Sociocultural dimensions of trapping: a factor analytic study of trappers in six northeastern states

Development and implementation of furbearer management programs are becoming increasingly complex in the United States. Due to a variety of sociocultural, ecological, demographic, and economic factors, trapping participation is on the decline in many areas of the United States. Knowledge about the values and motivations of trappers is important in designing trapping programs for effective furbearer management that also provide benefits and satisfaction to participants. Our purpose was to gain information about the sociocultural dimensions of fur trapping in the northeastern United States. In 1994 we sent a 14-page mailback questionnaire to a sample of licensed trappers in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia. We had an overall response rate of 65%, with 2,279 usable questionnaires. Factor analysis identified 5 major underlying dimensions, or factors, characterizing trappers in the Northeast: Lifestyle Orientation, Nature Appreciation, Animal Control, Self Sufficiency, and Affiliation with Other People. A greater understanding of the human dimensions associated with trapping of furbearers will assist managers and policy makers in developing effective resource management programs