Here we are almost done.

[472x1B/A]

So gentlemen, how did everyone's fur harvest end up? I hope your pockets are over flowing with cash. Let's hear some trap line stories and fur selling results. Thank you in advance.

[trapper9260]

I had posted in the other post of my.Over all I done good for the season.I am not do any spring ,for how the price is and also for too many bite marks will mess the pelt up too much it gets old too fast.

[472x1B/A]

Know what you mean quite well about bite marks. They will degrade a prime pelt way down real fast. Thanks for your reply trapper.

[trapper9260]

You are welcome.When I was trapping them in Nov. I got very few that got bite marks then. But not many.I know it is more now at this time of the year.The land owner wanted them out bad , so I did got them all and as for the bonus I got my 2 otter limit and some rats and a coon.So it work out for me in the end.In that land owners area that he wanted them out was part of a river that was long but needed to walk in with chest wades and took 1o beaver out in 5 days.That the biggest was 65lbs.I use a otter sled to haul them out it float on the water till I got to my Ranger that I put a hoist on it to lift up all what ever I get that is too much for me .I did came out of the season with 13 beaver so I did good.For how I am able to do it now.

[472x1B/A]

10 flat tails is not too bad of a haul for only one area in 5 days. The 65 pounder made up for all the work though. What did it stretch out to, in inches?

What most folks don't know is that all the work involved in skinning, scraping, stretching, ( getting the hide in as a perfect an oval as possible ), making sure the hair is as clean as possible, the processor goes and shears off all the hair and throws away the skin. This is mostly done with beaver though. So the next time you guys are admiring those Texan Stetsons think about how many beavers trapper9260 had to work on.

Was once told that it took 12 1X beaver to make 1 Stetson cowboy hat.

[trapper9260]

That 65lbs was about 68 1/2" If I guess right for the board i put it on.Also of the 5 days i came out with 5 of them in one day and got another one in a different place that i got 3 from there.It all came to 13 for 7 days and that is a long time that I got that many.Also for how things are for me I say I did good.There is a place that I could get in now for the spring beaver but I cover why i do not want to go after them at this time of the year.i know there are guys get more then i got in a days time and all. But I am just a hobby trapper.I also got 8 coyotes also from trapping.

[Rally]

9260,
Sounds like you had a good season. Don't you know your suppose to catch the big beaver near the truck!!
Heres a couple I got last week, that are going to the tannery, with 1/2 tails. Two smaller ones on the opposite sides of the boards. All four from the same colony, that were making a nuisance of theirselves. I guess they are not suppose to dam up rivers and flood peoples land. LOL
Are you going to the FTA national in Lawrence Ks. ? The NTA national in 2017 is going to be near Rockford,Il.. That shouldn't be too far from you.
The Furharvesters sale was a few days ago and pretty dismal prices. Rats averaged like $1.63. Coon mostly withdrawn and otter at $30.00. Beaver only sold a few at the top and bottom with averages at $11.63 if I remember correctly. Even western cats were mostly at $100.00 or close at the Falon sale last week. The #1 castor was at $60.00, #2 at $50.00 and #3 at $35.00. Pretty soon the castor will be worth more than the beaver!! Heard some of Northern Mt and Sas,Cn coyotes averaged at near $70.00 for better lots. Pretty hard grade all over with real swings from top to bottom. Wouldn't take alot of money to buy a truck load of fur this year for sure. I'm tanning my beaver for curio sales this year. Tourist don't care what the fur market is!!

