No Profanity *** No Flaming *** No Advertising *** No Anti Trappers ***NO POLITICS
No Non-Target Catches *** No Links to Anti-trapping Sites *** No Avoiding Profanity Filter


Home~Trap Talk~ADC Forum~Trap Shed~Wilderness Trapping~International Trappers~Fur Handling

Auction Forum~Trapper Tips~Links~Gallery~Basic Sets~Convention Calendar~Chat~ Trap Collecting Forum

Trapper's Humor~Strictly Trapping~Fur Buyers Directory~Mugshots~Fur Sale Directory~Wildcrafting~The Pen and Quill

Trapper's Tales~Words From The Past~Legends~Archives~Kids Forum~Lure Formulators Forum~ Fermenter's Forum


~~~ Dobbins' Products Catalog ~~~


Minnesota Trapline Products
Please support our sponsor for the Trappers Talk Page - Minnesota Trapline Products


Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Trapping in the 70s #7638423
07/30/22 05:33 PM
07/30/22 05:33 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
I started trapping 3 years ago and hear a lot about the 70s and early 80s. How was it trapping during that fur boom? What were some of the fur prices you remember?

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638430
07/30/22 06:04 PM
07/30/22 06:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,476
Philippines, s.e. asia,ohio
west river rogue Offline
trapper
west river rogue  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,476
Philippines, s.e. asia,ohio
40 dollar carcass coons here and 70 dollar redfox around 80-81......grays 40 i believe...mink i dont remember but i always sold them for 30-40 to taxi trade...badgers 40

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638433
07/30/22 06:09 PM
07/30/22 06:09 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,122
Pa.
B
Bigbrownie Offline
trapper
Bigbrownie  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,122
Pa.
$35 coons in the round, $8.50- $9.00 rats, put up.1980- 1981

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638434
07/30/22 06:10 PM
07/30/22 06:10 PM
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,217
W NY
Turtledale Offline
trapper
Turtledale  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,217
W NY
Wasn't a critter with fur you couldn't sell
Fur buyers bid over top of each other for your pelts
Possum and nutria we're in demand
Every small town had at least one buyer
Boy, those were the days for me
I cut my teeth on coon and rats back in the seventies. My father was jealous because as a teenager my weekly checks were higher than his and he worked for the UAW.
Couldn't even imagine what the long liners were making


NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638435
07/30/22 06:12 PM
07/30/22 06:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,988
Central Pennsylvania
Nittany Lion Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister
Nittany Lion  Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,988
Central Pennsylvania
Prices that I received at the peak of the boom (don't remember the year). These prices were my highs, not averages.

Red Fox $70.00

Grey Fox $57.00

Opossum $6.00

Muskrats $8.00

Coon $40.00


I got myself a seniors' GPS.
Not only does it tell me how to get to my destination,
it tells me why I wanted to go there.
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638437
07/30/22 06:15 PM
07/30/22 06:15 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,707
The great cage state Colorado
M
Monster Toms Offline
trapper
Monster Toms  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,707
The great cage state Colorado
1980 Colorado coyotes averaged $125.00 Red fox $80.00 Bobcats $250. New 4x4 Chevy 1/2 ton $4000.






Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638438
07/30/22 06:18 PM
07/30/22 06:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
1980 I sold my top Colorado bobcat for 400.


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638441
07/30/22 06:21 PM
07/30/22 06:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,976
MD
D
DaveP Offline
trapper
DaveP  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,976
MD
Never saw roadkill laying....

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638443
07/30/22 06:27 PM
07/30/22 06:27 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 780
Indiana
D
DanN Offline
trapper
DanN  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 780
Indiana
There was also loads trespassing, stolen fur, stolen traps . Every bridge had piles of traps set under it. Wasn't uncommon for fur buyers to hide their fur in other peoples barns and sheds because thieves would break into fur buyers places and steal put up fur. Several fur buyers in this area were robbed at gun point because they keep large amounts of cash.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: west river rogue] #7638447
07/30/22 06:38 PM
07/30/22 06:38 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
That would be awesome, 3 years ago I got paid around 170$ for 25 carcass coons. Never caught a red fox or mink yet.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: DaveP] #7638448
07/30/22 06:38 PM
07/30/22 06:38 PM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,893
new york
M
mike mason Offline
trapper
mike mason  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,893
new york
Originally Posted by DaveP
Never saw roadkill laying....

Got that right if you passed a roadkill to turn around and come back....it was gone!

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: Bigbrownie] #7638449
07/30/22 06:38 PM
07/30/22 06:38 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
If I could get a 15$ coon let alone a 35$ coon that would be awesome.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: Turtledale] #7638450
