9-5 Friday Report

9-5 Friday Report The past couple days I’ve listened in on the ranch mink sales at NAFA as much as I could. As I type this I’m feeling reassured as I continue to listen. There seems to be active bidding, and I’m hopeful the ranch fox do as well as the ranch mink. Wild fur starts tomorrow, and I will be busy refreshing the catalog on my smart phone to keep tabs on things. NAFA is reporting a strong attendance of buyers and so hopefully that helps the wild fur both price wise and clearance wise. I’m sure glad I’m a producer of wild fur and not a buyer, as the risks are always there. As we approach fall, now is the time to get your traps adjusted and treated. We get lots of calls on trap treatment. The key is to protect your equipment from the elements. Whether you use KBL Quick Dye, Formula One, Full Metal Jacket, or traditional dye and wax, now is the time to get it done. Waiting until two days before season starts will result in sprung traps, and failures on your trapline. Now is also the time to start laying out your trapline. Spend some time driving around or take a boat ride. It’s a little early yet to get an actual idea of animal populations, but it’s a good time to check out what fields are in corn and what fields are beans. Corn is always better for coon trapping! Look for active beaver colonies, check with farmers/ranchers about predation problems. Any successful trapper starts preparing now. Keep an eye on the NAFA sale this weekend, and then start building your plan for a successful trapline this fall! - Kyle