Skip to main content

Prugh, Laura R.

thumbnail
Understanding how and why trapping effort varies among fur trappers is necessary to accurately interpret trends in fur harvest for wildlife management. We mailed questionnaires to 1,760 fur trappers in interior Alaska to characterize motivations for trapping and primary factors affecting trapping effort. A cluster analysis revealed four groups with distinct motivations for trapping: wildlife management (17% of trappers), recreation (39%), subsistence (18%), and solitude (26%) trappers. Perceived furbearer abundance had the greatest effect on trapping effort, while access to land and human conflicts were the most important social issues to trappers. Economic gain was the least important motivation for trapping among...
ScienceBase brings together the best information it can find about USGS researchers and offices to show connections to publications, projects, and data. We are still working to improve this process and information is by no means complete. If you don't see everything you know is associated with you, a colleague, or your office, please be patient while we work to connect the dots. Feel free to contact sciencebase@usgs.gov.