hows the fur prices where you are??

Modern Pioneer · #1 11/16/08, 08:09 AM

Hi all,

Well my oldest and i set a few traps yesterday afternoon. Only 3 as that is all we had. None the less as we checked them at dawn there were 3 very large coon! Great way to start off the season. I feel like im in a very low trapped area, as i see none that are trapping. Im trapping the edge of a small town on a creek that bout 20 ft wide ane 6-18 inches deep. Lots of culverts and what not. Im hoping we can clean up well along this creek, it has easy access and loads of sign. Since its mostly round the town i doubt ill have competition with coondogs. I havent went to a fur buyer yet this year or even spoken to one. I read that in Fur-Fish-Game magazine was calling for some high prices for coon fur. Im not sure how well these high prices will pan out with the economy the way it is? I hope the price sky rockets to new highs. Be nice to get $40-$50 a coon

I doubt it though, $20 a coon be nice too. Almost make a decent living at it.
So what are the prices doing in your neck of the woods? These 3 we got were pretty primed up. You gonna sell early? Wait till mid season? or till its all nearly over. Im not sure what to do yet, as my boy and i talked of selling the furs and buying more traps to make more $$$$ Have a good one

Keep your powder dry

Allen W · #2 11/16/08, 09:25 AM

Fur is in the tank along with everything else. Check out http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbt...1/Trapper_Talk there are several posts on fur prices on there.

akhomesteader · #3 11/16/08, 10:08 AM

Sounds like they are a little low I don't see that they tanked yet. Just because one market is down don't mean they all are. Get creative find or make another market. We tan some of our furs for our own use, make hats & other fur product to sell.

FHA

NAFA

DavidUnderwood · #4 11/16/08, 11:49 AM

I feel sure the market will be better
by early January. Rumor has it Russia
is interested in coon, and China may
want otter again this year. Before the
stock market fell so hard, the fur market
was forecast to be good.

texican · #5 11/16/08, 11:59 AM

If you're hungry, or you need some clothes, trapping makes sense.

Hopefully, if you're trying to make money doing this, you're at least eating all of the animals you kill.

The economy is all wrong, for economic trapping. You can wipe out the small animal population in your area now, for a few pennies... if you consider your time worth anything, then subtract cost of traps, time cleaning and prepping, driving the hides to someone, I doubt if you're seeing any real money. Those animals you're wasting now, could be very useful, when you're starving to death.

[sorry to sound so negative... I've never had any use for recreational/commercial trapping... and from a survivalist standpoint, knocking down any animal population 'now' could come back to haunt you 'later'}

good luck!

collegeboundgal · #6 11/16/08, 02:02 PM

I trap coon and possum around the home just to shoot them and dump the bodies in the back 40 to feed the coyotes. the way I see it, we have to large a population around here from them eating trash from the neighboring subdivision (26 houses) and corn fields. The natural selection just doesn’t apply to them. They all get fed and in turn come around here snacking on my livestock feed and/or chickens. So no, I don't feel bad about eliminating them from my area either. At least the OP is using the hides…
just my opinion.

-Melissa

DavidUnderwood · #7 11/16/08, 04:15 PM

The population of some fur bearers, most
notably beavers at this time, must be somewhat
controlled. Several years ago, when fur prices
dropped off, beaver got out of hand, resulting
in full time state and fereral employees doing
damage control, in the form of trapping. The
new rising problem here is coyote. Coyote fur
is nearly worthless, so gov employees may once
again take up the slack. A healthy fur market
would save a lot of tax dollars, provide some
income for a lot of people, and help keep the
remaining population healthy. In no place in
modern times has trapping wiped out anything.
It is however the most efficient way to handle
many species. And if you think trapping is no
longer an important income provider, you are
mistaken. Somewhere around 200,000 trapping
licenses will be sold in the US this year. Many
of those people depend on it for some part of
their income.

Ed Norman · #8 11/16/08, 04:49 PM

Most deer hides get thrown away and the meat is eaten. Most coon hides get sold and the meat gets thrown away. You could certainly tan that pig hide and make some gloves and a football, but most people toss it. The hide is getting used on trapped animals. It isn't a waste.

A month ago I was hearing rumors of upwards of $1000 for a bobcat and even $100 for a badger.

akhomesteader · #9 11/16/08, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

If you're hungry, or you need some clothes, trapping makes sense.

Hopefully, if you're trying to make money doing this, you're at least eating all of the animals you kill.

The economy is all wrong, for economic trapping. You can wipe out the small animal population in your area now, for a few pennies... if you consider your time worth anything, then subtract cost of traps, time cleaning and prepping, driving the hides to someone, I doubt if you're seeing any real money. Those animals you're wasting now, could be very useful, when you're starving to death.

[sorry to sound so negative... I've never had any use for recreational/commercial trapping... and from a survivalist standpoint, knocking down any animal population 'now' could come back to haunt you 'later'}

good luck!

Fur is renewable resource state Fish & Game Biologist have very accurate methods of counting animal number. These numbers are use to set harvest limits and the length of individual seasons.Trapping like all consumptive uses of resources brings money into state through sales of licenses & permits. This is money that is used to manage the resource. It also brings in millions of dollars of much needed income to thousands individuals & families through the sale of their furs. It also creates jobs for others from tannery workers to furriers, to the folks who sell the finished products. During the great depression a typical trapper had higher incomes than most factory workers.

With the exception of beaver and muskrats not many other fur bearers are fit to eat. So saving them for future food is not a point. Whether you are a recreational, commercial, or subsistence user hunting, fishing, and trapping all are legitimate uses of natural resources.

