Trapping demonstrations and fur auction Saturday in Cd'A

The Intermountain Fur Harvesters Association will be holding trapper education demonstrations and a fur auction on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Panhandle Region office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d’Alene.

“How-to” trapping and fur handling seminars will be held hourly beginning at 10 a.m. Seminars include muskrat trapping, cage trapping for bobcat, fur handling, making a catchpole and marten trapping.

Sellers can enter pelts in numbered lots from 8 a.m. until noon. To offer furs for sale, sellers will specify a minimum asking price for each lot. Licensed fur buyers will evaluate lots and submit closed bids with the high bids announced mid-afternoon.

If the highest bid for a lot meets or exceeds the minimum asking price, the lot will automatically sell to the highest bidder. If the asking price is not met, the seller will briefly have the option to accept the highest offer or keep the lot. A 5 percent seller premium will be deducted by the IFHA from the sales price of each lot sold.

IFHA members may offer lots at no charge. Non-members must pay a display fee equal to 2 percent of their minimum asking prices. IFHA memberships will be available at the sale for $15/year for individual memberships, family memberships are $20.

C.I.T.E.S. tags are required for the sale of bobcat and otter pelts and will be available from Idaho Fish and Game at the sale from 8 a.m. until noon. Tags are $2 each, and there is a $1.75 fee per transaction, regardless of the number of bobcats or otters tagged. Payment may only be made by cash or check. No credit or debit cards can be accepted at the sale.

Items donated by trapping supply businesses and sporting goods stores will be raffled, and there will also be silent auctions for a few donated items.

A cage trap will be awarded to the youngster (15 or under) who does the best fur preparation.

In addition to the hourly demonstrations, educational videos will be shown for those interested in learning about trapping and fur handling. Experienced trappers and certified trapper education instructors will be on hand to provide advice and share what they have learned in their years of experience in the field.

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Phil Cooper is a wildlife conservation educator employed with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in the Panhandle Region.