How long will rat prices stay this way?

[thebeav2]

I think the coyotes will be OK.
With only 16,000 coyotes on the FHA sale It would be hard to put any sizable lots together. I think that turned off lots of buyers. But the truth be known I doubt there were that many buyers there to begin with.

So the jury Is still out.

[trappnman]

steven....coyotes are a love affair, not a money affair......


or more to the point...if I have to explain, you wouldn't understand

its like riding old iron vs new crap....might be more efficient, but no soul...

old school....is way cool........

[thebeav2]

It's all In the eye of the beholder.

When coyotes were worth $100.00 +(live market) I trapped them with a vengeance I'm not saying they were easy but with large populations I sold some big numbers. The guy came once a week to buy and he wouldn't show up for less then 20. He always made the trip. To many people make the coyote Into some type of a super critter. He's not.
But they are a neat critter to trap. But It stops there as long as I could sell them a live I was Ok with It but when It comes to skinning those scum bags I gave It up.
Coyotes have no soul They grovel and piss on themselves and are In the most part a coward In a trap.
Now take a grey fox there Is a critter with soul. They die a good death and fight you all the way, never seen a grey fox give up.

[calvin]

Steven. We likely got the same info on the beaver....being sheered and competing with ranch mink. Whatever sells them IMO. I get the same feeling out of the upcoming FHA sale. Something tells me I should have froze them...or at least more of them. Think I/ll be regretting that one. Yes, southern MN beaver. None perfect either.

As far as coyotes we/ll see...but it's back to my standard 5 day close to home...keep the farmers happy coyote trapping I suspect. Won't be more. Not wasting gas and time if they aren't going to pan out financially. Which I don't think they will. Hope I/m wrong. NAFA sale should give a better indication. Sounds like ONE guy ran up the coyote prices last sale. That won't last long.

Beav, was told the same thing about FHA and coon. Chinaman not happy he/s not able to get big lots of consistent coon at FHA. They looking towards NAFA for that large order with constancy. Maybe same thing happening with coyotes, too.

I/m heading out back and doing a rain dance. Rain makes rats. Sounds like that IS the most stable market right now. Ahhh I hear it raining now. Didn't even make it outside.

BTW, sold 400 rats today at an $8.50 average. Castor at $40

[thebeav2]

But Steven you don't have that kind of a job so your numbers would be way short of that. And I would say most of trappers fall Into your category.
The problem with beaver Is that they might find away to process them at a cheaper cost and they may come up with a market. But If there Is a demand for them and we as trappers can't supply that demand the manufacture will go to something else. And since rats are proven commodity and In most cases we as trappers can produce enough skins to satisfy the demand. Rats will probably be king and be worth pursuing for some time to come.

[calvin]

Same message I got today beav, Beaver abit uncertain right now. Rats "appear" to be firm. Beaver abit too heavy for little Chinaman to lug around. Rats nice and light....and yes established.

Maybe I/m just lazy but I get abit tired of dealing with stinky coon, bloody stinky coyotes and heavy wet beaver. I enjoy all of them to a point, however, and won't be a season to go by that I don't trap them all. I even enjoy the skunks. BUT, a guy just can't look away from the profit margin of dealing with rats when they Sooooo much easier to deal with...and take in numbers...and store in numbers. I/ll ride that wave until there is no wave. And likely when they hit $3.00 I/ll just trap more of them with no competition. Still raining outside.

[packerfan]

Soul? Cats! The coolest animal I have ever taken. Mink still get me fired up. I let my neighbors run dogs on my farm just to clear out the coyotes. Just a large pest in my eyes. I really don't care how they die, as long as they're dead. I would enjoy trapping them more if I lived out west. Most yotes i catch are junk.

[thorsmightyhammer]

May 23, 2012 21:35:56 GMT -6 @thebeav2 said:

But Steven you don't have that kind of a job so your numbers would be way short of that. And I would say most of trappers fall Into your category.
come.

My category?

Only one reason I didn't trap 3 400 beaver last winter and that is 9 dollar rats.

You are forgetting the canucks gary. There is a vast untapped beaver pool up there.

But we dont know what the market can handle. I suspect we are going to find out.

My coyote remark was towards calvin alluding to maybe catching more yotes.

