The economy is looking down, but fur prices for many species have been rising. That coupled with field reports from Game Commission staffers, hunters and trappers offers a good prognosis for the 2008-2009 trapping and fur-bearer seasons.

The general trapping season opened a couple of weeks ago and runs through Feb. 22. The mink and muskrat season runs Nov. 22 to Jan. 11. Beaver season is Dec. 26 to March 31.

"There seems to be a general increase in interest among people to trap or hunt furbearers, partly because fur prices have increased somewhat, but mostly be-cause fewer people are doing it and there's a great deal of excitement associated with [it]," said Matt Lovallo, Game Commission Game Mammals section supervisor.

In 2007, trappers and furbearer hunters harvested about 350,000 furbearers in Pennsylvania.

Post your deer photos for everyone to see on the Post-Gazette's Web site.

If photographed on a cell phone, text-message the image to your home computer (Internet connection required). If photographed on a digital camera, upload the image to your home computer. No prints accepted.

• Sign in at www.post-gazette.com/posted. Under My Photos, click "Upload photos."

• Gallery: "My deer 2008-2009 seasons." Pick photos. Upload.

• Under "Picture Title," write the hunter's name and town of residence. Tags: deer.

• Include date and general location of the hunt, and anything else you'd like to say in the "Description" field.

View deer pics at post-gazette.com. Click on Sports, Hunt & Fish, Reader Photos and My Deer.

Ken Baumgardner of Monongahela is heading to the 2009 Bassmaster Classic on Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., Feb. 20-22.

A member of the Road Warriors Bassmasters, Baumgardner, 49, qualified for the $500,000 event by finishing first in the mid-Atlantic division at the BASS Federation Nation Championship in Junction City, Kan., Nov. 8. His winning weight was 6 pounds 2 ounces during two days of windy, cold conditions.

He will compete in the Classic as one of six amateur anglers among 51 professionals. Only one amateur has ever won the Classic in its 37-year history.

"This is the big time. I'm excited," said Baumgardner, who out-fished close to 1,700 other regional anglers over the past two years to secure the prestigious berth.

" I don't want to just fish the Classic. I want to win it."

-- Deborah Weisberg