Was having this conversation the other day with a friend. Our speculation is that we might see a few more people out here but likely not huge. The price increases aren't impacting the readily available critters that the average catcher can get in these parts---being rats and coon. There might be some of the big marsh trappers that will be more motivated with the slight increase in rat prices but the couple that I know didn't even bother last time around until the price hit right around $8-10 and there has been a lot of inflation in the decade since then. With gas costs and access legalities, our less than top quality coon would have to see a many fold price advance even running BG's on a non daily check for anyone to consider to targeting them without going in the red. That primarily leaves mink and reds on the table. There are a few guys like Seldom left from the minker days but for the most part the mink/red guys are no longer with us. I'd also say many of those that may have trapped a decade or so ago haven't really done much since then and they'd likely be in for a rude awakening when it comes to targeting our modern day reds. And the population of both mink and reds in the state can be pretty spotty. Some places have a decent population while other areas are awful scarce. I suspect there might be a few of the "weekend" crowd out looking in the ditches but I just don't see many guys stringing out much of a line.

youtube

I wish i had youtube when I self taught myself from written instructions. Youtube will teach them the trapping secrets too.

We have not seen any trapping supply sales increases from the results of the last two FHA auctions. Coon, coyote, and muskrats drive the market and they are still all very cheap, generally below cost of production. Trappers are usually two years behind when the fur markets increase, before they go back out in any serious manner.

As others point out, we are losing our country buyers, a lot of trappers don't have the facilities, knowledge, or equipment to put up their own fur, a surprising amount of trappers give their catch away or just toss it. Most country buyers that are left don't have the help to handle daily drop offs of any large amount of carcass animals.

With inflation, numbers that barely worked 10 or 20 years ago don't work anymore. Vehicle costs, gas, all the other incidental costs add up quick.

Go to a trapping convention and look at the age of the attendees. Look at the age of folks posting on Trapperman. How many threads are there where trappers are excited about next season, talking about better trapping methods. Most threads are about everything except trapping. Not many new trappers starting, for sure not enough to replace the ones quitting or aging out. We need more recruitment of new trappers to keep this going over the coming decades

That said, if you have mink on your trap line, no better time than this fall to go after them. Tomorrow is promised to no one.





.

I still go after the critters no matter how low the prices. Maybe on a reduced scale but it is like going on vacation to me plus it has been in my blood for over 60 years.

Hard core trappers schedule EVERYTHING else around the trapping lifestyle.

Is Boco married?

No, but he has a steady boyfriend.

I don't know if a gimp in a box is a steady boyfriend

How do I find time to do all this stuff, and post on the internet?
I have a family, lately been working average 12 hr days making the good money, and still have time to slowly get ready for next winter and get a few ADC calls in. How do I do it? It’s just what I do I guess. Family is a team also. Room & board is free, if everything gets done.
If they don’t enjoy it, it’ll never get done.
I like Wrights comment, if you took the time, money & gear to go out and kill it, finish the job right.
How long ago did trappers lose their drive? Or was the drive never there to do it right? Never taught? Not raised that way?
I know of a few that have young families and still do things right, but they’re trappers to the bone. Tired trappers, but still crushing it…..lol

In the south, at least at our state fur sales, bobcat and otter pay better in the round than finished.

Now you got a handle on it Shakey!

Married a Cree woman 4o years ago,raised two kids in the trapping lifestyle.
Missed more time with the family when I worked on the railroad than I ever did trapping.A lot of trapping time was family time and teaching the kids about self sufficiency.
But I wear the pants in my family unlike you pantywaists who are run by your women,and you wonder what happened to young people today,lol.

LOL!!!

Are your kids trappers, Boco?
Not that it matters, really. You taught them what it's all about so they aren't gonna be antis or anything.
My daughters all have been on the line with me so know what it's all about, and one even ran her own line when she was a teenager. None of them are trappers right now.

My son is a miner and lives here in the North.He has his own registered trapline.He is married to an American girl.
My daughter lives in the city with her husband but likes to get out on the trapline when she visits.
Her husband also helps out on the line when they come up to visit and enjoys the bush very much.

It trapping paid better, you wouldn't need another job. No kids or grandkids are going to take over my trapping empire here. They all know how much work and pain there is for little gain.

Fur trapping is never full time,always half a year.
I took the railroad job so I could trap.
I could have made a career out of umpteen number of opportunities but the railroad was the one that fit into the trapping lifestyle the best.
In fact I talked the union and the company into creating a full time nuisance beaver position that ran from April to December which I took when it was bulletined.In fact my railroad pension is based on all the overtime I worked on the beaver control job.
Lots of hard core trappers took summer jobs on the highways,firefighting,railroad guiding etc and took their layoff in October so they could collect pogey and trap.They could have got on with the companys full time ( in the case of guiding and firefighting doing other things for the MNR) but would never let anything interfere with trapping.
With hard core trappers trapping comes first.

Pensionable OT? Now that explains why you’re rich!…….lol

Guys are working while they are trapping, because they ain't making enough money trapping to quit that job. Back in the good ole days people would quit the regular job to make more money trapping.

Still lots doing the same today-hard core trappers.
They only lose one week pogey benefits the week of the fur sale so they sell their fur in june.Usually back to work on the track or roads by then.