Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Trapping Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-20-2020, 11:17 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Copperhead Road, Morinville
Posts: 19,290
Default Summer Beaver Pelts

Anyone skinning beaver this July? I’ve been catching a few but they are pretty rubbed up and don’t have a lot of underfur. Pretty flat actually. I’m thinking that the water that I’m trapping in has gotten too warm and I ought to start trapping something that’s glacier fed. Any leads would be appreciated.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-21-2020, 07:48 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,667
Default

I had no idea that summer beaver was a thing... that’s interesting actually.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-21-2020, 09:36 PM
sourdough doug sourdough doug is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: northern AB
Posts: 2,241
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
Anyone skinning beaver this July? I’ve been catching a few but they are pretty rubbed up and don’t have a lot of underfur. Pretty flat actually. I’m thinking that the water that I’m trapping in has gotten too warm and I ought to start trapping something that’s glacier fed. Any leads would be appreciated.
Excuse me..?????
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-21-2020, 10:58 PM
Red Bullets's Avatar
Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,627
Default

The old fur graders mentioned the term 'summer prime' or 'summer flat'. Usually graded as a grade IV, about the same quality and value on market as a tainted pelt. Not much value.

A summer pelt might (maybe not) be worth using for practice dehairing and tanning. Or maybe use by dehairing and cut as light rawhide cordage.

When I was trapping for the county I asked the fur buyer about summer pelts. He might have offered 50 cents to a buck for a XXL blanket.

Keep a few pelts frozen raw and drape them over a stump near a beaver creek in late October and squeal a bit... maybe a prime coyote will come into the fake beaver.
__________________
___________________________________________
This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
___________________________________________
It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets

Last edited by Red Bullets; 07-21-2020 at 11:10 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-22-2020, 08:41 AM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,667
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
The old fur graders mentioned the term 'summer prime' or 'summer flat'. Usually graded as a grade IV, about the same quality and value on market as a tainted pelt. Not much value.

A summer pelt might (maybe not) be worth using for practice dehairing and tanning. Or maybe use by dehairing and cut as light rawhide cordage.

When I was trapping for the county I asked the fur buyer about summer pelts. He might have offered 50 cents to a buck for a XXL blanket.

Keep a few pelts frozen raw and drape them over a stump near a beaver creek in late October and squeal a bit... maybe a prime coyote will come into the fake beaver.
I’ve been wondering if they’d be good for drums, I imagine they’re a bit thinner in the summer. My days of trapping are gone so I guess I’ll have to keep wondering.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-22-2020, 10:13 PM
TrapperMike TrapperMike is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alix
Posts: 927
Default

Skin and stretch all my summer beaver. Last sale average was $18. Most of these hides will be used as felt to make cowboy hats. The more beaver hair used on a cowboy hate the more expensive the hat. Doesn’t matter condition of hide as they are going to remove all the hair from the hide and will be put into a big vat.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-22-2020, 10:46 PM
Marty S Marty S is offline
AO Sponsor
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,468
Default

High elevation summer beaver are gonna be worth more than low elevation stuff.

Do keep sending the summer stuff to the sale!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-22-2020, 11:46 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Copperhead Road, Morinville
Posts: 19,290
Default

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-23-2020, 06:16 PM
TrapperMike TrapperMike is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alix
Posts: 927
Default

As a trapper I find it hard not to try and salvage all I can from the animals that give up their lives for us. If I can even add another 10 or $15 dollars to their value I’m going to do it.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.