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Fur trapping, anyone?

Started by chain, November 20, 2012, 08:00:18 AM

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chain

Water trapping for beaver, river otter, was my necessary specialty. The beaver were getting out of control, the otter were eating nice crappie and catfish in our pond. Plus, the fur of otter had reached an all time high a few years back.

This year the drought sent many of the critters to the river; I've noticed since we had a nice rain the otter have moved back in and getting ready to set-up their winter quarters around the boat dock again. They love to dive off the dock and catch a fish and climb back to eat it. About all that is left of the fish are buffalo and carp, and they can have all they want.


Cypressstump

I guess fur prices have taken a pretty good hit. Not many people trapping down here like before. I wish there were a strong market for coon hides, as I could supply a small market share alone.
I have coons raiding my deer feeders, with trail cam pictures of 12-14 coons at a time on occasions.

I don't kill anything I don't eat. So they have been over populating for a few years.I have inadvertantly become a coon farmer........ :-\ :-\  kind successful one too.... Would anyone desire a pet coon for Christmas ? ? ::)
Stump

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Magicman

I get trailcam pixs of coons each night.  It is sad that there is no market for the hides.  We need a "Davey Crockett" explosion again.

I do have a trapper that comes in and takes a few beavers each year.
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doctorb

We don't trap, but the muskrat and otter poop all over our boathouse decks all winter.  T
hey make a huge mess and I would hire somebody to get rid of them, if I could.  We put a trailcam inside the boathouse at the time of closing this year.  Can't wait to see all the "bathroom" shots next spring :D
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chevytaHOE5674

Used to trap beaver, muskrat, and coon back when fur prices were better. Now it isn't worth the time or energy to run a trap line and check it daily and then have to skin the critters, all for a few pennies. Last I checked around here and coon was worth 4 dollars, beaver 10, and muskrat around 6 I think. Takes a lot of hours of work trapping to get a 4 dollar pelt....

I trap raccoons in our garden and then use them for coyote bait. Sold a few coyote furs for around 25 bucks a piece over the summer.

beenthere

I quit trapping coons, and now just use the "kool-aid" of fly bait and mountain dew. They are just laying there the next day within a few feet of their "drink".
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

trapper

Around here the average for muskrat has been just over $8 this year  In this area everyone is getting about 1/4 of their normal catch because of the drought this summer.
Coon $8 - $20 skinned but not put up. Large buyer from Illinois that has a route through 8 states that stops locally.
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fishpharmer

It was a lot of fun trapping for muskrats and coons when I was a kid, caught an occassional mink, otter and beaver as well.  Trapping gives a person a whole new level of perspective on observation, imo.


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hardtailjohn

We're not trapping anything but wolves this year. They're getting waaaaay too over populated here. I've got pictures of tracks less than 20' from our front door just last week.  We had to get the Feds in to trap earlier, and our season starts Dec. 15th.  So far, they've caught one, and I shot one, and we've only lost one calf, with another that got away. Last week there were a couple more sets of tracks through the pasture the cows are in, so I'm sure we're not done quite yet.
I'm so far behind, I think I'm ahead!

Clark

I've been thinking I need to do a little photo tutorial of my trapline this winter...if we get a winter.  I really enjoy trapping beaver through the ice plus lots of other animals use the frozen ponds to travel on in the winter.  I drew a wolf tag this year so hopefully I'll be able to snare one of those too.

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

chain

Someone mentioned using 'coon for 'yote bait, never tried it but I do know beaver meat and hide is highly attractive to just about any carnivore. Bobcats, otter, fox, you name it...even deer supposedly are attracted to the castor gland aroma of beaver!

beenthere

The coons I toss out (they're on the flying-burial plan), the yote's don't touch them. Maybe I have to skin them first?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WH_Conley

Can't have sweet corn in the garden for the coons and coyotes, if anyone would trap beaver you would be welcomed with open arms by anyone that had land bordering the creeks.

Does the fly bait/soda pop hurt dogs?
Bill

beenthere

I understand that the dogs don't like it, and a local farmer says he has had no trouble with his dogs or cats taking it.

But I can't say for sure. I don't have a dog but if I did, I wouldn't let the dog have access to it.

My experience is putting it out in the evening, and it is gone in the morning. When it is gone in the morning, there are one to three dead raccoons laying within a few feet of the "Coon-Aid" as MM so aptly named it.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

chevytaHOE5674

In the garden I trap coons with a live trap and then dispatch them with a .357 so there is enough "scent" to attract other carnivores.

beenthere

When I used to do the same, and shoot them in the trap, the coyotes still didn't eat any of the carcasses. Ask Burlkraft, as he discovered the "burial" ground on an ATV ride.  ;D He came back and said "I thought you said you buried them".  Had to explain the burial method I used. But not a one was touched.

Not the same with some deer that I didn't find right away. Neighbor this year found his buck within one and one half hours after putting an arrow in it, and over half was eaten by the yotes aready.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

James Arsenault

I've trapped, more or less, my entire life. Some years a little, some years a lot. I've spent as much as two months solid trapping full-time. Fur price plays into how much most years, though I have trapped full-time when prices were low, but high populations made up for lower prices through sheer volume.

Finances and other responsibilities have to line up to grant me the time. Being able to make the time to do things I really want to do is why I have always strived to remain self-employed.

MJD

I have not trapped since the fox prices dropped (15 years or so), they have started to come up some but the population is low from the coyotes taking over there area. I ran between 50 to 70 fox sets in 3 countys back in the day and would always have a few fox eaten in traps by coyotes and im sure it would be worse now with high coyote populations. I still keep my membership going in the WI. Trappers Asso. just to do a little to fight the anti groups.

Norm

I use the same concoction that beenthere uses. He's right they don't make it more than a few feet. Dogs will get into it but cats don't have a sweet want.

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