It’s time for our April Fur in the News roundup, so here’s our summary of the media’s coverage of trapping, sealing, fur fashion and stupid activists …

Let’s start with trapping, and this fantastic guest blog post by “modern trapper” Jeff Traynor (pictured), who talks about his love for this age-old skill and its traditions. Outdoor Canada recognized the importance of trapping and why hunters need to support Canada’s oldest profession. “There was some income involved, there certainly was a pursuit involved, and it’s an accumulative hobby,” veteran trapper Victor Blanchette is quoted as saying. It rings true, of course; Blanchette has been trapping for 50 years and knows what he’s talking about.

Need to know when to sell your furs? This handy article from Grandview Outdoors gives some tips for trappers who need to decide whether to sell or store their skins. And if you ever get a cougar stuck in a trap, here is one way to release him (pictured.) But kids, it is best not to try this at home, or outside.

Of course trapping isn’t without its controversy; like most animal-related activities, there is always someone complaining. The latest uproar is about a beaver derby in Saskatchewan, which sees beavers getting trapped and their skins getting used. But activists want the derby stopped so that the beaver carcasses get left to rot in fields instead. Speaking of beavers, some residents of this community don’t want the local beavers to be trapped, even though residents’ homes are at risk of being flooded. They claim it is unfair for the beavers to be killed because they are only doing what “is natural to them.” It would be natural to a coyote to eat your cat, or a cougar to eat your toddler. Should we let them get away with that, too?

Activists just don’t get it, do they? Case in point: this story about an ostrich who was released from a circus, and who died after being hit by a car ten minutes later. Another “liberation” gone desperately wrong. What is wrong with these people? A lot, we think, especially after reading this article about an “escalation workshop” for activists. The content in there was so messed up that we decided to include it in our new column, Things Animal Rights Activists Say (pictured). Read it to hear activists showing zero compassion for humans, including sick people and suicide victims, because animals are more important, right?

And to round out the month, activists put their misguided zeal into practice on the night of April 29, “liberating” mink from a farm in Ontario. A sizeable reward has been offered for the capture of the perpetrators. Let’s hope someone can claim it!

On the bright side, it was nice to hear that a store in Vancouver, Canada, who has been dealing with militant anti-fur protesters in front of its store for three years, has announced that this year has been its best ever season for Canada Goose parka sales. It warms our heart when we hear that activists’ actions fail.

On the fashion front, we question the real motives behind Giorgio Armani’s fur ban (and guess what, we don’t think it has anything to do about caring for animals). This article talks about the resurgence of real and faux fur in fashion, while this one talks about the differences.

April was sealing month, which means fundraising time for the animal rights charities who get donations by fooling people into thinking white coats get clubbed on the ice. (They don’t, and that hasn’t happened since the ’80s.) Our favourite sealing spokesperson, Tanya Tagaq, had this to say about the matter. These incredible photos show a side to the hunt that we don’t see portrayed in the media enough. And here is an innovative way to use seal skin – we can’t wait to stock up on Aurora Heat next winter. And there is no shortage of sealing memes around, including one showing the incredible size of the seal populations, another making fun of protestors (pictured), and this one highlighting yet another celebrity fur hypocrite.

Let’s finish off with a couple more things…

• Wearing fur is a great way to celebrate Earth Day.
• This might be the greatest pencil sharpener in the world (pictured).
• Our Facebook friends called us out on a really serious mistake on International Beaver Day …
• And our animal of the month is this mink – who is just doin’ what he’s gotta do to survive!