Being an optimist has its perks. I rarely get bent out of shape over things and pretty much roll with the punches. Sure, I have moments where I get really upset with things and feel unjustly prosecuted. But, and this is a big one, I know that whatever comes against me will eventually be visible only in my rearview mirror. Nothing ever stays the same and that means the bad things as well as the good. Our lives are like the weather forecast. No matter what the prediction for our lives, no matter what our plans, they will change. We need to be flexible, because those plans will surely need to be modified due to things changing.
It’s been tough to maintain an optimistic outlook in the fur and trapping trade the past years. After the last fur boom, prices, as they always do, plummeted. Suddenly, trapping being an activity that bolstered one’s income shifted to being a hobby that didn’t always pay for itself. Of course, damage control is a niche that allowed many to make a good income regardless of fur prices. And, there are fur trappers that kept their head above water by strategically trapping for the current higher-priced animals – though often in a lower income bracket.
The constant attack against trapping and fur use can wear one down. At times, it seems that it might be a losing proposition to keep pushing against those who are against us.
There is no such thing as losing, if you keep striving for the goal of preserving our trapping heritage. The minute we stop fighting the antis, we have lost the war. As long as we keep fighting, we are waging battles – maybe losing some and winning some – but not losing the war.
This might seem to be a pessimistic column from an optimist. Let me continue and shift this around.
Read the DNIA report on the facing page. Dave and Karen, whose battle cry is “always be vigilant,” have given some current news that is well in the optimistic column. By this, I mean what they present is not an “I hope,” but are actual facts that make someone in the trapping/fur trade smile and feel like the turnaround we have been seeking is at hand.
A huge city, Chicago, has voted to keep hands off the sale of fur in their jurisdiction. The quotes from an alderman and alderwoman before the vote show a commonsense mindset. That’s a win for us.
Vintage and re-purposed fur garments being worn by a younger generation give a lot of hope. But. it’s not all future wishes. This is actually happening. Any resurgence in fur as a fashion trend can only help us. When this is written about in the New York Times, it is given credence. This is not a self-serving promotion in the American Trapper. Articles here are preaching to the choir. The article in the New York Times is giving positive exposure of fur to the general masses – those we need on our side to keep our trapping heritage and fur trade alive and healthy.
I dare say, and this is my speculation, such reverses in the general public may not stop the antis, but it may stifle the effects of their years of bad press against fur and trapping. How awesome would that be if all they have purposed to do evaporates to a benign effort, that they are religated back to a zero baseline where they are essentially starting over from scratch?
That’s being optimistic for sure, but there may be some truth in it. As the future unfolds, we may find ourselves gaining some serious ground in the important landscape of public opinion.
Don’t take this column as a statement that we are solidly winning against the antis and that the fur market will strongly rebound very soon. I have no magic crystal ball. Looking at the DNIA column, smaller fur auctions, and other indicators, I believe things will eventually become more favorable for us trappers. I just don’t know when.
Whatever your personal outlook, keep on trapping. It is a phenomenal outdoor activity. Keep vigilant and do your part. Fight the battles and gain footholds that will enable us to win the war. Nothing stays the same. Let’s make a difference. •