Before the white settlers came to North America, this continent had more variety and greater numbers of wildlife than most other continents. The Native Americans, dependent on wildlife for the essentials of life, captured only what they had use for.
When European explorers came to North America and found an abundance of wildlife (especially fur bearing animals) they eagerly traded goods to the Native Americans in return for valuable furs. The demand and price for furs was high in Europe and the Native Americans trapped more animals to meet the wanted supplies of the fur traders.
As word spread of the great fur wealth in the New World, Europeans migrated here to join in the fur trade. The new fur trade meant that more animals were taken for basic needs and used as trading material. Wildlife made a tremendous contribution to their economy and development of the New World.
The trappers and hunters who settled here could harvest game year round as no game laws existed and game management was non existent. As settlements grew and fur supplies diminished in a region, trappers and hunters set out westward into new territory to keep their trading operations in business. Some people realized the problems that could occur if certain species became extinct. By the end of the Colonial period, twelve of the original colonies had enacted at least a few game laws.
The concern for conservation of wildlife in our country in the nineteenth century brought about the creation of laws by state and federal governments which put limits on the quantity of animals harvested, the territory that could be hunted or trapped, and the length and time of open seasons. Agencies, departments and societies of wildlife were created to enforce the laws, to learn more about animal habitats and to improve the scientific approach to management of all wildlife.
These conservation efforts differentiate between the early trapper of the 1500's and the modern trapper of today. Today's trapper carries on his trade in a complex arena of laws and a keen balance between consumption and aesthetic use of wildlife species. Some uninformed groups give the trapper a bad name today, stereotyping him as a destroyer of wildlife. The trapper must constantly defend his occupation through public education to prevent changes in the laws that permit trapping.
Other differences in modern trapping include the place and value trapped animals have in our society. People who trap today do not depend as much on the animals and their parts for sustaining life as did the Indians and early white settlers. In addition to trapping furbearers for profit, trapping today is essential to keep the numbers of animals within the limits of their habitat and to protect crops and livestock.
The modern trapper has improved and more humane implements available for his use today. These new types of traps, improved ways to set them and easier and quicker ways to check traps and sell furs are added advantages to the fur trapper and the fur industry.
A major difference between the old and the new is the more scientific approach to the management of wildlife. Through improved knowledge of animal biology, including distribution patterns, population cycles and interactions with man and the environment, sustainable harvests of most species is possible.
Despite the differences between the early trappers and trappers of the 1990's, there are some characteristics which have remained consistent with this occupation for hundreds of years. Trappers today still have the pioneering spirit and enjoy the adventure that going out into the wilderness gives them. Trapping has always been hard work. Even with our more convenient ways to handle certain aspects of the sport, there still is much energy expended in carrying out the activity. The preparation of traps prior to the season, the scouting of areas for animal signs, the trudging through the woods and streams setting and checking traps, the bringing home of the catch for skinning and drying and finally, finding a buyer for the furs consumes much time and energy.
The trapping of furs has had and extraordinary history, and the effect and importance it has brought to the development of North American has been immense. Without these animal resources and without the brave and daring men who built a trading business by risking their lives to obtain the valuable furs, our world may have been altogether different.
For hundreds of years, trapping has existed and all those individuals who love the adventure, challenge and reward of getting out and being a part of the natural world as trapping allows, hope that this sport will still be a part of their lives for many more years.
