Puttin up hides

[472x1B/A]

So, how many of you folks out there put up your own fur? Can't remember for sure how many years I've done it. Started somewhere aroud the age of 12 or 13 I guess. Lots and lots of muskrats. Decided to take the dive to be a fur buyer back aroud 91' or 92'. Never thought I would ever make a go of it. Was hard at first starting up a customer base, but after word got out, look out. Don't do much now due to arthritis in the hands, but will help out a few friends once in a while.

When prices were good checks were good. But it did make a huge difference if you knew what you were suppose to do. No blood, holes, tears, missing tails, leg holes too big, oil in the fur, scraped too deep, ears positioned right, inspection hole not too big, etc., etc., etc.. The only stupid question was the question not asked if you were in it to make money to pay bills.

The one animal I dis-liked the most were coyotes. I think I would rather do 10 skunks to a yote. When they got cold it was h***. Then you had to put up with the guys that would bring in some that were dead for 3 or 4 days and gut shot.

Well thoes were the good old days. Please do tell about your tales.

[Ivantherussian03]

It has a awhile since i have responded to a thread. I have been an active trapper for close to 15 years. I am self taught I guess, as I had no experience with it prior. I absolutely love trapping; it relaxes me. I think about it year round.

I have trapped a wide variety of animals: lynx, red fox, and marten. Trapping marten is my absolute favorite. I have taken my basic marten set to the pinnacle of success. So much so, I am reluctant for people to see it here locally. I like to run a big circle for trapline.

I love seeing my ride loaded and operational.I run a polaris 550 with a sled, to carry my gear. Bungee cords secure my gear. I carry very basic tools: hand axe, 22lr and a leather man. An Swiss army canvas frame pack holds my traps, wire, and bags of bait. If moose season is open, I will carry a m38 Mosin Nagant wrapped in cloth to protect it from rubbing, and vibration as possible, just in case A snow shovel is handy if you get stuck.

I have a lot memories tied into trapping. The one time decided not to carry a rifle to my trap. I was working a trap, rebating. My buddy starts trapping on the shoulder......tap tap tap......then points. The biggest lynx I have ever seen walks right us about 20 yards away. Long story....the rifle was sitting on my ride. Another time, I caught a marten at my honey hole spot. It was pretty normal really, so it was a beautiful day clear and cold. The whole time a little voice inside nagged me to check the traps on the way home......so I did. The same trap that caught in the morning......had caught again, and that is part of the reason that set is called the honey hole.

Through trapping I became comfortable enough to travel through the country here alone. I have had close encounters with cow moose, and calfs on the trails, while trapping. I have seen comets flaming through the sky, and beautiful Northern Lights. I have rescued an eskimo family on a 50 mile ride between villages, during a white out. I took them home and ate caribou soup by their wood stove. I rescued my neighbor one night.....her husband came to me about 8pm saying she went for a ride up the local river. I loaded up, dressed up with winter gear, and headed out. I stumbled on a fresh snow go track that only experienced eye could see the subtle differences. The night was moonless so all I had was the headlight. I followed the track for miles, close to ten, and then pretty soon I saw the reflective tape people adhere to cloths, and thus my neighbor. Needless to say she was happy to see me. I could not imagine walking home in the dark, especially if something really bad were happen. She had gotten her snow go stuck trying to break trail, which is something I learned the hard way. You never break trail alone, but anyway....I too had buried my snow go once and walked home over 10 miles once. I even had danger situation unfold where my own life was in serious risk of sever injury, and death...while riding my snow go. I mean serious into the wild stuff, where the only saving me from a broken leg and death was luck, and my hand axe.

I had skinned animals in living room late into the night. After skinning so many and getting tired, I left animals hanging and gone bed, to finish in the morning. Of course those days are long behind me, my wife would never allow me to skin animals in the living room, or let them hang any where she had to see them.

My favorite memories are just being out there in the silence, hearing the ice pop, and crack. Being out there alone is the best. Really, I should write down my experiences.


I love my trapping.

[cattleskinner]

Not a story about putting up hides, but on current prices. I was at the local auction they held at the conservation league yesterday, and saw muskrats up to 16.75 for larges. That is more than they were selling some coyotes for. It seems as if I missed out not putting a line out this year. Either that, or I shouldn't have gone to the sale to check prices.

[472x1B/A]

WoW, As a matter of fact at breakfast this morning, I was talking to a fellow trapper here that had sold some fur to a traveling fur buyer yesterday. This company is out of Foreston, Illinois and he said that he got as much as $13.00 for some of his rats and $45.00 for coyotes. They were all scraped and streched, but what is going on guys? He also said that he got $35.00 each for 6 coons and his average was $17.50, again he didn't tell me for how many. All I can say is something is happening somewhere. It's got to be the Chinese or Russians.

