The Importance of Trapping for Wildlife Management
1. Preventing Overpopulation
Furbearers are prolific when conditions align—plenty of food, few predators, mild winters. Without trapping, their numbers can skyrocket:
Coyotes: In the U.S., coyote populations have expanded to over 20 million, adapting to urban and rural areas alike, according to the National Park Service. Left unchecked, they kill up to 70% of fawns in some regions, per wildlife studies.
Raccoon: The U.S. raccoon population hovers around 15-20 million, with densities reaching 50 per square mile in suburbs, says the Humane Society. Overabundance leads to crop losses—up to $4 million annually in some states, and rabies outbreaks.
Beaver: North America hosts about 6-12 million beavers, per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A single colony can flood 50 acres in a year, disrupting habitats.
Fox: Red fox numbers vary, but in prime habitats, they hit 10 per square mile—enough to strain rodent prey if unmanaged, per state wildlife data. In agricultural areas like rural New Hampshire and Vermont, they can wreak havoc on poultry farms.
Other species, such as bobcat, fisher, mink, and otter can also become overpopulated. Trapping keeps these populations in check. In 2022, U.S. trappers harvested 147,000 coyotes and 200,000 raccoons legally (Fur Commission USA), preventing ecological overload.
2. Maintaining Healthy Ecosystems
Overpopulation doesn’t just hurt furbearers—it ripples outward. Beavers, for instance, create wetlands—great for biodiversity—but too many dams destroy timber worth $100 million annually in the U.S., per the USDA. Coyotes, if excessive, can reduce deer populations by 40% in a single season, studies from the Midwest show. Raccoons threaten endangered species; in Florida, they’ve cut sea turtle hatchling success by 50% in some areas. Populations of game species like turkey, grouse, hare, and waterfowl, can also be negatively impacted by higher predator populations.
Regulated trapping balances these impacts. Wildlife agencies like the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies report that trapping removes only 5-10% of furbearer populations yearly—well below natural mortality rates—preserving ecosystems without depletion.
3. Reducing Human-Wildlife Conflict
Furbearers don’t respect property lines. Coyotes kill an estimated 135,000 livestock animals annually in the U.S., costing ranchers $232 million (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service). Raccoons carry rabies—responsible for 30% of wildlife cases in the eastern U.S., per the CDC—and cause $50 million in property damage yearly. Beavers flood infrastructure; in Wisconsin alone, they cost $10 million in road repairs in a decade.
New Jersey has allowed for the use of foot encapsulating (or dog-proof traps), which has led to a significant increase in the number of raccoon harvested. This has proven especially valuable for the reduction of rabies outbreaks in that state.
Trapping cuts these conflicts. In states like Minnesota, trapping reduced coyote-livestock incidents by 30% over five years, per state wildlife records. It’s a proven buffer between wild and human worlds.
4. Supporting Conservation Efforts
Trapping fuels conservation. In 2021, U.S. trapper license fees generated $15 million for wildlife programs, per the National Trappers Association. Trappers also report data; in New York, their coyote sightings helped map a 25% range expansion since 2000. Here in New Hampshire, trappers have helped monitor the population of fisher and have assisted in studies throughout their range.
At Westerman’s Fur Products, every fox fur hat you buy supports this cycle. Sustainable harvests mean furbearers stay abundant—coyote populations, for example, have grown 20% since the 1980s despite trapping, proving resilience.
5. Sustainable Resource Use
Fur is renewable—unlike synthetic fabrics, which produce 1.2 billion tons of CO2 yearly (World Resources Institute). Trapping turns management into utility: North America’s 250,000 trappers (International Fur Federation estimate) provide pelts for durable, biodegradable goods.
The Bigger Picture
Trapping isn’t random—it’s precise. In 2020, only 0.4% of the U.S. beaver population was trapped, yet it curbed $20 million in potential flood damage (USDA). Without it, we’d see starving animals, wrecked habitats, and costlier conflicts. At Westerman’s Fur Products, we partner with trappers who keep wildlife thriving—our beaver fur gloves and coyote fur hats are proof of that balance.
Curious about our sourcing? Contact us—we’re proud to back trapping’s role in a healthy wild.
