Buddy calls his son got a big beaver he asks if I can skin it I’m like sure bring it over. Then he says he wants to get it tanned so I'm like “so you want it put up too? “ Then the kid wants the meat to make bait so it’s getting worse he doesn’t have a fleshing knife that I know of let alone a beaver knife I think he expects me to do it all for him.

I said here’s what I’ll do I’ll skin it then he can freeze the hide until I’m set up to do my beaver after cat season but I keep the carcass. I offered to put it up and show the kid how to do it so he learns how. I offered a cat carcass to make bait with as I have a bunch in the freezer but I’m out of beaver so I need some. The kid wants to catch fur but not handle the furs. I’m willing to help him but it’s not all my responsibility to do his fur he’s a young adult in his 20s maybe.

I just think they are clueless to the shear amount of time and work involved in putting up a single beaver. So far crickets

A prime example of why I charge $25 to skin for people. I will offer to help and guide them through the process, but most people want the easy way out.

Just wanting free labor

Sounds like you made a fair offer,if he doesn’t take it,well then it’s his problem

Move on. There are more worthy persons who will benefit from your experience.
For me, I wouldn’t be satisfied if someone finished the job. I want to say that I managed it myself, even if end result is mediocre

Hey Law....I got a dozen beaver left to skin. Will you do 'em for me? I'm kind of tired.

I think I’d rather do several than just one at a time any day.

Ha! I hear that.

I believe you gave them a fair deal ,

You sounded like kind of a dink until you clarified the "kid" was in his 20s and not 10 like I first assumed. There's not many things easier to skin than beaver, may as well watch YouTube n learn

Maybe he just wants the beaver meat.

He's 20 something and he's having his dad call you? You better hide his silver spoon. I'd call him and have HIM bring it over. Have everything set up then tell him that he gets to skin it while you talk him through it. If you lose out on the beaver meat so be it. That just mite save you some grief in the long run. That's just part of being a trapper, hunter or fisherman. Cleaning what you harvest.

That’s the society that we live in today. I see that crap more and more in all aspects of daily life…..lol
How are people raising their kids these days?

. I helped a kid like that once, and he never ever got to the putting up fur on his own, but he somehow figured it was easier to steal from trappers,ghost a line,than to patiently learn the trade.

If the same kid has something I’m interested in I pay him for it every time or trade for it skunk stuff mostly. I needed a civet for a pelt collection and we made a deal on it the thing had a huge hole in the leg area luckily it was useable for the collection to use until I catch the guy another good one.

Taught a lot of kids and adults about trapping I’ve been burned by several kids in the process not a lot of integrity ingrained in today’s youth unfortunately. There’s a lot of my students that I’m proud of you just never know until you figure it out.

Sounds like you made him a fair offer.

If he's not interested, it's time to move along IMHO

I have a good friend that has a son in high school who started trapping a couple years ago and is starting to get the hang of it. He has caught 7 coyotes and a bobcat since Just before Christmas,

He was asking about the Duke 650’s and I had a dozen extra I said he could use for the rest of the season. We were to meet Sunday. He and his dad came by early Sunday morning to pick them up. He was looking at the coyotes I had on stretchers and ones already dried and some that were tanned. He was really wanting to learn and asked a lot of questions. Luck would have it, Once he got home, he ran his traps and had a very nice coyote caught.

They brought it over and we skinned it out and trolled it up and put in freezer. He is coming back later to learn how to flesh and board. I have no problem doing this once, but probably not a second time.

My motto is the first one is free.

Here is a success story for you:

Back in the earlier days of Trapperman I had a ride along request from a young man studying at my alma mater (OSU). So I took him out and I think that day I caught 8 or 9 beavers; he was hooked. The next year he got his license and after his first beaver catch he called and wondered if I could show him how to skin it.

I said sure, bring it over and let's do that. I skinned about half and he did about half. The following year he came back for a refresher course on skinning.

Long story short I heard from him about 5-6 years ago and he's showing other young trappers how to skin beaver! And he's clean skinning of course!