A self-inspecting question faces Illinois trappers and hunters each fall.
Are they in or are they out? Actually, the question is: Is it more frustrating to draw a bobcat permit nine years in a row and never harvest a bobcat, or is it more aggravating to apply for a bobcat permit nine years in a row and never have your name drawn for a permit?
Illinois DNR’s decision to double the number of bobcat permits it distributes appears to have piqued interest among Illinois trappers and hunters.
Shortly after the Sept. 30 application deadline, DNR reported that there were over 9,200 applications submitted this year, which is a new record. Previously, DNR announced it would bump the number of permits allotted from 1,000 to 2,000.
A record 9,200 applied for Illinois bobcat permits this season Read More »
Other than a three-year trapping license becoming available and an increased number of bobcat permits being distributed, Illinois trappers won’t see any big changes to the 2024-25 season.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t busy getting prepared. One big event takes place later this month, as the Illinois Trappers Association (ITA) holds its annual convention at the Macon County Fairgrounds in Decatur.
Illinois Trappers Association to host annual convention Read More »
Illinois DNR began accepting bobcat permit applications for the upcoming season on Sept. 1.
The odds of winning a permit greatly increased this year when DNR announced it is doubling the number of trappers and hunters allowed to participate. Instead of what had become a standard quota of 1,000 permits, DNR will distribute 2,000 for the 2024-2025 season, which opens Nov. 10.
Illinois DNR will accept applications for bobcat permits through Sept. 30 Read More »
Trappers and hunters hoping to secure a bobcat permit for the upcoming season in Illinois have had their chances doubled.
Following the release of a much-anticipated study by Southern Illinois University at Carbondale indicating the state’s bobcat population would support increased harvest, DNR has upped the number of bobcat permits it distributes via lottery each fall from 1,000 to 2,000.
Illinois DNR to double number of bobcat permits for upcoming season Read More »
In the July 26 edition of Illinois Outdoor News, trapping writer Kent Weil broke down the various fur auctions around the world to give trappers and hunters a glimpse at how and where their pelts move. This story takes a look at the history of the auction landscape.
Trapping’s destiny: a bit of North America auction history Read More »
Summer may seem like “down time” for Illinois trappers and fur hunters, but much is happening in the global fur market that will affect fur prices received by those here in the middle of the United States.
With the trapping season still roughly three months away, it’s interesting to look at what is happening at various international fur auctions – and it’s a good time to update local trappers on the status of the auctions.
Trapping update: global fur auctions a major price factor Read More »
Guy Groenewold’s grandfather emigrated from Germany in the early 1920s as the political climate became more and more untenable. The family began a chick and egg business in Forreston, Ill., and started buying local fur from trappers as well. A fairly lucrative endeavor at the time, the Groenewold family quickly transitioned to buying fur on a more serious basis. The business prospered.
By WWII, GFW was a major fur buyer in Illinois. Groenewold recounts how his dad, Grant, was skinning muskrats while listening to the radio describing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1945.
Meet Guy Groenewold — Illinois Outdoor News’ 2024 Person of the Year Read More »
I’ve been trapping for almost 60 years and have made every equipment mistake in the book – and some the book has never seen.
Most have had to do with procrastination (my wife calls it lazy). One theme that has run through the years is the advisability of getting all your gear ready for the next season now rather than wait until the heat of summer or the cluttered calendar trappers have in the fall (scouting, deer hunting, etc., etc., etc.). Do it now while the temperatures are mild and the damage (or loss) of gear is still fresh in your mind.
Helpful tips for all trappers: setting up for next season Read More »
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