To make money in seasonal highly price fluctuating enterprises such as trapping revenues need to be high while costs are low. Margins need to be high, otherwise these types of enterprises are pretty much a wash or one loses money to participate.
Unlike most very large stable businesses with narrow margins that can make money strictly because they deal in very large volume.
If one were to catch 200 coons in two weeks with 50 miles per day and other expenses, those two weeks have a pretty good seasonal return. Once you add in all overhead costs etc. and preperation labor etc. it shrinks considerably. If you have the bug bad and go another 2 weeks and have the same expenses but catch only 50 the last two weeks your profit goes way down, but your overhead costs shrink.
I am going through my trap inventories and lookng at items that I may need. Wow traps that I bought 30 years ago for $40 per dozen are now $100-$125 per dozen! Coons are lower and rats are about the same. A good fox trap is now $10 each with a decent pelt $25, 30 years ago it was $4.00 for the trap and $60 for the fox! As much as I love to trap even when I am quote "retired" I won't quit my day job to just trap. The owners of the grocery stores, clothing stores and gas stations are not lowering their costs to me because my income was generated from a renewable resource. They want the same monies.
Bryce