[starmac]

Chinese are starting to like fur.

[10 ga]

Set my first trap at age 10 in 1950. Seen a lot of stuff come and go since then. Guys gettin back into it now and I think I'm gonna sell most of my stuff this summer at the conventions. Knees and hips just have too much arthritis in them. Muskrattin is the true love for me. Here in tidewater VA I mostly trap tidal marshes. Not the best lookin rats but plenty of them. Can't haul the hipboots around so good now so it's mostly out the side of the boat. Course the coon and fox trappin out the door of the truck is OK. Heck with beaver trappin. Only take them out with the otter sets. Usually run 3 beaver to 1 otter in most places don't matter how you set. If you're in a beaver flow it can be 15 beaver for 1 otter and that is a PITA. Favorite traps are Beliles for all my killer traps cept for some of my 220s and 160s that are older and I just use for larger muskrat holes. For coon it's the boxes with 160 and 220s then grizgeters second, best otter trap is the 280 with 330 close second. For fox it's 1&1/2s. Not many coyotes or cats here yet but enough to warrant some of those fancy CDRs. Yeah, when somebody is willin to pay to get beaver out I like my big CDRs but that is one job I make worthwhile on the price end. Hope all are fillin up the stretchers. 10 ga

[472x1B/A]

I like your comment 10 ga , about 'heck with beaver trappin'. There are so many people that have no idea what all is involved with beaver trapping. Deep water, ice, drowning weights, bigger sized traps, mad beavers, then the skinning, scraping, stretching. I learned soon on about putting them on boards the correct way. Oval and not round. ( I could never figure out why you could lose so much money when all the dressers did was shear off the hair. ) How to clean skin and not having to scrape. Falling through thin ice to get the last one at night time. Oh ya, I'll let the yung'ens do all that, the same as you now.

[Bored1]

Great posts guys. Nice to hear what I have to look forward too if I stick with it long enough to learn.

[starmac]

Bored1 This is an interesting site if you don't already know about it. I am not a member there, but like to lurk over there.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/cfrm

[Bored1]

Anyone tan there own hides to keep some of them and use them for bags, slippers, or hats?

[472x1B/A]

I tan some, but only in the spring or summer. Never tryed to make anything out of the hide though. Only sold the tanned hides to people that want a wall hanger or coffe table cover. Boy some folks just go crazy over the skunk hides. I never take less than $50.00 for them, wide or narrow stripe.

[472x1B/A]

Got the last of the coon hides out today. On their way to the international market, North American Fur Auction. Last recieving date is Apr.7, and auction is sometime in early May. All we can do now is hope for the best, lots and lots of $$$$$$$$$'s.

[x101airborne]

I made my first thousand dollars trapping when I was 12. We had a dang cold year for us, but the PETA people had everyone scared and no one was buying. So I rolled the hides fur in and wrapped them tight in newspaper and saran wrap and froze them in the freezer. The next year was warm and the buyers were out in force. I took in 200 coon hides and some bobcat and yote pelts. All raw and not stretched from the year before. The buyer went wacko over em. I showed my Grandad my money and offered to pay him for his gas and taking me out. (He also bought my fur license). He smiled and said Keep it. I will always remember trapping with my Grandad. What a mean SOB, but a heart of gold no doubt. I miss him all the time.

[trapper9260]

I have not been trapping since 2007 because of my hip that I broke where I was working,but after i get some things settle on the hip I will be back at it .in some way but I was putting up all my own fur,I trap coon,rats,coyote,fox,badger,otter,skunk,mink,beave r,possum.I always have put up my fur when i first started because where I trap before there was no one that would buy raw furs and learn to do it myself.I rather do a beaver then a coyote or otter or badger, because of the skinning and fleshing is easyer.I am on the website that is stated trapperman .com there is alot of info and if you have a problem just post it or look in the history of the post you will find alot of what you looking for.I go by a different name there.But I like trapping more then deer hunting.and have not done that for some years also .

[deep creek]

I belong to the upper snake river trappers here each january we have a sale.I recieve most of the fur for sale,count it ,tag it andthen to the tables.I see some of the nicest put up fur and the same prime fur that looks like ****!Some of these people our great trappers but just cant or wont take the time to take care of thier fur.Then they whine when they dont get the same price as well put up fur.I love trapping and putting up fur.Im pleased when a fur buyer asks whose lot of fur this is. Here at the febuary sale we had 14.00 rats,96.00 marten,50.00 fox ,75.00coyotes lots of700.00,800.00cats one1250.00 cat,beaver and coon were up .a great year!