Perhaps The Brain Trust Of Trapperman.com Rocket Scientists, Brain Surgeons, Theoretical Physicists, And Trappers Can Answer This Question ?

Why Does The Prices For Traps, Bait, Lure, Urine, Hardware, Method Books & DVD's Continue To Rise Every Year, But The Prices Paid For Muskrat Glands Has Not Changed In Twenty Years ?

Same thing Really With Beaver Castor.

It Would Seem There Is A Very Limited Production Of Muskrat Glands Every Season, But The Short Supply Does Not Ever Translate Into Better Prices Paid For Glands.

Anybody Have An Answer As To Why That Is?

w

as an occasional rat gland buyer I am happy with this

As An Annual Seller Of Rat Glands, I Am Not.

They Cost Me More Money To Acquire Them Every Single Year, But The Price Remains Stagnant.

I Am However, Sympathetic To Your Situation !!

w

It wasn't all that many years ago I was able to buy rat glands I needed for $50 a quart. Since then it has doubled.
It wasn't long ago that I was able to get beaver castor for free from my local fur buyer. Then it went to $20. a pound, then 30, then 35, then 4o for a couple years and now I've been paying $50. per pound.
My book and video prices have been the same for 20 years. Lure prices have risen to keep up with the price of ingredients. I love making lure, but I can't afford to do it for free.

It may seem like the prices have been stagnant to you, but I haven't seen the same thing. This is why my lure prices will have to be raised this year.

Here In New York State, We Trappers Are Never payed Much More Than 50.00 A Pound for A Good Honest Run Of Dried, Well handled, Castor.

FHA & NAFA Are Paying Those Prices For Shell Castor.

Price Of Rat Glands Has Been $50.00 A Pint Or $100.00 A Quart Forever Here In New York.

Just Saying.

w

Three or four years ago I bought 11 quarts of rat glands from Ernie Mosier at the NYSTA convention for $65. a quart.

You go ahead and sent those castors to NAFA or FHA. Weigh them before you send them, then check the weight when they sell. Then figure in the commission. Then compare the price of the castor.

Your right with gland prices Paul. In addition, With the current market sometimes your lucky to even find what you need. If something does not change in 2018 I will change prices in 2019 also.

I would like to wait until next year, but if I don't raise them, I'll just break even on lure this year. Folks don't realize the cost of producing lures with quality ingredients. I could dilute the lures to make them less expensive to produce, but I will never do that. I'll discontinue making lure before I sacrifice the quality.

I Learned About The Folly Of That Years Ago. I Would Never Ship Castor To Either Outfit.

I was Simply Quoting What They Were Paying For Shellsm This Year.

w

That quote isn't worth diddly.

You can have as much as a 30 percent loss when selling castor through Auction houses. 11 per sent commission and anywhere from 15 to 20 percent or more weight loss. That will make those shells around $35.00 per pound. If you got to pay shipping, it will be another $1.50 a pound gone. if you getting $70.00 a pound at auction, it could come out to as little as $49.00 per pound you will net. Of course not everybody gets that much deduction. Some do and some don't. I have heard stories of more that the loss I am showing. I also hear of a lot less. It is a crap shoot at best.
I won't say that the castor I buy don't loose weight. My average weight loss to my customer is around 5 or 6 per cent. All castor gets damp when shipped. Castor that is handled correct won't loose as much weight as castor that has not been dried correct. Usually what happens in shipping is some of the castor is either squeezed out of the other sacks from being turned in all different directions or the castor wasn't dried enough after it came out of the freezer or it wasn't dried enough before putting it in the freezer. About a third or a bit less of the castor I get is sitting in the oil when I get the castor in. It literally has a pool of the liquid in the bottom of the zip lock bag. Not every body that ships castor has weight loss.

Not Every Buyer Of Rat Glands Is A Commercial Lure Maker.

If Rat Glands Are Scarce, And They Usually Are, Why Doesn't The Law Of Supply And Demand Work Like With Other Products.

They Certainly AREN'T A Nearly Worthless Commodity Like Wild Fur.

What Gives ?

w

Walleyed, how many rats does it take to make a quart? I need some perspective on this before I return my verdict!

Around Here, I'd Guess 90 to 100 Unless You Get Them Right At The End Of The Season When The Glands Are Fully Swollen.

w

So you're getting around a $1 per rat?

A 100 rats to make a quart of glands??

From the few we get here in MN in Feb. and the size that they are I would think it would take alot more than a 100 for a quart.

Because whoever is doing the selling is saying, "Yes, that's acceptable price for me. Give me the money and you can have the glands."

You want more for your glands, put a price on them that you need and don't sell unless their offer meets your price?

I am not a commercial lure maker, period. Your luck will vary when buying spring muskrat glands, so buyer beware. I have never tried to dicker with anyone on price as I am usually pretty darn glad to find some. I have several quarts ground and preserved now, but am always on the lookout for FRESH FROZEN muskrat glands.
If they are shipped frozen within a few states of where you are they will be great.

A few times I have been promised fresh frozen and have received glands that have started to mold a nice green gray color and taint a bit. For me, those are OK for some uses, but they darn sure are not the same product as fresh frozen and for me, they cannot be used for some purposes.

I sold some last year for $80.00 a quart. I still have about a1.2 quart left. I will be bringing It to The FTA convention.