Meandering

Fur Report

Fri, January 20, 2012

The proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for the trapping season is found during a visit to the fur buyer.  And that pot just ain’t near as loaded as it once was, but it is what it is, as the whole world of economics seems to be one big mess these days.  Having a biology degree it’s all something I don’t understand.

Fortunately for my dad, trapping isn’t about getting rich as that prospect would ultimately leave him feeling more than a bit disappointed in the end.  It’s actually tough to tell how close he would wind up to breaking even after purchasing a license, filling the tank and making various breakfast or lunch stops to refuel himself, his sons or his grandkids.  Throw in the labor that is required to process the furs and it could be a tough sell to someone who hasn’t had the opportunity to take part in the trapping experience.

But Dad has been doing this for as long as I can remember and even farther back yet.  It’s in his blood, it’s what he does, every November, and it’s about a lot more than a check.  The chance to get outdoors, spending quality time with family, perhaps seeing something you’ve never seen before or seeing something you’ve seen a hundred times but this time through the wide eyes of a two year old little boy will always provide more dividends than the fur business, regardless of the global economy.

Oh yeah, before I forget, this started out as a posting about raccoon fur prices.  So, without further ado, here’s a look at Dad’s 2011-12 haul along with some numbers from the previous four seasons for comparison (he’s actually provided me with data over the years back into the 70’s but that resides in the “rainy day” file for another time).  Note: 2008-09 is only a portion of the results as some of the data is missing somewhere.  Also some of the years represent the collective sum of coon, beaver, mink, muskrat and coyote pelts (again another project for another day).

Year             2011-12   2010-11   2009-10   2008-09   2007-08
Coons           50         45         53         11         62
Total             $443.00   $413.00   $390.00   $75       $728.50
Top Coon         $30         $17       $18       $11       NA
Average           $8.86       $9.04     $6.43     $6.82     $11.11

Looks like my $12 average on the old Christmas wish list was a bit too optimistic for this season. 

Each of the above sales was made to Groenewold Fur & Wool Company based in Forreston, Illinois.  Over the last three seasons, Dad has taken a road trip to their warehouse for something to do and prior to that these numbers represent the take from their “Rat Wagon” which made weekly Saturday visits to Galesburg. 

This will likely put the finishing touch on the trapping season aspect of my blog as I move on to wrapping up the “1,000 Words” series to close out the month.  After that, it’s on to some fishing stuff as the mild winter thus far has me chomping at the bit a little earlier than usual.  I’m contemplating a major blog blowout on the fishing front but have yet to fully convince myself to make the commitment.  Stay tuned though as I typically have a hard time resisting the urge to write once I get some wild idea in my head.  Talk to you later.  Troy

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