According to to the Alaska Trappers Report 2018-2018 red squirrels are more important than some other fur bearers to trappers, especially noted in region III. Who would have tunk that?

Perhaps because large numbers are easily available?

But Boco, the question was to rank by importance and not abundance. Also according to the same report. the average price for squirrel was .53, 5 time less than ermine.

Where is region 3, Al.

Maybe listed as an important source of food for more valuable fur bearers? I shoot every red squirrel I see with whatever gun is closest.

I know some trappers would set running poles for them out west and catch them by the thousands-I think one guy caught 2000 one year.
The return on that would be substantial compared to maybe 200 ermine.
I wouldnt eat one-cant stand the smell of them.
They are not as thick here in the east and dont make the big middens like they do out west.

You are in Region 3

interior

Only in Alaska would they be classified as furbearers. Same goes for marmots.

https://www.glacierwear.com/canadia...rE1mQf8VpCRT8xL7BuxKTHKfyqAaAiuxEALw_wcB
You would have to spend a bit of time searching the market to get even close to this.

Actualy red squirrels are furbearers,they have underfur and guard hair and have always been used for garments,since the leather is strong.They were often used as lining in expensive leather mens coats.
They are easy to tan and sell well.
I tan all my squirrells and weasels.

I enjoy catching those little jokers, they add up and if I can make a tank or two of gas off of them I am all for it
Some good looking pelts Boco!

I remember those regions mentioned from the questionnaire that is sent out, but I cant remember where where they are. Any general description?

Interior....

^^^^
So all five regions are in the interior? I thought maybe Region I was Southeast since there is no mention of red fox, coyote, lynx, or muskrat for that region.
I'm surprised that there is a ranking for fisher in any region, I thought they only recently were counted in Southeast.

Here's the report if you guys want to read it....
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/trapping/pdfs/trap2018.pdf

^^^^
Thanks

I don't like catching them, though I end up with a few, every year.
Catching one means a plugged marten set, first off. Second, when I used to skin them and send to auction, they were pretty much always around $.80 each. Moyles want's $$15.00 to tan one, and finally, I have tame ones around my house.
I don't shed a tear catching one, but am disappointed, when I do.

Sorry, misunderstood what you were asking. Interior is Region III.

Region I is Southeast (GMUs 1-5)
Region II is Southcentral (6-8, 14C and 15)
Region III is Interior (12, 19-21, 24,25,26 B and C)
Region IV is Central/Southwest (9-11, 13, 14A and B, 16 and 17)
Region V is Northwest/Arctic (18, 22, 23, 26A)

Pete

Douglas Red Squirrel separate from the Red Squirrel since it has a orange belly and is slightly longer on the forming boards. In the old days they were graded in separate areas and usually got 25 cents more than Reds. That was in the days a separate grading room had boxes to the roof of trappers collection of a 1000+ squirrels. Many trappers called it; "moms flour bannock money"

I never quite understood the logic in putting units 9 and 17 in with central and giving SC it's own little unit. It seems more logical to have 9 and 17 with NW and call it West and put central and SC together as a unit but I'm not sure what was used to divide these units up. Using squirrels as an example not a heck of a lot of them in the open tundra of Bristol Bay vs what you might see in most of unit 13 and 14 just one of the many flaws I see with the whole questionnaire. It is worse now that they no longer mail out hard copies many of the smaller communities out west a guy can't even down load a picture to facebook do to the crappy internet they certainly aren't going to be able to download the questionnaire. Also the data they collect is very incomplete I missed the first year it was on line and haven't seen a questionnaire since. In the past with a 100 trappers give or take in unit 17 it was easy to see that quite often less then a dozen did the questionnaire. If they really want results make it a requirement like filling out a harvest report for moose hunting.

"I never quite understood the logic in putting units 9 and 17 in with central and giving SC it's own little unit"

The reason region 4 was created out of region 2 was to get us out of region 2. Region 2 at that time was full of do nothing biopoliticians that fought active management of the resource. It was accomplished by a doer who was the Director of wildlife Conservation at the time, so he could get some crap done. Same guy who flew out to release a brown bear in my trap that none of his employees would do. Be happy you are no longer in region 2.

While I understand O-man's analysis and logic, Dirt is correct.

Actually ANCHORAGE should be its own region. Now THAT would segregate and isolate most of the nuttiness. The remainder of the state could manage the wildlife resources and Anchorage could, well..... just function as the Rick Sinnot Memorial Zoo.....!

Pete

If I know they will sell on the market I will trap a few. Where I am at we have plenty and if I am going by them daily why not take a few.

Can't even sell mink right now. Not going to bother with tree rats.