2014/15 Trapping Season

[Markus]

With the current prices, we didnt plan on hitting it too hard this year. We just wanted to enjoy some trapping and go at it at leisure pace. The season opens Nov 1st, but didnt start trapping until after the deer season closed in Dec.

We decided to shoot for 50 coons and cap it at that and then focus on a few coyotes and beaver. We ended the season with 5 bear, 1 otter, 9 fox, 25 beaver, 3 squirrels, 3 skunk, 8 mink, 57 raccoon, 30 muskrat, 4 bobcat, 13 coyotes, and 10 weasel.



We'll see how everything goes at the NAFA sale in June and we'll decide how hard to hit it next year.

[smitty55]

Good luck this year Markus. I saw the report from last year's auction and it seemed quite disappointing. Might have been you that posted it. If I recall coons hardly sold so there must have been tons left in storage. Hopefully the Russians and the Chinese are in a better buying mood this year.

Cheers

[Markus]

Thats why we stopped targeting coons when we hit 50. I need to do some nuisance with them, so some need to be taken. Russia's economy is the pits right now and their currency is way less then it was 2 years ago...they pay triple for the fur now and no one is buying luxury clothes because of the costs. China has been hit with new import taxes and the buyers were forced to pay a huge tax bill before they were permitted to import more fur.

Some stuff continues to do well like eastern coyotes, bobcats, muskrat, and fisher. Then there's avg to below avg prices for fox, mink and otter....and the market for raccoon and beaver is hurting.

[bradford2]

Woah. That's more beaver than most guys get in a...

Hope the auction goes well for ya!

What's next, gonna try and slip in an ON turkey hunt this year?

[Markus]

I think I am Brad. I'll only get an hour or so at sunrise, but I think I can make it work. It was easier when I stayed at Joe's because I drove by a farm I could hunt. Now I have to go out of my way and back to get to work. Sunday hunting is an option though right?

[bradford2]

50/50 where you will be depending on where the farm is. Of course the file is only valid until the end of March. No idea after that haha.

https://www.ontario.ca/document/sunday- ... rn-ontario

[smitty55]

That what I hear around here too Markus. I was just talking to the local trapper up the road a bit. He only trapped Fisher this past season. After that it was just too damn cold, besides the poor market. No nuisance calls in the winter. He said the Fur Harvesters sale was this past weekend in Helsinki, to try and be closer to the Euro buyers. He mentioned the Ukraine conflict for sure, which I assume is the main cause of the poor economy. As for the Oriental market, he tells me that a bunch of the big time players from out there got caught for human rights violations, ( go figure eh) and have actually been incarcerated, so they lost that market. He actually used the term incarcerated, not fined, so it must have been a huge bust with some gone to prison, along with huge fines.
Hard time for trappers and the whole industry. Hopefully it picks up again so we don't lose more of our heritage than we already have. Good luck in June. Where's your auction?

Cheers

[Markus]

The NAFA auction is always in Toronto I believe. I may try one of the Furharvester auctions next year.

[smitty55]

The NAFA auction is always in Toronto I believe. I may try one of the Furharvester auctions next year.

I think that's a great idea if both organizations are given support. I did some research, and both of them promote the trapping industry for sure. FH seems to put more into education, so that is certainly needed to keep the lifestyle alive. Some stuff about joining The Canadian National Trappers Alliance too, which came with liability insurance. A national voice is good.

Cheers

[Markus]

Even though all my fur has been sent, I couldnt help doing up one last piece of fur this weekend. Picked up a very nice mink and with the wife away, I was able to dry it over night in the basement and avoid firing up some heat in the fur shed. lol

[ShawnD]

Wow, that's impressive!

[RJ]

Thanks for sharing your season here Mark. People rarely see that side of hunting. All I see is another Cuba trip hanging on that barn wall...

RJ

[riverdog]

That is one awesome haul! I think you'd make replacement for Tom on Mountain Men on the History Channel last time I seen the show Tom was working a dead carcass.

[Fishoholic]

Really cool stuff here, thanks for taking the time to share.

[Markus]

Thanks fellas.

RJ, you sound like someone else I know....but she looks better in a bathing suit. lol

Riverdog, old Tom had his best season this past series. He does some pretty neat things, but ole Marty is my favorite. That dude is hard core.