Ten dollar rats are better than two dollar rats but in reality still less than half of where they should be.

So when you sell in a state association auction what percent of the commission goes to that association ? When you sell to FHA where does your commission go for use ? How many furs or castor do you still have waiting to be sold at state associations ? Can you ship tails and raw skulls to FHA ? What is the difference in the time that you are paid for your skins at state associations vs. FHA ? How long before do you have to have your furs at the state association sales before they are sold ? FHA?

Speculation does not necessarily enhance the market.

Even when rats averaged 14-16 about 12 years ago, most trappers were going backwards financially unless paid to trap. Rat prices were artificially high then. Ten would be better than the 2-3 market now. However, wouldn’t change cost to produce and value on time.

Every place and trapper has a different cost to produce a rat. It probably varies from year to year depending...........

When rats were 12 bucks as averages . What in 2012 or so there was nothing lean about it. Today 12 isn’t a lot.Guys were catching a thousand or better in many cases in the upper Midwest that was good wages.

I figure that every beaver I caught this season cost me about $15-$20.

Well done BP.

I won’t have a clue where I’ll compare after my castor debacle. I will say I spent very little on expenses this year. Every beaver and nearly every critter I caught this year was no more than 15 miles from between my work and home. Most less than 5 miles. And never broke out the boat. All done by kayak.

Good job Beaver Peeler, and congratulations for a fine season.

Since I don't have to jump around avoiding water moccasin bites I don't have any of the above mentioned ailments!

BTW, would have had 300 put up beaver ....but gave a kit to a ride-along I had this year since he was hankering to try some beaver meat. Never heard from him again so I assume he choked on it.

I imagine if i spent a day with you whether you gave me a free beaver or not you wouldn't ever see me again either, lol.

I remember in the early 80's 'rats were around 8-10 bucks, 8 or 10 bucks back then would be like 50 bucks now!

Always enjoy your trapping posts. Thanks for sharing with us.

Thanks Dan, and you're welcome!

Was it not last year the outboards were breaking down weekly

interesting that 50% castor break-down
after looking at some of the pictures of them you have posted, leans to a hard grade

So next years weight lifting sessions are still in the works?

You have a good memory North. This year I actually spent a fair amount of money trying to get all my equipment ready for the season and fared better... except for a $2800 walk-in freezer break down.

I did think they had a hard grade on the castor. Also I was shocked that none made western select. Being lighter colored I figured they were a shoe-in for that grade.

I farm during the off season so I get all the exercise I need... and then some.

When the going gets tough the tough get going
And the wimps quit,lol

Hat's off to you, that is a lot of work.

Well then, it's official, i'm a slacker..

I think a lot of guys got manipulated into shipping their castor by the late October update from Fha

CASTOREUM UPDATE - OCTOBER 2023
Over the past few weeks we have received several new customers calling and placing
orders for castoreum. This is good news and we are confident that prices on all three
grades will improve in 2024.


They have had a hard time selling the #2 grade the last 3 years.
We the surge in beaver trapping I doubt the castor market will see any improvement.

Congraulations on your beaver harvest that is a huge accomplishment.

Looks like castor market took a significant fall in price this past week. The buyer I’ve been selling to said maybe be a good idea to hold em for now.

Castor grader looked at your point of origin on the label and pigeonholed your grade.
An experience grader would have done a sniff grade on light coloured castor then graded the order.
Are the feed trees on the river of the genus populus or salix to give that odor needed.?
maybe the western grade order was already filled and things slide
that extra $ 400 would have been nice

sounds like a compressor blew and a total re-charge was needed
was there any power surges within a week before of this happening ? power companies have records of these and compensate, or was it a beaver dropping a tree over the line and creating a brown out ( if so these is an omen spirit)

Good job