I don't trap or bother skinning out for fur anymore. I never learned to finish and get good at putin fur up. I'm very limited on time and not spending 35 mins fleshing out a $2 coon have one look hood then the next fur falls out of.. It's not worth my time messing with at this time even though it's a skill I really want to learn. I skinned and froze everything for years throwing it out from time to time with the idea I would find some to pay that would put it up for me and maybe take the time to teach the boys how to do it right. I thought with low fur price complaining guys would Like geting paid more to flesh and board alone than selling their finished catch. Well I gave up finding anyone to pay.

So now I trap to reduce predators and keep population healthy and toss them in the ditch. We'll except beaver that's I skin and eat.

I have a fantasy someday I will not only put up fur but tan and make things out of it. But I also have the same unlikely fantasy of finding and cuting my own wood for bow and arrows and finishing them and successfully hunting with it. If I'm honest with myself neither is likely to happen for over a decade at least and probably never at all. So off th the dead pit they go. Sure was nice when I could get a few bucks green or even in the round and 100 on live coyote i didn't feel like i was wasting it then. Buyers don't even want them now a lot of time on coon anyway unless thing change the last few years.

Our small line is limited to our farm and friends that want predators gone. don't take big #s under 10 k9 3 fox 30 coon 10 beaver, opossum#? and a mink, few skunks and bobcat would be typical slightly on the high side for the 200 acres max on 2 tracks we trap on. Then 5 to 10 ground hogs and another several opossum and coon nuisance on the farm after season.

Edit Swamp the best Game wardens are/were also the the best poachers. Sure are some that give the rest a bad name though. Young girl 18 maybe? shot a nice buck with her bow wardens thought her dad or brother shot it and she tagged it. well he couldn't prove it( because she shot it) but he keep digging. Found out she didn't have the right tag. It was her first time buying her tags herself instead of dad doing it for her on line and checked the wrong box. Honest mistak and easy to see time sdates on buying the wrong tag. instead of understanding and cutting her a break he took her deer and gave her a ticket. Heck ok give her a ticked but let her keep her deer. But no Barney took her deer. I think her first bow kill buck and a very nice buck.

Results youn girl got rid of her equipment and will.never hunt again. Congratulations Game wardens mission accomplished.

Twice I contacted you about putting your fur up. And offered to help you learn. You said it was to far to travel. So please don't say nobody offered.

We don't have many marten around here, our big thing is cats. I think they're going for 2-300 CAD. something like that with I believe a limit of 5. I could see that being worth some money. Coyotes here are worthless since Canada goose stopped using their fur because of PETA, before that they were worth really good money. Otters are worth I think anywhere from 25-65 CAD I think.

For me personally with the cost of gas alone, It's an enjoyable hobby to pass down and if I can pay for my gear, gas, maintenance then I'll be a happy camper! I just can't see it being worth money at all as a profession, only as a passion and really fulfilling life most only dream about, right?

If a person is going to be self employed with a tax number and trap professionally it just doesn't have the ability to touch another profession I guess is all I'm saying, I run just about the smallest carpentry business you could imagine, and what I can clear in a month could squash a year of trapping for a fraction of the work of skinning & fleshing, which to me would mean it's a hobby to most everyone out there, which I don't think is a bad thing. If it weren't for hobbies many traditions would have gone the way of the dinosaur and with hobbyists combined with the professional trappers to learn from we'll have a great network and lobbying group to protect trapping for future generations.

PFD?

It used to be a lot more than that didn't it?

LOL…. Anyone who lives in Alaska solely for the PFD payout is a loser. Doubt there are many who do.

No. It’s always been pretty small. That’s why I said idiots think you get paid to live in Alaska. The most I’ve ever got was like $3,200. Just the one time. Otherwise $1,200-$1,800 is pretty standard.

…. Some decent beer money right there

Ride on down and find out for sure

Ride on down and find out for sure

^^^^^^^^^
Would you be a member of an organization who constantly refers to trapping as a "sport" at the same time claiming they are going to protect trapping?

Annual. They’re talking about doing away with it altogether, unless you make under $50,000. Which is way below poverty line here. It costs me $1,900 to charter a float plane to my cabin from Ketchikan, same if I need to go back into town. The PFD doesnt even begin to cover the difference I pay for regular groceries over the course of a few months. Hence why subsistence is a big thing around here. A crappy expired steak from the store is $65. A 24 pack of coors light is $39, etc.