What I lose on $30 beaver I make up for on volume....

Actually, I can.. I have a plethora of trapping opportunities that has a major lake with public grounds, a river system and creeks that have water almost year around… surrounding by prime habitat and crop land. All within 4 miles of my back door. I can skin a raccoon in around 3 minutes without a skinning machine,, flesh in approximately 5-6 minutes… 2-3 minutes to board…I don’t really spend alot of money on gas… I don’t buy bait because I catch all the bait I need in the warmer months.

I could. I'm retired and my time is worth nothing. If I wasn't trapping I'd probably would not be making money but spending it. Had most of my coon traps, fleshing knife and wire stretchers etc.... since the 70's So cost now after catching thousands of animals is negligible. I'd probably be driving around doing nothing if a wasn't trapping just burning gas.
It's all how you look at it when you get older
I'm out improving my health by trapping and that is priceless. Also my marriage is saved by me not irritating the wife because I'm not trapping. Which in turn saves on divorce proceedings, alimony and lawyers fees and/or marriage counseling.
Come to think of it I'd be rich if I coon trap and averaged $10!!!
See how that works?

It's not "how you look at it" it's either profitable or it isn't.

That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with doing it at a loss.I'm guilty as well.

10 dollar avge could easily be profitable for some and not for others depending on many many variables.

Correct. Just because you can catch them in your back yard doesn't mean its profitable.

I figured this all up one time. Depreciated equipment costs, time to set and check each trap assuming a certain catch rate, time in put up, etc. At 10 bucks a coon I also had to have a strong meat market, pecker market, and skull market to make it make sense

You would make more money working the McDonald's drive thru line than selling $10 coons, but what fun is that

Yes

Yup. My time ain't worth much, especially when I don't mind skinning and enjoy putting up coon. No real equipment depreciation as I've owned the same stuff for a lot of years. (That would become a factor if equipment needs replaced.) Fuel is the big expense.....
When it comes right down to it, I guess it doesn't really matter because I know I'm going to do it anyway.

Youze guyz doing it for fun are ruining it for all the "pro" trappers
by flooding the market with near worthless low dollar fur.

The only honorable & ethical thing for you trapping hobbyists to do
is to cease & desist this unprofitable trapping for fun activity & go home,
and wait for boredom , various infirmities, & old age to take you !!!

w

Sorry, walleyed. I'll just stay in my rocking chair from now on!

If your water trapping , I.e. beaver, then coon become the old muskrats. Gas money?

My dad told me in 1988 that 10 dollar coon was a good market.

36 years later?

I made more money this past season trapping than I ever did duck hunting.

Surprised Dirt hasn't chimed in here on this post ^^^^ with a "x2".

Don't let facts get in the way. Actual profit fur trapping is something that is nonexistent for most .There's very few that the bottom line says otherwise. But of course its ok if I trap at a loss. LOL.

A LOSS? Is there any other way?

I can’t think of a better way to pass time.

sold 20 put up beaver to barns, avg. 30.45, 8 small in there

Despite it being impossible I managed to put more in my pocket then I took out this Spring !

That's definitely one method of accounting. Don't figure dollars per hour, takes the fun out of it.