County with most trapping: San Juan and Grant, but all NM counties currently have some trapping going on. With bobcat pelt prices as high as they are, it is likely that no bobcat population is not being exploited.

Number of licensed trappers: More than 2000 people bought furbearer licenses in 2005. But some of these don’t trap, rather they hunt the animals with dogs or predator calls. This is much harder and results in fewer kills. Trappers who set out traps for coyotes or skunks are not in this figure because no license is required to do that. So no one really knows how many trappers there are.

Number of traps: There is no limit to the number of traps a single trapper can place out. He is required to check them every 24 hours, but there is no oversight. A trapline can be as few as 5 or 6 traps, but can also number in the hundreds. Some trappers like to put several traps very close together. In this way a single animal may be trapped on more than one limb insuring he won’t get away and other animals may hear the struggle and come to investigate and there is a good chance they will be captured too.

Number of each species trapped: This isn’t known because trappers are not required to report their kills until the spring of 2007. In order to sell a bobcat, the pelt must be tagged by the Department of Game and Fish. Bobcats, as spotted cats, are a special case and commerce in them is regulated by international treaty. In 1999, 1059 bobcats were tagged in NM. If a person chooses not to sell the pelt, but has the animal mounted for the mantle, it doesn’t need to be tagged so there is no way to know the actual number.

Most trapped species in NM: coyote and grey fox.

Most valuable pelt: Bobcat. A single pelt can bring hundreds of dollars in today’s market.

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Muskrat. Photo courtesy of Jim Robertson.

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Non-target animals captured: The numbers are not known. No reporting is required and the department of game and fish does not keep records of non-targets. But non-target animals may include porcupines, squirrels, coatis, fawns, birds of all kinds like jays, ravens, raptors, owls, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, quail and songbirds, and domestic animals including livestock, dogs and cats. Endangered animals like the Mexican wolf have also been caught accidentally and on purpose. Even when professionals have set traps for wolves in New Mexico to relocate them, damage has been done that required amputation. Mountain lions and bears that may not be kept by the trapper, but may be caught and injured all the same.

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