Muskrats?

['eyesmaster89]

I was going to try trapping muskrats this year. Anybody know where I could sell them and how much there worth.

[This message has been edited by 'eyesmaster89 (edited 10-26-2003).]

[superfish2]

I can't give you specific advise but get a copy of fur-fish-game magazine they are the only magazine I am aware of that has info on trapping. They also have a monthly update on fur prices. Or do a search for the Mn trappers association and see what you come up with.

[HunterLee]

i dont know where you are at but i have got anywhere form a buck to three so it just depends on the market but fur buyers are getting far and few between.

[Rainman]

Hunterlee is right. 1-3 bucks is probably what you should expect. Just wait til they are prime and have at em. I am going to wait til ice up to catch them!

[huskminn]

'eyemaster,

Superfish2's advice is good. Find yourself a Fur-Fish-Game magazine and start reading. It is the only major publication that covers trapping. You may want to peruse the books for sale in that magazine, as well. I think Hawbaker's has a series of trapping books that I found extremely useful when I started trapping at age 13, now 23 years ago. I would imagine the advent of the internet brought a lot of that info online, too.

I've never trapped in MN, so I can't offer advice on where to sell your pelts. I always sold mine whole, unskinned when I was a kid. There were a number of fur buyers who would travel the area and be in certain spots at certain times on certain days. It was always fun to gather with the other sellers and look at their catches.

Muskrats should be getting prime very soon, although mid-winter usually gets you the best fur. However, it is easier to trap them now, as the water is still open. I used to hit it hard in mid-November before freeze up. Lots of sets on lots of water. As freeze up started, I would pull my sets as conditions warranted and try to trap remaining open water througout the winter. I never did much trapping under the ice for muskrats, as chopping through ice every morning didn't seem worth it for what was then a $5-$7 pelt.

However, trapping muskrat runs with Conibears after ice-up can bring a lot of success.

Expect to pick up an occasional mink or coon in your leghold sets....use a trap that will work for those species as well. A 1 1/2 coil spring was one of my favorites. I haven't kept up on new trap designs, but I can't imagine things have changed too much.

Brings back a lot of great memories thinking about this.....

Good luck!

[doubleUcubed]

Johnson Fur Co. South of Willmar, MN on HWY 71. They buy just about any critter out there. They handle a huge amount of deer and "rats" for sure! 320-995-6121