Treaty 3 trapping program seeks to lure youth

Grand Council Treaty 3 is looking for more youth to get involved in trapping through Ontario’s new youth trapping program.
”With the prices of fur the way they were this past year, it’s really created a strong interest in trapping again,” said Dave Lindsay, trapping director and fish and wildlife specialist for Treaty 3. “If the fur prices stay the same, it definitely makes it a viable business to go out and trap. The expenses are so high these days with gas and everything else, that you need a good price on a fur to be able to get your return, to be able to pay for the expenses.”
The Fur Harvesters Auction in North Bay set a new record for top goods this past March, surpassing the previous record set in March 2012.
The Fur Harvesters Auction’s record top lot prices included sable pelts averaging at $148.37, fisher at $158.01 and lynx cat at $674.09. Wild mink averaged $34.37, otter averaged $104.50, lynx averaged $203.64, timber wolf averaged $208.23 and wolverine averaged $306.92.
“China is the world’s leading manufacturer of fur garments and demand for our wild fur there is high and increasing year after year,” said Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod during the Fur Harvesters Auction’s annual convention this past January. “Our wild fur is seen as a premium product that international designers want to use and the growing Chinese middle class loves to wear.”
Lindsay plans to bring Ontario’s new youth trapping program, which was announced in late August, to the attention of the Treaty 3 Trapping Committee.
“I’ve got to talk to them and get some advice on how to move forward with this and what they would like to see done with the youth trapping program,” Lindsay said. “It’s one thing (for Ontario to begin the) initiative to start this, but we need to make sure that we design our own program through Treaty 3 following Elders’ guidance.”
Lindsay said trapping is a historically and culturally significant activity in First Nation communities.
“There are quite a few less trappers than there was 40 or 50 years ago,” Lindsay said.
“Trapping is really starting to come back, but this is where it is so important to get the youth involved and have them introduced to trapping because that is how they make the connection to the land.”
Any youth interested in the program should contact their band office or call Lindsay at the Treaty 3 office at 807-548-4214.
“As long as we have interest from a community, we will try to get them in a course someplace close to the community if not within the community,” Lindsay said.