waterline and fur prices

[trappnman]

its a good thing I like water trapping, or I'd not do any at all this year.

I knew prices would be down- but wow-

talked to my buyer today-

rats $2

mink $2-4

beaver....$5-10

forgot to ask about coon- but would guess $6-7 averages

bright spot is coyotes about like last year, bit tougher grade

looking at internet forums, seems like either no one is selling fur, or no one wants to admit prices- if anyone has, I'd be interested to know

I'll post my prices next week when I sell

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I want to water, casue I do like it- but I'm not going to lose too much money in doing so.

I'm going to skip all mink locations per se, and only set up a small line where I got rats- won't set a coon set, and damn few beaver but have a few I need to take. went on a loop that is marginal for rats- 6 locations- was going to set 20-22 traps- ended up setting 9- 3 at each of three locations that had a bit of rat sign. Nothing to get excited about.

weds will set up another loop- 5 locations, decent rat creeks- 26-28 traps- and then thurs one last loop with 3 rat locati9ons 15 traps or so, and my beaver- so 60-65 traps and I'm not going to run them more than 3 maybe 4 checks (3 day checks)- take off the cream and call it a year.

I've seen zero water guys out there running yotes- if ever a year with short harvest this will be it- esp with the weather the Midwest has been getting lately.

suppose to be big storm tonight, but mostly rain so far

[flathead40]

Tman, if you sell all the coon you catch, I'd be amazed if you get a 6-7 avg. Couple weeks ago, one buyer told me throw 75% and 4-5 after that. Your buyer told me he couldn't give me 1.50 for a semi load if I put em up. I assume he was trying to make a point, he did, no coon trapping for me.

[trappnman]

sadly, that's about what I figured.

I thought con were gaining in population last couple of years, but I sure didn't catch many coyote trapping. Granted I never set a trap for coon, but I've had years where I've taken 100+ just from coyotre traps- I maybe have 7 this year- all but 1 3-4X and later coon-

[blackhammer]

From what i hear and see prices look to be Around three bucks on putup rats, kits, damages out out. Probably eight and two on prime mink. beaver eight green on an average bunch, coon four, five green on prime goods, smaller stuff out. I think distemper is a big issue on coon in this region right now.

[trappnman]

we had confirmed distemper starting about 5-6 years ago- thought it had run its course a couple years back- but last year and this year seems to be back

you still out there blackhammer? Lee told me that last sale killed whatever mink/rat market there was

[blackhammer]

Still out there Steve. With this weather I'll keep plugging away like a darn fool. Pulled my land stuff had a coyote last check ,slug through him and wet and muddy. Nothing sems to be going too smooth for a free trapper these days. lol Mostly that darn market just eats away at a guy and motivation gets tougher. I[ll run mostly an extended check in the water for most of the month weather permitting.

[trappnman]

yes, that's the only good thing- its warm out yet.

Mostly that darn market just eats away at a guy and motivation gets tougher.

I felt it yesterday after talking to Lee- but still went out and set a few- my better rat locations are yet to be set

[blackhammer]

I kind of lookat it like a guy has only so many years left to trap I hate to sit it out being it is my passion and vice too I guess. Weather like this, animals to catch and physically able and having the time. I have no choice. lol

[trappnman]

that's about like I feel- I sat here yesterday thinking- well, I wanted a hobby line LOL

seriously, had to do it- but I can't justify running mink long lines through ice and snow through most of the winter- so its take the cream and call it a season-

I've gotten that way on coyotes- trying to get maximum numbers- but at 65 I want to enjoy the line as much as I want yotes- and that means, for me, not pounding it light to dark for 6 weeks- I run enough traps (60-70) to make the wet days, the good days long enough. If I ran 2x as many traps, it would be drudge and not fun.