Calvin, I tell the farmers at home I hope it rains so much the rats build houses out wheat stalks. They think I'm joking......

My plan for next winter is to have everything ready and than we will see.

I've been getting the itch to run a serious under ice beaver line again. its been 4 5 years.

[thebeav2]

My category?
Ya most guys have a freaking JOB just like you. So you either quit your job or get laid off during beaver season Is the only way you can put up any big numbers. An dyes as long as rats are strong we will trap rats. But what happens If the rat market weakens ,will that also take down the beaver market. You have to remember that this surge In beaver prices Is very new and may only be a overnight thing. I wouldn't be stocking up on 330s just yet.

As to the beaver population In Canada?
At least on my buddies trap line he was dictated by the MNR that he needed to catch at least 25 beaver off his line. I can tell you right now that that would have been a tough job. I'm sure the South Carolina and North Carolina beaver populations would put Canada's beaver population to shame. Not all of Canada Is rich In beaver. And why would I trap beaver when I can catch those $100.00 marten.

I just don't see that beaver market going any where soon. I hope I'm wrong but time will tell.

[blackhammer]

I bet there is huge difference in the amount of southern beaver than annually hit the fur market and Canadian beaver.I'm sure the south has a bunch of beaver but Canada is so huge.I know the little I have been in Canada driving north to Kenora there seemed to be beaver everywhere. I'm just trying to enjoy the decent fur markets we have now and not worry too much about the sky falling.I've trapped in a lot of years were the market pretty much sucked for everything.

[Zagman]

When will our actual lotting information be up for the NAFA sale? Been a while since I shipped.........

MZ

[blackhammer]

I would guess by Sunday or Monday Zagman.

[thebeav2]

Next week sometime. Don't get your undies In bundle.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Category?

I knew you would put me in the wrong one.

Job has little to do with it.
(
I figure with my current job i could have done 350 to400 beaver last winter.

I figure if i still worked a normal 7 go 3:30 job and slept at home every night i would have caught 350 to 500 beaver last year

Can you guess why i think i can catch more in the second scenario?

Oh btw i would put them all up to.

Gary, there are more beaver in mn than the two states you me tioned. Probably even combined.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Dam smart phones. Cant type fast on them and cant get tbe spelling right.

[thebeav2]

Your a category on to yourself.


I think you be wrong my friend. South Carolina Is just one big swamp and no one traps beaver. And guess what no ICE. And Over the years my SC beaver brought as much as MN and WI beaver. In fact the beaver In SC came from WI.

I just might make one more run this winter. Trap beaver In SC come home In March and head west to trap rats. It makes me tired just thinking about It.

[trappincoyotes39]

Beav how can youe beaver in SC be as good as northern beaver? It is the amount if daylight hrs and then some temp work to get thick full under fur and long guard hairs?

I'm betting SC has more daylight hrs than does Mn or WI come Dec and January? Close maybe but not the same. That would be like saying I could take WI beavers to brazil and think them to have the same fur quaility then?

[blackhammer]

So your saying all you need to do is plant a good genetically furred animal in another region of the country and the fur will be top quality? I know where the NAFA top lot beaver come from and it ain't the Carolina's. I believe eventually the environment plays the biggest factor in fur quality. Not saying genetics doesnt play a part and there not decent beaver but I believe eventually those northern beaver have adapted to their climate and sure not on the level overall of beaver living in the north. I think I could haul a few thousand of our Mn coon to North Carolina and not improve the coon quality there over time.

[thebeav2]

Well that's all I know Is my Carolina caught beaver graded the same as WI Mn beaver. Lots of Individuals argued with Gregg when He was at NAFA over that grade but he always proved them wrong.

But of coarse 39 has been to SC and caught numerous beaver so he should know.

Daylight hours only determine the time the animal primes not the extent of primness. Dec caught beaver In SC didn't compare with the ones caught In Late Jan and they were even better In February.
I trapped In SC for 15 years so trust me guys I know fur.

[blackhammer]

There is a huge difference in a southern Mn beaver and northern part of the state beaver.I wouldn't doubt a SC beaver would be as good as the ones I have here locally.I have trouble believing they would be on par with say the beaver 49 catches up his way. You guys have trapped them so I'll take your word on their quality though.