# Is trapping good money?



## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

Howdy guys, just a few quick questions. I was thinking about starting trapping but had a few concerns. After i buy traps and such, will i make enough to break even? Or am i going to spend more money than i make when it comes to trapping?

My second question is what are the average prices for furs? I heard that a good Bobcat fur can fetch upwards of $500.00.... is there any truth behind that?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I would start by reading the proclaimation on rules, and bounties on the animals you catch. It can vary from county to county sometimes.

http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/huntin...rer/621-2011-12-utah-furbearer-guidebook.html

As far as there being money in it or not, it really depends on how many animals you catch and skin. I ran many trap lines with my dad as a kid and they were really hard work. I dont know if it is amazingly profitable any more, but it may earn you enough to pay for fuel.

One tip I have is to try working with a farmer that is willing you let you trap his property. If anything, you may be able to get hunting rights out of it, or negotiate payment for removal of skunks and *****.

Yesterday members of the UWC met with a DWR Walk-in Access Manager that stated that Coyotes are expected to bring in $40 a piece!

Just my $.02


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## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

I doubt you are going to see $40 for a coyote except for the very best furred up ones. I have not seen anything expecting the prices to be high. Expect closer to $20. Auctions will bring more than a local fur buyer also. The Trapper Predator Caller magazine is saying $22 to $26 for most typical coyotes in this area.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

reb8600 said:


> I doubt you are going to see $40 for a coyote except for the very best furred up ones. I have not seen anything expecting the prices to be high. Expect closer to $20. Auctions will bring more than a local fur buyer also. The Trapper Predator Caller magazine is saying $22 to $26 for most typical coyotes in this area.


Interesting... I wonder why he told us $40? Maybe he meant bounty, not fur price?

But reb8600 makes an excellent point that I forgot to mention: fur quality will also define the price you will receive. You may want to speak with a few fur buyers to see what their expectations are for higher quality furs.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

I think what he said was "as high as" which is conducive to what reb is saying. I think he mentioned average pelts were same range as he mentioned as well. Who knows, the wind was blowing pretty **** hard. It's difficult to converse in a blizzard. That Charles Engels was one tough SOB!!


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Treehugnhuntr said:


> I think what he said was "as high as" which is conducive to what reb is saying. I think he mentioned average pelts were same range as he mentioned as well. Who knows, the wind was blowing pretty **** hard. It's difficult to converse in a blizzard. That Charles Engels was one tough SOB!!


My ears were frozen.... so I may have been delirious too


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Oblivion,
First off if you fall in the age range to need to take the furbearers schooling you will need to do that. Second, you will need to go to a DWR office and purchase your one time trappers number, I think it's $10, but not sure. *Any* traps you set, including live traps need to have a metal tag with your trapper number attached to it. So, you will have to find a place to have some of those made, or make them yourself.
Depending on what you are planning to trap, you will need to acquire written permission from land owners or plan on working public land. Traps on public land are really susceptible to theft, even though it is against the law for anyone to tamper with private property (traps).
Fur prices are up pretty good right now, but as was mentioned, what you get will depend on how well you skin and handle the furs and how much the local buyer is willing to buy your fur for. A $40 coyote at the auction, will only net you, the trapper about $15 at the most, maybe you could squeak $20 out of him, but being new to the business, I highly doubt he would give you that. I think you are too late to obtain any bobcat authorization tags, so you can't trap any of them. 
Cougars the same.
Fox, Raccoon, Muskrat, Coyote, Skunk are all available for you to trap without a furbearer license. But again, *every* trap *MUST* have a metal tag on it that clearly shows your trapper number.
Depending on where you live, the answer to your question "Is Trapping good money"? Not really, but it beats sitting on your rear end doing nothing. I always mark my days catch as "paid for gas" or "need to catch more tomorrow to pay for gas"!
Good luck!


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

trapping is only good money when the whole market is booming so that even the oddball furs no one usually wants are worth real money. when the market is so good even possum & nutria are bringing $3-4 then you can usually find something worth taking in the kind of numbers to make it profitable. the best furs in UT are bobs and the limits on those make it hard to be profitable w/ gas over $3.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

If you're good, you'll make enough to cover your expenses. If you're **** good, you may even have enough left over to buy a bag of Doritos and a Diet Coke.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Right on Kevin D!


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

heh if i had the time to do it i would trap...just the fact of having to check the traps every 48(leg traps?) hours or 72(snares right?) hours...makes it tough...but then again if i had time to trap that mean I would be well off and not need to work a full time job and i'd have plenty of money ...hmmm


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

If you can get in on the gig of trapping and selling housecat hides to the Chinese, I think you can make some money. Extra money can be made by selling the housecat meat to chinese restaurants. They have to get the breaded veal somewhere. At least that's what PETA is claiming.


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

HighNDry said:


> If you can get in on the gig of trapping and selling housecat hides to the Chinese, I think you can make some money. Extra money can be made by selling the housecat meat to chinese restaurants. They have to get the breaded veal somewhere. At least that's what PETA is claiming.


PETAphiles are so full of crap, everybody that has eaten them knows cat tastes like pork.


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## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

Pops2 said:


> HighNDry said:
> 
> 
> > If you can get in on the gig of trapping and selling housecat hides to the Chinese, I think you can make some money. Extra money can be made by selling the housecat meat to chinese restaurants. They have to get the breaded veal somewhere. At least that's what PETA is claiming.
> ...


I dont know about that. The last one I had tasted a little like bald eagle but more like spotted owl. :mrgreen:


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

yeah, i like mine w/ a little blackfooted ferret gravy.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Hmm you guys are making me hungry for some housecat! Bax you still have yours? :mrgreen: 
Trapping is mostly a hobby now a days, and predator control. I don't do it myself but do tag along with friends. It is fun and gives you something to do in the winter months.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

mikevanwilder said:


> Hmm you guys are making me hungry for some housecat! Bax you still have yours? :mrgreen:


Ha ha yes. We were just talking about getting rid of her at dinner tonight actually. Then my three year old freaked out saying we have to keep her. So I challenged her to pet the cat. Her response "No daddy, she will bite me!" Great cat.


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## TOP-PIN (Sep 18, 2007)

I pulled my three bobs last year. My high cat went for $685. Low cat went for somewhere around $400. It was a great year for me. That being said paying for gas about killed me. I was into gas a little over $300, decent traps are about $200 per dz. Lure cost about $100. Stretchers cost about 10 each if you build your own.
It gets expensive really quick The first two years I trapped I lost money.


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## riptheirlips (Jun 30, 2008)

I got trapped in a marriage one time and it cost me a lot of money.


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