North Bay sale.

[trapper]

I'm glad I'm retiring looking at the prices what didn't sell like rats ,otter .Plus a lot only sold partial lots.MNR is going to have to do something about the beaver, rumor has it the chinese.are finding it not provitable.So time will tell.Like registered lines have to take so many or else.So if you cant sell them your screwed.

[Fenelon]

Clearance percentages are absolutely lousy. Looks like you can't even sell a weasel or red squirrel ! You'll have a big net loss trapping just about everything if these prices stay like this. I imagine you'll see an increase in registered lines up for sale. $20 for a beaver won't even cover your gas and equipment depreciation, maintenance costs, etc. Now we're living in an age where a new snowmobile will cost you $16,000 to get it out of the showroom. Looks like it's time to blow the dust off the 71 one-lunger Elan 250. I feel bad for the folk with the big beaver quotas. Call me a cynic, but I doubt we'll ever see the prices get much better. Hope I get proved wrong.

[sawbill]

You're right about MNR having to cut the guys some slack on beaver quotas with low prices. If you can't sell a beaver hide its basically the same thing as tossing it in the bush. That's where trappers' councils should step up and address the problem.
I can understand the absolute need to remove nuisance beaver but most fur from a registered line doesn't fit into that category.

[Muskyhunter]

It is a real problem for sure.

For years the folks at FHA have done such a great job marketing wild fur. I think the political situation in the world has closed a few good fur markets off. Maybe the auctions/MNRF might have to starve the market for a year or so to shorten the supply and increase the demand. The problem with that is the auction house needs money to heat the building and pay the taxes, etc.

[Fenelon]

Hard to say if things will ever come back now that super economies like China (one of the traditional big markets) is now investing so much money and effort into being self-sustainable by investing in their own ranch industries. The 30% import tax for incoming fur in China, and the non-stop political/economic turmoil in just about every traditional market country is going to make the future of the industry pretty volatile. Alas...... I wish it was 1984 again... $110 mink, $400 fisher, $14 rats, $100 red fox......my hair would be black again......I'd have my six pack back.......and I wouldn't be afraid to fart when I'm out in the bush!

[Gilroy]

Well hopefuly the RCMP needs new hats soon.
If MNRF is giving trappers a pass, who will will be responsible to manage the beavers blocking culverts.
Trappers council / association can’t control the demand.
There’s million of culverts across Canada and once they are blocked can create major washout possibly causing accidents and costing huge money to repair while disrupting the safe passage of vehicles.
I don’t blame trappers for not trapping if it’s not worth their while but who will pay to manage the beavers?
I think having more beavers everywhere will also increase the predators numbers.
If trappers aren’t trapping those predators either, these same higher numbers of predators will also kill more moose and deer.
Moose hunting is basically done for us license hunter and this will not help the moose numbers which will mean less tags again certainly shutting it down.
I say they should treat beavers as a nuisance animal with open year round season with a small game license.
I guess we can eat delicious Beaver stew to replace our moose meat.

If you have more beavers everywhere I would think predator numbers might increase but they would be feeding off the beavers,so there should be a balance.I don,t think an increase in beaver numbers equates to an increase in more moose and deer killed.

[trappermatt]

Trapping is a pretty tough road right now , I’ve scaled back immensely the past couple seasons due to low prices but you are a trapper or your not and we are very important in the managment aspect of things so I keep going and try to find ways to do things more efficiently


This is my most recent purchase to try and add some value to the furs I harvest