[Deleted]

Well I'm going to join in on this thread.  I'm 69 and into my 61st consecutive trapping season and the only animal I've never skinned myself was my 1st rat so I figure I've paid my dues a few times over.  A few years ago I bought a new Skidoo so I could get to and catch coyote that were normally inaccessible to me and extend my trapping time, which I did.  The extra coyote I caught and will continue to catch certainly didn't or won't pay for the sled but give a chit less because I can now trap longer.  How many more coyote would I need to catch in a half of my County to pay for that sled? .  Now it's a few years later and I've got some medical issues so I bought a new quad so I could continue trapping in a manner that is easier on my body AND extend my trapping time afield.  All of these years and the things I've done and experienced are all in the old memory bank and those things I haven't or are other's opinions makes absolutely no frigin difference to me EXCEPT I'm still trapping!  

I bought 7 dozen Jakes this year, why?  Certainly not because I needed more coyote traps or coyote $$ were sky-high and going to make me rich that's for sure, it was because I wanted to experience the highly touted Jake trap before my time is done.   None of those purchases have a darn thing to do with making $$ and especially making MORE $$, I made the $$ when I was young, it's just for my enjoyment.  So the only thing that can negatively impact my trapping enjoyment isn't $$, it's health!

So here I sit writing this post and will tell everybody that for the last 3 days I've had no traps out but tomorrow morning I'll be out on my 2nd line setting traps figuring to continue as I have every since returning to canine trapping and if the next 2 months go as I anticipate,  not pull traps again until close to the end of January.  Once I do that and if the ice isn't so thick I can't find the feeders or runs, I'll see if the body will take the spudding while setting for rats into Feburary.

[trappnman]

I fully understand that Never- its why I'm trapping water at all this year.

my point is trapping for me provides income, and while I don't need a fortune, I do need to make money more days than not- and canines this late in the season or water this year isn't going to do that.

I'll trap water as long as daily run expenses are covered or close to being covered-

[lumberjack]

Im self employed and my day job has been suffering some with this economy. My daughter is grown, I can live cheap. I still feel guilty running my big 35 mile water line- basically a small loop in the country and back. 85 traps, 25 stops. If I hustle and all goes well I can be done in 2 1/2 hours. I am about 1 1/2 weeks into it, and am going to start downsizing real soon.

[Deleted]

Dec 2, 2015 16:40:33 GMT -6 lumberjack said:

Im self employed and my day job has been suffering some with this economy. My daughter is grown, I can live cheap. I still feel guilty running my big 35 mile water line- basically a small loop in the country and back. 85 traps, 25 stops. If I hustle and all goes well I can be done in 2 1/2 hours. I am about 1 1/2 weeks into it, and am going to start downsizing real soon.

I hear ya Lumberjack!  "Windows of opportunity" is the name of the game when you're still trying to make a living, I know I did it as well.  Up at 4am and on the road checking fox traps.  Hurrying home to catch my ride to work where I'd pipe fabricate and weld for Dow.  Many nights instead of coming home after my 8hrs at Dow I'd weld in some rathole shop for cash-on-the-barrelhead for 4hrs, come home and skin. The two upsides to that was the extra $$ welding AND fox are so easy to skin and put up. After about 2 weeks of that I usually came down sick but I never missed work because of it. I knew there were better times coming when I retired but in a young man's eyes with a wife and two kids, retirement looked a loooonnnng way of!

[trappnman]

checked the 9 traps I put out Monday- 3 rats and a coon. I have to admot, as muich as I love coyotes, I equally love seeing rats/mink under the water- or pulling up the wire in dark water- wondering fuzzy or rat tail...

Set up 5 locations today with 26 traps and 2 colonies- most on fresh little feed bed, the rest blind resting sets close to feed beds-
fair amount of rat sign- trapping rats brings it all back to my beginnings almost 60 years ago with dad

got 17-20 traps to set up in 4 more locations, plus beaver-

didn't feel right having no traps out-

[blackhammer]

Good luck! Good to hear your water trapping.