I found out I will have time to attend the WI convention. Decided yesterday to set a few traps for nuisance critters on one of the farms. I would hate to miss out on the skunk craze. They are pretty ugly overall but apparently there's a demand. I will see what Trevor thinks on Friday and report back.

I don’t think they are ugly. Nice work

Put ups are excellent!

You did a beautiful job of fleshing. I hope and think you will do well selling them.

Keith

I have been using a cheap green fleshing knife that I bought off of a tailgater at a convention for $30, for the last 15 years. Those skunks today were the first critters I fleshed with the new Caribou knife I bought. Definitely a upgrade.

You put that new Caribou knife to good use. It looks you've been perfecting it's use for years.

Keith

Nice skunks, what do you use the ground allspice for?

nice job, see you firday,

I sat threw a demo at a youth event and the instructor "Bob" was handing his homemade beaver lure out to the kids. I've seen him rack up numbers. He used cinnamon oil and a dash of allspice and probably something else that I didn't catch. I mix 1 ounce of cinnamon oil, a pinch of allspice, and 8oz of glycerin for a beaver lure.
I'm not a pro, I do not get paid to remove the last one, it works well enough for me that it stays in a squirt bottle in the door of my truck.

Beautiful work on those hides. Interesting concoction for a beaver lure.

Thanks for the explanation. That's one recipe I've never heard of. I'll be saving it.

Its a slow time of the year, squirt a bit on the bank upwind of a lodge and set a trail cam to watch.
If I am following another trapper, before I use any castor, I will set whatever blind sets that look promising and 1 or 2 blended drowning sets with a squirt of cinnamon on the bank. Pretty good chance they haven't experienced it before and I think I remember Bob saying ancient beaver were somehow known to eat cinnamon "trees" so its instinctual and they cant resist investigating. Again, I am by no means saying I am good at trapping. I just enjoy it and put a lot of effort in which usually produces decent results.

They look good and good amount of essence. You should do well

Beauty fleshing! The tails cab be a bit tricky. Got a couple more up tonight and a 2 more thawing for tomorrow.

Way to go.

The results - $205 for 6 august skunks and 1 tail. 2 went for $70, 3 went for $45, and the tail and 1 hide went for $15. I sold the quill to Murray lures for $20 a ounce. The attendance was pretty impressive and the Wisconsin group put on a good event.
I sat through a 1 hour fur market report and it is expected that the skunk demand will last through the winter. He said they are learning that the summer hides have less yield and prime hides will be more desirable.
It sounds like there are two hat makers in New York. Trevor supplies one and Groenwald supplies the other.

Is that 2 skunk for a total of $70, and 3 for a total of $45? Because if those prices are per pelt, the math isn't mathing for me....

That's funny, it was busy and I didn't catch that. I will send him a text and have him drop a check in the mail. Thanks for taking a minute and doing a little math.

Awesome prices for thin skinned skunks

It is ridiculous for unprimed young of the year, what I would consider junk fur. Still wrapping my head around it but whatever, the market has been bust and boom for a while and I will try to make the most of it.
Talked with Trevor and after much apologies, the check will be in the mail Monday.