MaineFarmMom · #10 11/16/08, 05:31 PM

We're almost desperate for someone to take out the beaver that are causing so much damage. We went out for a ride earlier. We went over a rise, started back down and "Oh My Gosh! Where's the road?" It was gone. We watched three very busy beavers trying to stop up 3" of rain in the last 24 hours. I'm going back tomorrow to take pictures. Other roads aren't flooded but neither the beaver nor the rain are done yet.

Jennifer L. · #11 11/16/08, 05:46 PM

In my area someone said they sold 100 muskrat hides last week for $8 apiece. Don't know what anything else is going for.

Jennifer

Modern Pioneer · #12 11/17/08, 11:30 AM

WOW! $8 A RAT!!!!

Caught 2 more coon and a possum last night. The fur is prime and the critters are XXL. Ill continue to trap np matter what the price of the fur is worth. I too tan furs and i got a couple boys wanting coonskin caps. Might make that fure parka and leggings ive always wanted. Be good if we get some ice this year for fishing. Ineed to find an old electric dryer that has a bad heating element, they make a dandy tumbler for stretching and softening hides.

Keep your powder dry

**clovis** · #13 11/17/08, 01:47 PM

One of the most enterprising trappers I ever met fed his dogs with the meat that he caught. It is a much better solution than throwing the carcasses into a ravine like another guy I know.

It seems that I remember that he boiled the meat, but I am not sure. Even if it saved a little money on dog food, it might be worth the effort.

Clove

Silvercreek Farmer · #14 11/19/08, 07:55 PM

You could probably feed a hog or two if the trapping was real good...

Ruby · #15 11/19/08, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

One of the most enterprising trappers I ever met fed his dogs with the meat that he caught. It is a much better solution than throwing the carcasses into a ravine like another guy I know.

It seems that I remember that he boiled the meat, but I am not sure. Even if it saved a little money on dog food, it might be worth the effort.

Clove

This is what I was thinking too, I seem to remember you have a dog. If you still have it maybe you could can up what he can't eat and have dog food for a long time.

If I was REALLY hungry and didn't know where the next meal was coming from I would eat racoon or opossum. My mother did, but I would have to be REALLY hungry.

Modern Pioneer · #16 11/19/08, 08:32 PM

Good idea on the hog deal. Ive fed coon meat to dogs before, i always boiled it off the bone.

Texican--You can wipe out the small animal population in your area now, for a few pennies... if you consider your time worth anything, then subtract cost of traps, time cleaning and prepping, driving the hides to someone, I doubt if you're seeing any real money. Those animals you're wasting now, could be very useful, when you're starving to death.

Maybe in texas this is true, but here in the great state of Ohio the furbearer populations are exploding. Thankfully such animals as coon, muskrat etc.. will soon fill up voids in habitat. There is no such thing as lack of animals here. This is evident by all the roadkill, not to mention my success at trapping so far this fall.

I made 3 box type traps from som 5 gallon buckets today. They are now set on the creek bank and im suspecting a few nice coon in the morning. Caught to very large possums this morning and one trap was flipped up. The possums are some of the biggest ive ever seen, beautiful fur too. IDK why their fur has always been overlooked and outcast. I personally like it. A guy down the road gave me 5 110 connibears. Im wanting to go set them up at the big lake tomorrow if all goes well and my endurance holds up. Muskrats and mink beware!!

This cold weather is playing havoc with my muscles and it is very difficult to manipulate my fingers, but im trying. The boy of mine seems to be catching on real good, and has a great thirst for knowlege. Going for some dryland sets in a few days, gonna try a few dirthole sets for fox/coyote. Only got another week or so then ill have to stop with my sets. Shotgun season will be opening up and i hate trap theives. We may go into town and set up at some dumpsters and what not with the box traps. I really need a .22 pistol or rifle for dispatching, but since i dont have one ill have to continue what im doing. So far been lucky havent caught anyones cat yet, i hate that. Hoping to get on to a skunk or 2 soon, thats what im wanting for my mountain man hat

Keep your powder dry

Elizabeth · #17 11/19/08, 08:44 PM

Hubby did a little trapping last year for the first time since we have been married. I hated to see all the carcasses go to waste, so when he started talking about trapping again this year, I asked our vet if I could feed the carcasses to the dogs- she said no problem.

Ed Norman · #18 11/19/08, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modern Pioneer

I made 3 box type traps from som 5 gallon buckets today. They are now set on the creek bank and im suspecting a few nice coon in the morning.

Are you just putting a 220 in the mouth of the bucket or do you have some other method I never heard of?

poppy · #19 11/19/08, 08:57 PM

Only one buyer in this area who will even buy now. He is paying $5.00 for a carcass coon and a dollar more if you skin it. Not worth the trouble unless you just enjoy it. BTW, scrap metal here is down to $14.00 too.

Modern Pioneer · #20 11/19/08, 09:00 PM

Its just 2 5 gallon buckets. I cut the bottom out of 1 and attach them together with some pieces of wire coat hanger. I made door out of some ply wood and old storm window tracks. It works with a small diameter cable attached to a small bolt that i slide onder the door. The other end hold the bait, like chicken bone or what not. When the critter pulls on bait it pulls out bolt and door drops/slides shut. They cant get out

It works great and i have caught loads of critters in the past using these. I make them from junk parts so no $ is in it just my time. I got loads of time but no money

I like to use the live/box traps in or near town so i dont have to kill peoples house cats, but i do give them a good lesson, and i doubt if they enter 1 of my live traps a second time.

I know of the 220 bucket set, and they work really well, just wish i had some 220s, im not even sure if i could set a 220 anymore, especially in the cold.

Keep your powder dry