This Trapping Season

[Trapper John]

Hi Guys & Gals,   
I just received both Fur Buyers Perspectives for the upcoming season for my two Trapper magazines.
Price look like they're going to be somewhat the same as last year starting out.
They are telling everyone that is going out this season to take the fur when it is "PRIME."

Saying that ALL of you that are going out after Beaver, they don't "Prime" up until the end of December IMO, so don't start until then.
The beaver market has run it coarse, and the hatters might have all they need for a while but, Prime winter beaver there is a market.

Muskrat well I love trapping them but.........there is very little interest so if you go after them do it for the pleasure.
Mink probably the same.

If you are trapping or shooting coyotes that market the ship has sailed.  I say tan them and sell them for wall hangers.

Now bobcat, there is where the market is.  Fur Buyers have order for them, and they want um. The western cats are bringing good money.
But starting this year, you must take off the lower jaw and bring it with you and turn it in when you get your cat tagged.
Very Important. The cat or cats will not be tagged if you don't bring in the lower jaw and it has to be cleaned and dried, and all information has to match that cat, i. e. sex, date of kill, jaw, and even DNA.
For more information on this bobcat jaw and how to take it off you can read about it in the Upcoming Issue in "The Fur Shed" magazine and we also posted it on our watrappers.com website.

Have an safe, enjoyable, and profitable fur season.
See you in December at the Early Winter Workshop.
JC   

[TeacherMan]

Hear anything on marten or otter? My girls love trapping season and are already talking about it. Our main focus in Idaho will be cats like always too.

[Trapper John]

Hear anything on marten or otter? My girls love trapping season and are already talking about it. Our main focus in Idaho will be cats like always too.

Well, you're not going to like this,  but one Fur Buyer says that Marten will be used again (for whatever that means or I'm thinking there is a demand) he said they were priced too high last season so I wouldn't expect to see anything more then what you got last year maybe even less.  Just make sure they are PRIME and leave the feet on like Rusty says you might pick up an extra buck or five.

He says the otter market is fair, but he thinks they don't bring enough due to what we put into them.  He doesn't say he'll pay more so expect most likely the same as last year which was around the $60.00 mark.

Cats...................go get um, they will bring the money.
JC   

[Frank The Tank]

For cats (and this pertains just for me, other buyers/fur sales may be different):

It's all about the belly, of course.  Western cats just aren't valued much in the garment world.  Think about where you want that cat to go.  Lets say its not a large one, or has a "C" or "D" belly, a dirty one.  Leave the feet on and take real good care on the face and ears putting it up.  A garment buyer may not buy it, but someone else will.  Now, this doesn't mean it's automatically worth 2-300 bucks, but it sure beats a zero.  Sometimes feet left on don't bring any more value, but it gives options.  I will be looking for some western cats with feet on and a good job done on the face and ears. 

THe good news is that WDFW just put out a letter allowing a trapper to get a pelt/carcass sealed and turn in the jaw later, providing the carcass/pelt is going to a fur buyer or taxidermist.  This allows you to still sell your carcass/hide without messing with skinning out the head etc.  The only caveat is that you the trapper are still responsible for getting your jaw back and turning it in before the end of the season.