Popularity of fur-trimmed parkas a boon for coyote trappers

HERKIMER, N.Y. – Those fur-trimmed parkas so common on city sidewalks have become a boon to backwoods trappers.

Coyote fur pelts are in big demand to provide the lush, silvery or tawny-tinged arcs of fur on the hoods on Canada Goose coats and their many global imitators.

A good western coyote, prized for its silky, light-colored fur, can fetch more than $100. The top price at a recent Colorado auction hit $170, a 40 per cent increase from four years ago.

Late fall and early winter are the prime trapping time when coyote coats are at their fullest, but a lot of the selling happens in winter.

The hot market for coyotes comes as trappers deal with economic slumps in China and Russia, competition from ranched fur and the intense ire of animal welfare activists.