That's true Beav, and I am not knocking the attempt. I just don't see it as Greenwald taking a "chance", more to it they are just going to try out a business opportunity that may be profitable for them, not nessarily for the producers.

Trends that take off have to start as an idea in someones head. The idea is here. Will it lead to a new use for beaver fur and ultimately better value for beaver pelts? That remains to be seen. I am glad that we have someone with the connections that GFW has that is willing explore the possibilities. I also understand that they are in business to make money and I do not have a problem with that either.

I'm the guy Beave is referring to. For hat's and mittens cased is the way to go, at least for me it is. I bought 25 N Minnesota spring beaver that for the most part were black with the balance huge browns. Making up stretchers wasn't to big of a deal. Air stapler works great and is very fast. Once I get them back from tanning I will simply cut down both sides and have 2 perfect plates, back and belly. As for fleshing, I got them rough skinned and scraping was a breeze, cold but not frozen. A super sharp knife is a must for tail and head areas. Next year I'll probably get 50 more.

One more thing I forgot to mention, make sure you use belly boards front and back.

I use the belly fur on beaver for liners. All this work to create a belly fur liner market most likly not result in much better prices for beaver pelts than the hatter market. Multiply the muskrat price by 3 or 4. Whats that $12 to $20 dollar beaver?

Well If you can get $4.00 more then the hatter market It's a win In my estimation.The way I see It at this point we have nothing to lose.

It is a money losing idea for the trapper to promote fur for liners. Groeny is already doing this for coon. How is this price of coon these days?

Well If you can promote beaver belly fur as liners It may be a better price then using that fur for the hatter market. The bottom line Is If we don't try we won't know.
Beaver belly fur outshines coon fur by a mile.

Have at it! $20 beaver averages are a money loser here just like $12 averages.

Maybe I'm looking at this wrong. But If I have to skin a beaver and sell It to the hatter market for $7.00 green skinned wouldn't I be better off doing the same thing for a belly fur market and get $10.00 for the same amount of work by just skinning It up the back.

Yes, you are. You don't have to trap beaver. Look in th help wanted ads. There are plenty of jobs that are way less work and enjoyable that pay better than $10 dollar beaver. Glad, I could get your mind right.

Ya I'm having a bad day. Bought a new hose bib and had It Installed for $100.000. Turned It on today and the sob Is leaking around the valve handle. Don't know If I can knock off the valve handle to see If I can tighten something up Internally. I'm just a bit ticked off.

I do some beaver removal in the spring and end up with a few yearlings. Yes I wonder if it is worth all the trouble skinning, freezing and putting them up in the fall for $1.50 (half the price of a rat). But I enjoy doing it so I don't mind I guess,

Sell Them green skinned that' s how groney buys for the hatter market.

I guess if it paid more than their hatter price I would try some next year. For the same price all its doing is ensuring that GFW is the only outlet for it.

I don't see It that way we are just In the testing stage. Groney Is spending his money to get these dorsal cut beaver dressed. And he is spending his time and money to shop them around. If It gets us more money I don't care who Is the outlet as long as I make more money. If this should take off others will get involved.

Can you make money trapping $20 beaver? What middlemen can make on a $20 beaver with a mark up, is different than what we do. For example the middlemen buy your beaver for $10 and can sell 50,000 for $15.

The middleman pays you $30 for beaver and can sell 10,000 for $35.

Which is more lucrative for the middleman? Which is more lucrative for the trapper?

In my world ,as soon as you build a nich in the market here comes all the competitors jumping into make money. This thing is already in motion. whether or not a market will develop, or any money will be made will take several years to find out

Hopefully it doesn't take several years to find out.

I watched NAFA try to create a decent market for beaver for 25 years. They failed. They even would tell you why.