Maybe where you live but not elsewhere.
Canada is the best country in the world by far and you as an american know it-why you choose to live in your so called dumpster.

The big right appears to be access to other peoples money. Been working in a native village recently. These people are so dependent it is sad what we have made them.

Not here.They are owners of all kinds of industry,and benefit greatly thru that shared ownership.And so do all the non native buisnesses locally.When people have lots of money they tend to spend it locally.That is a huge boost to local economys.Money is kept iin the area it is generated and not siphoned off by big government.
They are also big players in the stock markets with 50 percent ownership of shares in many mining companys and other diverse investments.

Great thread for most part, going a little sideways last page or 2 ha. I consider myself one of those Hardcore Trappers… I trap as close to full time as possible and love playing the “numbers game” over the years. Trap on farms/ranches like many here. Not Coon country, light on mink - so mainly Coyote, Beaver, Rats and Ermine. Made some serious money on Coyotes and rats until market got creamed and drought put the rats in the current downward cycle. I find Beaver worth it, especially with good castor and Bear hunter demand for carcasses

We lost so many Coyote/Fox snaresmen in Alberta when Canada goose cratered. Very important fur bearer - any reasonable demand here would be a godsend

Spent a combined 6 weeks on Reg traplines, targeting mainly marten, lynx and bobcat. Will do the same this coming winter - possibly adding a new marten line. As long as the market holds; Prices are in place to make a reasonable return this coming season


I look around and see trappers here more optimistic and think there will be a lot more effort put in (at least in boreal) in BC suspect there will be more houndsman activity on bobcat and lynx - the word is out . I do see a fair number of younger people entering trapping right now - probably not near enough to replace the “old dogs” exiting the game though.

See quite a few youngsters here taking the trapping courses every year and getting their licences,Of course trapping and bush life is a way of life here in the North and has always been that way.Young trappers get their licences and immediately get on the family traplines and their brothers or sisters have connections to get a line when a local retires-everyone knows each other and take care of each other like a big family-and really they are because in the small towns lots of families are connected.

To get this thread back to the original OPs question about the current state of the fur markets for the last several years.

The Good-
1. For those of us who run full multispecies lines, we are never chasing the market and benefit the most when the prices of certain species goes up unexpectedly. If one species falls, generally other species increase, so we are less effected by the big up and down swings.
2. Higher prices will bring interest back to the sport for casual trappers who in turn bring their kids along with it.
3. Muskrat prices increasing is a great time to get kids into trapping as they are easy to catch if your area has them and the kids can make a little money from their efforts.
4. As others have stated, I rarely have competition on my line.

The Bad-
1. Market Chasers. People who see a spike in value of a species and trap them hard the next season to try and capitalize on the new price only to see the price fall because the market is flooded. For example skunks, 2.5 times more skunks on FHA June auction compared to last year and the price fell by more than half of last years prices. I can see the same thing happening to mink next season just from the threads on Tman.

The Ugly
1. USA trapping staples such as Raccoons and Coyotes prices are still in the gutter. This is only going to have negative impact on trapper numbers in lots of areas if this continues for long.
2. People who won't trap even with increasing prices because they can't figure out how to make money and belittle those who can by saying they're wasting their time. There are several people who have commented in this thread that fall into this category.

In summary, I think that trapping in a better place today than it was 2 years ago and have no reason to believe that it will only get better over the next few years.

Schmattz

I was a commercial trapper in the 70's and 80's

Then a little hobby trapping in Washington, Utah and Idaho then just for fun and challenge With plans to run long and hard just for kicks after retirement.

Health situations took my feet out from underneath me,, and the guys I wanted to trap with,,, An that stupid non resident regulation in Minnesota

Health has improved, Set a few traps last year,, Recieved a check and thinking back I would rather catch 100 animals than a handful, dealing with problematic trappers brought back in for the money