07/30/22 06:40 PM
07/30/22 06:40 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
That's what I heard from my fur buyer, calves, cats, and anything else sold. My plan this season is to go after the golden trio and see what happens.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: DaveP] #7638451
07/30/22 06:42 PM
07/30/22 06:42 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
Since we started the bounty program, there isn't a roadkilled nest predator that doesn't have its tail cut off already.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: DanN] #7638452
07/30/22 06:43 PM
07/30/22 06:43 PM
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
T
TheYouthTrapper Offline OP
trapper
TheYouthTrapper  Offline OP
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 1,295
South Dakota
I've also heard that quite a bit with all the stolen traps and such.

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638455
07/30/22 06:48 PM
07/30/22 06:48 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
Ave Offline
trapper
Ave  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
Keep in mind that a dollar was worth a lot more back then too lol.


Ave don't go where the beaver don't flow
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638464
07/30/22 07:09 PM
07/30/22 07:09 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 16,512
Oakland, MS
yotetrapper30 Offline
trapper
yotetrapper30  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 16,512
Oakland, MS
Hard to wrap my head around being able to buy a brand new pickup for 32 red fox.


~~Proud Ultra MAGA~~
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638466
07/30/22 07:13 PM
07/30/22 07:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,896
Oakland, MS
Drifter Offline
trapper
Drifter  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,896
Oakland, MS
While the prices seemed good it brought out the worst in folks. If you were set anywhere close to a road most were gone by the time you came back around. Places you had trapped for years if not the land owners kid a cousin was trapping it instead.

Illegal sets along with no name tags brought a lot of the more restrictive laws.


Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.

Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic









Life member NTA , and GA Trappers assoc .
Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: TheYouthTrapper] #7638468
07/30/22 07:14 PM
07/30/22 07:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 677
northern indiana
K
kenny k Offline
trapper
kenny k  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 677
northern indiana
Yes fox were 70 to 80 coon 40 and a lot of stolen traps. Got a used 79 gmc Jimmy with fur money in 1981..

Re: Trapping in the 70s [Re: DanN] #7638471
07/30/22 07:18 PM
07/30/22 07:18 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951
OH
Catch22 Offline
trapper
Catch22  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951
OH
Originally Posted by DanN
There was also loads trespassing, stolen fur, stolen traps . Every bridge had piles of traps set under it. Wasn't uncommon for fur buyers to hide their fur in other peoples barns and sheds because thieves would break into fur buyers places and steal put up fur. Several fur buyers in this area were robbed at gun point because they keep large amounts of cash.

Yeah, it was a crazy but fun time. I started trapping on my own, as a kid in 78. Actually in 76 but that's a whole other story lol. I was and still am the only trapper in my entire family. 99% of the old trappers wouldn't share knowledge back then, you either learned on your own or tuff luck. No computers, no cell phones, internet.

I was fortunate to have a neighbor, ole Chuck, that when he was done reading his magazines, he'd give them to me. Watching Jerimiah Johnson and those magazines is what got me started. When I started catching I was getting 30 bucks for coon in the round, 7 bucks for muskrats, 5 bucks for possum and skunks. When I was 15 my Dad and me were leaving his Sisters place from a squirrel hunt and I was driving the pickup and a red fox was running along the berm on a dirt road. Dad says get up and hit that sucker, so I did. I got 100 bucks for that one but averaged about 80 for reds and 60 for greys. When I caught them, I wasn't a fox trapper by no means.

We had a hound and hunted coon with buddies, the coon hunters were a huge pain in the butt. Because of the high prices, it became very competitive and they would mess up your sets if they seen them. Coon hounds were bringing crazy money. I knew a guy about 30 miles South of me that was buying and selling hounds all the time. He would get between 2500 and 10,000 dollars for a good hound.

It was a ball for me as a kid back then, I found Freedom, it came across me one day and I hope to always have it, not looking great at this point though. I was never a huge longliner and mostly sold in the round. When I started it was just me, a kid with coons and rats tied together with twine, to myself as I peddled my bike to the fur Co I sold to. There was one guy that always seemed to be there, yet not work there. He looked like a Indian, always wore a vest, turquoise jewelry, and a dutch haircut and always a cup of coffee in his hand. He was kind and was part of the 1% who would help young green trappers, he helped me with good advice, yet another story there lol.


I wonder if tap dancers walk into a room, look at the floor, and think, I'd tap that. I wonder about things.....
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread