NAFA check today!

Sent in 181 rats.
141 sold at avg of 2.43
33 remain unsold
1 mink unsold
1 coyote $24
40.54 commission
9.30 freight
1.50 drumming
10.00 subscription$181
$240 application and license fees for trapping on refuge
$181 to have rats put up.
$10 to have coyote put up.
30 miles out to run traps every day.
sure was fun though.

Got mine too. It was for $700 which I have already “reinvested” into snow goose decoys lol

Mine also came today. It will used to pay for a shoulder mount of the buck I shot last year.

I received a statement which indicated my $9.10 credit for the 1 $10 coon that was left from the last sale and sold. Almost enough to cover my magazine!!! LOL

Bryce

I got mine yesterday as well---- yall might get a kick outta this--- I owe them $29 and change for drumming the fox that didnt sell. I hadnt sent fur in a couple years and my membership was set to expire- so I sent a bag of fox up. I am fortunate to be able to laugh- hope some of you will join me in laughing it off.

Got mine yesterday, time to go truck shopping.

Got mine also avg $14.80 on 39 of 41 coon sold 5 to groeny on4/30 for $6.50 because did not have time to finish before truck pickup all coon were 1st week of Dec coon most were 3xxx. Glad to pay the commission for the price difference for the same quality of coon. I

Just remember that it’s a crap shoot once they are sent. Could’ve gone the other way just as easily. Fortunately for you, it didn’t.

So even if the rest of your rats sell at those prices you've lost right around $30 and haven't factored in your time, gas, or trapping supplies yet. I mean I don't make a whole lot of money trapping, and I surely don't live off it. If I'd come back that negative I might look into doing something different.

Well, doing your own put up would of saved you a good chunk of change.

Thanks for posting prices. No unsolicited advice here. Glad you had fun

Yep..sure ain't trying to make a living from it, and glad to help a fella out that wants to dress rats for a buck.

There's very few fur trappers that are able to even make a portion of their income off of trapping. No one ever wants to discuss it, but ADC trapping is about the only trapping I see in the near future....I'm usually an optimist. I know I'm not going to even touch what I make working trapping, but I still don't want to lose money doing it. I'm satisfied if I break even, and don't trap the whole season. I'm afraid if I was in the negative every year I'd become a part time hobby cat trapper, because I really enjoy chasing them down. Coyotes are fun to catch, but all I see is work when I get home with them.

Part time I am.....those rats were caught in about 10 days of trapping. I spend more time ice fishing. But, don't make any money at that either. Maybe I should quit fishing?

Exactly. Trapping is one of the few (if any) of the outdoor activities that pays you back a little cash.

I guess I'm just tight with money. Honestly trapping is the only thing I really do in the outdoors anymore. I've pretty much given up all of my hunting/fishing ventures which were nothing but money pits. Call me crazy but I enjoyed getting paid from my full time career to trap, and making extra money while trapping. It wasn't so much as a poke to you as it was the fur industry in general. If I'm losing money, although I enjoy trapping I don't know if there's any thrill in killing things to kill them.

Yea, me too Wade.
If we had numbers here that a fella could make a couple bucks, i'd still be after them. I also don't blame guys who do trap in this market. What-ever floats yer boat is my moto.

I went Deer hunting this past fall instead of trapping. I normally miss hunting because trapping comes in the same time.

Do whatever ya want, being outdoors is good no matter what your doing.

I agree Hippie, I really don't care if Gary has the time/money to go chase muskrats for a loss that's his prerogative. I totally said if I was losing money I'd do something different, I'm definitely not going to tell someone else how to live their life. Some day when I'm not paying for full time school, and raising two children I might go on a trek across the country trapping cats in different terrains. I do enjoy catching bobcats, and I'd like to see how I do catching them in unfamiliar environments. We also do not have much of a population here to try some of the things I would like to try on them. Mostly I'm just irritated with the current markets, and wish there was some last hope to save the fur market. Unfortunately until I'm retired or hit the lottery I fear my days of trapping are numbered.

Took my NAFA check to Credit Union. It was the best one I have received the last few years. Funny part was the young teller saw 'Canada' on it and started talking exchange rates. I told her it was U.S. dollars. After a few minutes of trying to convince her the head teller cut in, took a quick look, and said the check was in U.S. funds. Disagreement settled.

Hope them rats came with a couple five gallon bucks of perch off Dewey or hackberry. Never understood why you had to pay to trap the refuge, I can remeber back in the day there would be 10’s of thousands of rat houses on all those lakes. Surely you could have found a private lake and not paid to trap?

Maybe next check I'll have enough to pay for my magazine subscription and get the next fur handling video...

The refuge lakes get pounded by the city guys as far as fishing goes. I do most fishing away from the refuge. Northerns there are plentiful however.
I won't trap the refuge again unless rat prices increase considerably.
I do get to cut firewood on the refuge without paying..