This report summarizes survey data of hunters and trappers seeking furbearing animals in Michigan in 2010. There were an estimated 7,812 trappers, 9,783 hunters, and 3,489 individuals who both hunted and trapped in Michigan in 2010.

Report Abstract:

“A sample of furtakers was contacted after the 2010 hunting and trapping seasons to estimate the number of participants, days afield (effort), and furbearer harvests. In 2010, 24,288 people purchased a fur harvester license, which was 4% greater than in 2009. In 2010, about 14,106 license buyers either hunted or trapped furbearers.”

“About 32% of the license buyers trapped (7,812 trappers), 40% hunted (9,783 hunters), and 14% (3,489) both trapped and hunted. Overall trapper and hunter numbers were nearly unchanged between 2009 and 2010. Significantly more trappers pursued fisher and bobcat in 2010, compared to 2009. Changes for hunting and trapping effort and harvest between 2009 and 2010 generally followed changes in the number of furtakers. Hunters most commonly sought coyotes, raccoons, and red fox, while trappers most frequently sought raccoons, muskrats, and coyotes.
Trends in harvest can be affected by both changes in furtaker and furbearer numbers; thus, harvest per furtaker was examined for trends.”

“The mean number of raccoon and opossum taken per furtaker has increased since the 1980s. The mean harvest of red fox by both hunters and trappers has declined since the mid-1980s. These trends suggest raccoon and opossum may have been increasing in abundance during the last 20 years, while red fox numbers may have been declining. An estimated 178 trappers caught and released 343 bobcats that were caught in traps set for another species in 2010.”