[trapper9260]

9260,
Sounds like you had a good season. Don't you know your suppose to catch the big beaver near the truck!!
Heres a couple I got last week, that are going to the tannery, with 1/2 tails. Two smaller ones on the opposite sides of the boards. All four from the same colony, that were making a nuisance of theirselves. I guess they are not suppose to dam up rivers and flood peoples land. LOL
Are you going to the FTA national in Lawrence Ks. ? The NTA national in 2017 is going to be near Rockford,Il.. That shouldn't be too far from you.
The Furharvesters sale was a few days ago and pretty dismal prices. Rats averaged like $1.63. Coon mostly withdrawn and otter at $30.00. Beaver only sold a few at the top and bottom with averages at $11.63 if I remember correctly. Even western cats were mostly at $100.00 or close at the Falon sale last week. The #1 castor was at $60.00, #2 at $50.00 and #3 at $35.00. Pretty soon the castor will be worth more than the beaver!! Heard some of Northern Mt and Sas,Cn coyotes averaged at near $70.00 for better lots. Pretty hard grade all over with real swings from top to bottom. Wouldn't take alot of money to buy a truck load of fur this year for sure. I'm tanning my beaver for curio sales this year. Tourist don't care what the fur market is!!

You did good yourself and thank you.I know that I suppose to catch the big ones near the truck,but they just do not want to be.LOL I use a Polaris ranger that I fix up a hoist on it to lift up the game with that I can not myself.It work out great this season.other wise I would of been limited on what i can do.For how it is for me of what I can do.Those are some nice beavers.i use the tail on the beaver to make beaver tail oil.I use for coyote trapping . Yes alot of the beaver do not know that they do not dam up in some places and flood the land of the people or crop land.But it give us a place to trap in the end. This season I seen some try to dam the river also .The thing that was odd this season is that when I check the areas in Sept they where going up the streams from the rivers ,then when we had the dry spell in Oct. and went in Nov. to trap them they all went back to river and toward the end they stared to go back up the stream.That is why I seen them try to dam the river and not the stream that they started to in Sept.I will not be able to make it to the FTA this year It looks like it will be in IA ,next year and from what I know it that it is not far from me.So hope to make it then and the NTA I am not sure about if I will be able to make it to it in IL .I know the market is hard now.I am glad i sold all of my fur back in Dec. to a local buyer.I gave up on the Auction houses in Canada.I use to ship to NAFA before I broke my hip and was keep track of it and seen they where just keep going down hill every years .So when I got back to trap I went to a local buyer and had a talk with him and some of the prices are close to what you posted or more.I know that coyotes is the high price this season like last season.But that depends on what part of the country you are in.Yes if someone where to get into doing what you looking to do with your beaver and find the right area for the tourist .You will do very good.And yes they do not care what the fur market is.Alot of them do not know that there is one let alone that there is still trapping going on.Hope you do very well with your furs when you do sell them.I see you way far north of me.I am about 2 1/2 hour drive to Rochester. I am in the northeast part of Iowa.The amount of people in the town I live outside of is 240 and there is not much in the town.

[Rally]

9260,
If you get to one of the conventions look me up. I go to most of them and sell snares. I'm usually outside in a large white tent. I get to an Iowa convetion once in awhile, but usually go to the Wi. convention, which is usually the same weekend in September. I know a few trappers from your part of the country. I'd be happy to chew the fat with you anytime.

[trapper9260]

Ok Rally I will do that when i do show up to any of them . I will send you a PM now.

[Rally]

Got it.

[472x1B/A]

That is a great job of scraping on those blankets Rally. I did the same as you with my boards, a hide on each side, after realizing that you can stack flat tails up real quick in the freezer with only 3 or 4 boards. Had to go to a dozen boards just to keep up in 'the' day, fans running all over the garage.

If you don't wash out the hide and dry before mounting for stretching, try using some course saw dust to clean them out before sending off for tanning. It does a good job of making the hair shine. Comb out well and shake the day lights out of them too, it helps. I never was able to have a large tumbler to do this, but it would have gotten me more money for sure.

It is amazing what some people will buy if it is 'different'. I did the beaver hoop thing and made a fair amount of cash on my smalls and damaged hides,during the down season. I would home tan, make hoops out of skinned limbs, lash the hides to the hoops with rawhide strings completely around them, then sell to bars, taverns, and rich bankers. Them bankers ( Bank president and vice presidents. ) around here, just ate that stuff up. Tried the possum thing but didn't go over to well. Skunks did really well too, just couldn't get enough of them to keep up with demand. Did those square, was much easier.

