CLEAR LAKE - Iowa's furharvester season begins at 8 a.m., Nov. 1 and hunters and trappers can expect to find a significant increase in the raccoon population over last year. Other furbearing animals have a mixed outlook population-wise.

"Muskrat numbers are better, but not like the heyday of 30 or 40 years ago. The coyote harvest nearly doubled last year and their numbers are relatively stable to slightly lower. Our red fox numbers vary by region with better numbers in central Iowa," said Vince Evelsizer, furbearer and wetland biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The fur market outlook is weak for raccoon pelts going in to the season, while muskrat, coyote and fox seem pretty decent. Time will tell if the market improves for raccoons later in the season, Evelsizer said.

Harvest is highest during the first 2-3 weeks of the season and drops off significantly after Thanksgiving. The number of trappers has increased each of the past four years topping 20,000 last year.

"I suspect the numbers of furharvesters will remain stable or slightly decrease this year, due to the fur market, especially raccoon pelt prices," he said.

Furharvester are reminded to work with their local DNR contact to get their CITES tag and to collect the intact skull or complete lower jaw of otters and bobcats.

Evelsizer said furharvesters should go through their equipment and brush up on the rules and regulations before going out.


New Webpage On Occasional Wildlife Visitors to Iowa
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources created a webpage focusing on wolves, bears, mountain lions and moose once native to Iowa. The page is available at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Education/IowasWildlife/OccasionalWildlifeVisitors.aspx

"While we no longer have breeding populations of these animals in Iowa, expanding populations in nearby states increases the potential to receive visits from wandering animals. Many of these large animals can move a great distance in a relatively short amount of time and in many cases, they only visit our state for a short time before passing through," said Vince Evelsizer, furbearer and wetland biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The Iowa DNR has not stocked any of these large mammals in the state and has no plans to do so, Evelsizer said.