In 1978 I remember paying 60 cents a gallon for gasoline. That same year I was buy muskrats for an average of $6 each.

So, each 'rat would buy six gallons of gas. Now it takes nearly two 'rats to buy one gallon of gas.

Put in perspective, muskrats today should be worth about $18 - $20 each.

I sold a couple hundred put up rats to LaVonne Tostenson a local fur buyer for $7.35 average and he told me to go get as many as I could. I bought a dozen 1-1/2 longsprings from him for under $10. He was completely our of #1's. About a week later I heard of someone who averaged $8. I think this was in maybe 1980 or 81. A good construction or factory job at that time paid about $6 an hour. That was the moment I started figuring out a way to do it for a living.

People who did not live and trap through this period have no idea what it was like. Crazy times.

This is an interesting concept. A couple years ago, prices were so bad, I had 3 sets out close to home. I grossed $480 out of those 3 sets. I actually made a decent return, by not running a full line. I would have lost my arse, if I hadn't scaled back. Every animal further and further from home costs more to produce and becomes less profitable per animal.

Remember catching 4 red fox one morning before school....This was the 1970's and those foxes brought a little over $200.

My FFA teacher was in awe, and said that was more than he made all week.

Got a good one for you Carl. In the 1820's & 1830's a skilled craftsman, cooper, blacksmith, carpenter, employed by the HBC or Ashley, made a dollar a day, and a beaver was worth $6. Do the math on that one adjusted for today's skilled craftsmen. Easy to see why they risked their hair and health.

I remember back in about 78 or 79,I found a cross fox frozen in the ice.half of it was eaten but the other half was good because it was frozen in the ice.
I chipped it out with the spud,thawed it out in the laundry tub,skinned it and stretched it flat-almost a perfect half skin-sent it to the auction and got I believe it was around 70 bucks.
Cross fox were selling for very good money back then.

Picked up a damaged road kill otter....that was stinking...had some holes in it.....Brought it to Ol Harris...he put it up....Got 50.00 bucks for it (2007 I think )

I used to always love road hit otter. They can be jelly in the inside and not have a hole in that tough leather.