Hope you do well with your hides when they come back from the tanner. Do have to say that this is the first time I've ever heard of doing them with the rudder left on.

[trapper9260]

Today I went to see my fur buyer to see how things are going and to check up on some things and ask about the market. He told me that coon had drop from it was earlyer but no price and beaver drop also and no price but dose not sound good at all. He said his farther been buying fur for a long time and this is the worst he seen for coon in all his buying years.Coyote had drop some but they are hold there own he said.So I glad that I did not trap any spring beaver.The price was bad for what I sold and now for what he told is worst. I do not need prices for it also. He is usally on for what he tells me also because I see later on for how things be for what he told me. I glad I do it as a hobby.Time will tell how it will all turn to.Just wanted to let some of you know for what is going on for what I found out.By the way the buyer dose not go by the trapping mags..He dose have a market right to China and other places.

[Rally]

Thanks 472. I've done a few and really enjoy putting up nice beaver. I leave half the tail on for presentation reasons when they are tanned. Usually the outer layer of skin comes off with the tanning and a good part of the tail is white, just like the leather, but still has the natural texture. I just dye it black again with black shoe die and finnish with a neutral softner, just like shining a shoe. Most of my customers are just draping them over a couch or table and the tail makes a good conversation piece.

9260,
I'm guessing your refering to Groenwalds. Grant has been in the business forever. He has alot of markets overseas and is a good part of the "beaver Hatter market". I heard he bought alot of southern beaver last year to fill some orders. I heard the hatter market is about $6.00 per pound.I'm sure he's sitting on alot of coon right now also.

[trapper9260]

I do not deal with Groenwalds . It is North Iowa Fur in northeast Iowa. He is in Fredricksburg.

[472x1B/A]

I do not deal with Groenwalds . It is North Iowa Fur in northeast Iowa. He is in Fredricksburg.

" I do not deal with Groenwolds. " he said. I could not agree with you more trapper. The first time I dealt that bunch, *#!@^#*! *^#@^#@ !!!!! What a learning experience, and one to never repeat again.

Just marvels me to watch the number of people that get in line, at the Rat wagon, to get raped of there hard earned money. It really is too bad.

[trapper9260]

I was told about them so years ago ,it was not good at all and also from the one that I drop my furs to ship also and check around.After I move here to Iowa. I use to send my fur to NAFA .but after I broke my hip and then got back doing trapping some time later I went to the fur buyer I stated,I first went to talk with him when I sold 2 squirrles skins and see what he will say and deal with .It was at his place that I took the furharvest class that the Game warden said i should take that way I know the laws of this state .When I talk with the son that took over and all. I stick with him since and treat me fair.He want to buy all my furs.Yes I put up all my own and he wants them all.I been at this for years.That was before I came to Iowa ,I was in the state of MA.I sold to a guy that was buying for someone out of NYC.

[Rally]

Set up a beaver road line yesterday. Thirty one sets and 18 beaver today. Was running a pretty good percentage when I had 7 traps in a row emty. The area had been trapped last fall by a friend of mine, but it's spring and the travelers will be rolling pretty soon. Rivers and creeks are mostly open and black ice still on the lakes. Lots of frozen shores so getting a stake in is tough at some locations.Using mostly snares and footholds with a couple conibears, where I can't get a stake in and a tree is nearby to anchor to. Now the skinning begins!!!

[trapper9260]

That is a good load you got there. Yes it will take some time to do the skinning, the ice is gone here now. It just started to rain here this morning. I have not got that many in one days check on beaver the most I got was 6 ,that was this past fall. with a coon and rat . Do you know how much they get bitten up yet? If so how many out of them all are? thank you

[472x1B/A]

Good on you Rally. Great haul. Were these castor mound or run sets? No matter, it's still a good days catch.