Trapping

[Oct-Lull]

Now I don't know anything really about trapping, but I have always been interested. Is it worth doing for any more than a hobby? I have a TON of beaver close by, one probably 40# + and I have also seen sign of river otter and have seen them time to time. Assuming you can trap otter.

 

[isu22andy]

Now I don't know anything really about trapping, but I have always been interested. Is it worth doing for any more than a hobby? I have a TON of beaver close by, one probably 40# + and I have also seen sign of river otter and have seen them time to time. Assuming you can trap otter.

Not really this year, Im sure theres money to be had in yotes if you were good at it. Couple years ago when coon were 5-20 bucks a coon it was pretty fun stacking some fur. Now coons your lucky if youll get 5 bucks. Beaver ive heard is the same. Coyotes is the money market this year at 10-20+ from what Ive read off the trapping pages on FB .

 

[Oct-Lull]

So is it tough to do a good job of dealing with the hide? Is it a big penalty to bring the whole animal in? Like yotes?

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[isu22andy]

So is it tough to do a good job of dealing with the hide? Is it a big penalty to bring the whole animal in? Like yotes?

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I didnt care for it I guess, way more greasier and smellier than a deer. Its not a bad penalty 2-5 bucks probably at most. I always sold carcass fur. Iowatrapperstalk is a good message board as well to learn on .

 

[203ntyp]

I'm not familiar with prices these days. I trapped for over 30 years as a hobby and it was a blast. Back in the mid 80's prices were at there highest. I used to sell the carcasses hole to a middle man but didn't like his prices so I started skinning everything out for better pricing. I then decided to research prices and found a fur dealer in NY that paid well so I started shipping furs to them and was pleased with what they paid over the middle man.

 

[crietveld]

The fur market is in the toilet as others have said. Carcass coon, beaver and otter will only bring a few bucks each, coyote are a little better. Call North Iowa Fur for some pricing, he told me 0 to 12 on fleshed and dried coon a couple weeks ago.

That said go set some traps and have fun, I love trapping beaver and thinning the coon out never hurts. Distemper went through our coon this fall and really hammered the population.

I have had some of my nicer furs tanned the last few years, beaver hides make nice throws and otter pelts are really nice. Make neat additions to the man cave or scattered around the house if your wife approves.

A down market is a good time to learn how to skin, if you screw up your not out much money. Also Trapping is a good way to gain hunting permission down the road, most farmers hate coon and especially beaver.

 

[seiowajustin]

You can trap otter, 2 per license. Get them if you can, they will clean out a pond quickly. Just look on the dnr website and get to know the regulations. Trapping has been just for fun the last few years with the down market, but it’s a fun hobby to have, especially when you take the kids out to teach them another skill.