I have some castor that I took out of the freezer last winter to sell right before covid hit and I kinda forgot about it. It's been hanging over a box and is DARK and hard. Never had this before as I usually handle it good, so I have no idea what it's monetary value is (if any) compared to nicely handled castor. It was about three pounds worth "semi-dried", as in I would have been paid for 3#.

If it's not worth selling, what's the best way to rehydrate it to grind up for beaver lure? Soak in prop glycol or glycerin for a while? Or just a little water probably? This is a new problem I have thankfully never had before and don't plan to have ever again! Happy trapping! ScottW

I don't know, because I've never sold any like that but if I were to guess it would go as #3 castor or shell castor. Still pretty good money in today's market.

And of course it could be ground and gliserine added (plus whatever else you like) to make lure.

Not sure but i think i read somewhere that Paul Dobbins likes his castor that way and he grinds it into powder and uses to his perspectives in lures..... dont quote me but memory jogs me bout this.

Has anyone been quoted a castor price lately? I've head It's down to around $65.00 a lb.

$140 at the last FHA sale.

32 lbs averaged $81 on this last Friday's OTC sale.

Last I heard was 80 to 85.

Funny you say that Lee, I seem to remember the same thing from a discussion WAY back! Backbreaker is very similar in color to super dried castor. Happy Trapping! ScottW

Send it to the fha sale and I bet they dock you a drying fee.....

I've always dried mine real good before freezing. Seems to sell good. Wonder what Groney is paying??

LOL, don't get me started on that! Sold to a country buyer for years, straight run true weight payment. One year I end up having to ship the castor instead of in person. I get the check in the mail and realize I was shorted like 25%…........"oh, well that was the adjusted weight for drying"......after a long discussion I still hold a slight grudge and haven't sold any castor to them since. He had always told me to hang it and flip once to get the whole outer shell dry then freeze it. Then take it out about a week before selling, thaw, and prettyuch repeat that process and you'll get straight weight. Happy trapping! ScottW

Just received a check at $85/lb or $11 per beaver. That's more than most guys will skin and sell the hides for.

Couple months ago he was paying top $75, but I saw him buy from a guy and graded his down for being over-dried and only paid $65.

Some of my smaller casters really get dry and quite hard, never had a complaint from my buyers.

That's because they're not overly concerned with dinky shell castor as it contributes very little to the overall weight with a normal run of castor.

Thanks for all the input folks! I might experiment with trying to make some lure different than I'm used to. Might call someone and see what they might be willing to pay! Happy trapping! ScottW

I just ground a couple pounds of what you are talking about. I’ll add a cup or two of 100 proof vodka to it and let it tincture for awhile, then open the container and let the alcohol evaporate, add beaver sac oil and mix to a paste. Then freeze and use as us for beaver or ingredient in other lure

I think I'll use that recipe and get it ready for spring beavering! How long is "a while? I've never been good at tincturing.......I still have castor soaking in grain alcohol that I started 20 years ago! Happy trapy! ScottW

Still needs to tincture a little longer Scott. 22 years is the minimum.

Awesome, thanks! And to think my wife says I'm really good at starting too many projects and not finishing enough of them in a timely manner! Happy trapping! ScottW

I've gotten away from drying them at all before freezing. Harvest and pack into ice cream buckets. They pack nice and snuck wet then when you plan to sell dry them all at the same time all to the same dryness. Dry enough to look dry but heavy enough to max out at a sale. Always sell private and in person at a trapping workshop and wait until you've got an audience. castor marketing, lol.