How high and where’s the market headed? Here in Minnesota we have little water which will definitely hurt the spring harvest. But with an easy winter in the north and I would guess good production in the south is the hatter market heading for saturation?

All those heavy northern beavs are plucked and sheared....according to some on here. Shouldn't be any saturation of the hatter market...lol

Maybe 5,10% at most imo

Lots of trappers out,

I'm doing my part for saturation

heck, there's guys adding traps between my traps up here....spots I've had to myself for a long time...some don't even look around

you would think beaver were $200

We will know this weekend what the market looks like. I think they sell at FHA on Saturday.

Kidron Ohio sale was roughly up 20% (~100) beaver. Was awfully dry here too. Do know there was some issues with guys trapping beaver in spots they didn't have permission for, some of my old spots actually.

We don't have these kinds of problems down South.

I checked 4 small ponds this weekend and they all appeared to be nearly dry and froze to the bottom. I am sure the larger ponds will be just fine but it will be interesting to see what kind of natural mortality occurred this winter. My lake is open yet all the ponds are still frozen mud.

When you have a very dry summer with little water in the creeks the beaver are succeptable big time to predation from wolves.Especially in the spring right as the ice goes out and they move,and in fall when they are trying to get to winter feed

The places where they did that here is where your moonshiners hide down there lol.

The one "active" pond I went to is almost completely dry. There are 3 runs coming out of the house that are 2 feet deep and 6 feet long. That is the only water. If they didn't freeze out they will be easy pickings for the wolves.

Ditches have water now but ponds are still well frozen. Last fall a beaver was trying to make a go of it at the pond I set the stacked 330s at. It was like it scooped out the loom to make the hole deep enough and piled it on the lodge. 25lbs so you think it’s last springs kit? Tiny feed bed but never know, could be more. I guess it won’t be like last year where I could set just about any ditch and catch one.
An old friend is still asking if I think I’ll average more than $3…..I’ve told him what I averaged last spring but doesn’t believe it I guess. Says he’ll pull out his 330s when they hit $80, but he hates putting up beaver. They look like one of those crappy sports shirts from the 80s when he’s done fleshing, you know the ones with the huge mesh holes that were like a cheese grader on the nipples.

I have always enjoyed wearing those in an odd sort of way.

A good percentage of my beaver will get plucked and sheared. But then again I didn't trap any in the fall or spring. If not the guy who paid for them is going to loose a good chunk of money.



Water levels are low the catch 22 is we had an early ice out and there is almost 2 months of season remaining. Guys are going to get 10 weeks of open water, may year we are lucky to get 3 or 4. Will overall spring harvest be down?

Me? I'm going fishing. Maybe I'll trap some beaver May 1

I find the earlier the ice goes out,the quicker the water warms and the faster the beaver go downhill(shedders)
Shedding beaver have thin underfur.
If a lot of those show up it wont help the market improve.

I agree, they aren't going to stop if they can find a willing buyer.

lots of trappers up here,