tillamook (154)
• Six highest counties comprise 50% of total harvest
• Half of counties average ≤ 25
• Eight counties reported no trapper harvest in a year
Oregon Beaver Management
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Many efforts to prohibit or reduce beaver harvest
Non-regulatory reduction in coastal areas•Significant harvest reduction
16 explicit closures in place•9 Counties•Average 47 years
Oregon Beaver Management
Beaver Regulations Requests
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In December 2019, request closure to beaver harvest in the Siuslaw National Forest (SNF) and state lands in the Upper Nehalem Watershed
• Staff began discussions with the Siuslaw National Forest
Department recently received other requests for closure on all Federal Lands via public comment
• Some areas already closed to all hunting and trapping• No request from USFWS, USFS, BLM, or NPS
Closure Evaluation
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Science on topic: Beaver presence/absence DensityMortality sourcesMortality levelsHabitat condition and distribution Habitat modification and responseRelocationsConnectivityGenetics
Closure Evaluation (cont’d)
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No scientific data provided by SNFOther Forests with closures have no data available to show any success, same aquatic habitat issues remain
Life table of single beaver colony over 10 years
Potential Beaver Population Limitations
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Harvest
Predation
Disease
Illegal activity
Vehicle strikes
Damage
Genetics
Connectivity
Habitat
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Harvest threshold 30% population, higher in temperate areas
Tillamook County average annual harvest 154 (highest in Oregon)
• Streams 5th order and larger: 1,221 beaver 13% harvest rate, 212 surplus
Last 5 years, six counties comprise 50% of harvest, half of counties average ≤ 25, and 8 counties reported no trapper harvest in a year
No harvest of monitored beaver
Historical accounts and recent surveys documented limited trapping in sensitive or areas of interest
Harvest Impact
Potential Beaver Population Limitations
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PredationDiseaseIllegal activityVehicle strikesDamageGeneticsConnectivity
Potential Beaver Population Limitations
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HabitatDemonstrated use of highly manipulated and urban systemsLoss of deciduous/early seral habitat Loss of disturbance (fire, timber harvest)Hardwood conversion/conifer encroachmentStreambank/Riparian degradation
Greatest Limiting Factor: Beaver Habitat
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Projects for fish had unintended consequences for beaver habitat
Example in Coast Range:“Conduct thinning of deciduous/hardwood and/or early seral-stage conifers, and underplanting of conifers in early seral-stage riparian zones to promote increased and faster regeneration of conifers.” -USFS Lower Siuslaw Watershed Analysis for the Northwest Forest Plan
Other management actions in coast range and elsewhere include fire suppression and prohibiting timber harvest in riparian areas
Greatest Limiting Factor: Beaver Habitat
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End-product of these actions are riparian areas with older forest conditions with large trees to produce shade (mostly conifers), resulting in poor beaver habitat
Few plans, if any, call for the management of habitat for beaverand are inadequate to meet real biological needs
The science shows that the way to provide meaningful improvements for populations of beaver and their role as a keystone species is to improve habitat for beaver
Beaver Regulations Requests
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Siuslaw National Forest• SNF provided no data showing need for closure • Data available shows no impact from harvest
State lands in the Upper Nehalem Watershed• Data available shows no impact from harvest
Requests for closures on all Federal Lands• Public comment: Beaver dams can be beneficial• Data available shows no impact from harvest
Staff evaluation does not support a closure
Furbearer Program Notes
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• Potential online Trapper Education Course and Exam
• Future Wildlife Crossing Closures
• Furtaker assistance with research projects and data collection
• Montane Red Fox DNA Collection
• Starkey Multi-Carnivore Study (OSU, ODFW)
• ODFW Alsea Cougar Study
• Furbearer Research
• Sierra Nevada Red Fox• Fisher• Marten (Coast & Cascades) • Beaver
• Ringtail• Wolverine• Climate Modeling (U of Wisconsin)
Questions
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K.Kohl
