Headed back 30 years for this one as we revisit 1987 on the trapline. Lots of thoughts, as always, when I look back at the outdoor photo albums and records. As I noted earlier this year, I had hopes of an over the top trapping blog project spanning the season but just too many other priorities to get it done. However, I couldn’t help but do some writing and reminiscing so you get the abridged version instead. Mixed in are plenty of hints as to what is to come when I do get around to my epic trapline blowout.
But for now…
We’ll start with the trappers.
The 17-year old kid in the flannel shirt is my brother, Brent, a senior at Galesburg High School at the time of this outing. I assume that this trip was on a weekend, but being exceptionally bright, I don’t figure a day of hooky would have hurt him much anyway.
The guy in the middle is our Dad, who along with his brother taught us pretty much everything we know about trapping. Much of what we learned was useful but there was certainly a degree of leg pulling that was also thrown in on more than a few occasions.
I’m the guy on the right in the purple of the Knox College Siwash where I was trudging through what was kind of my first of two junior years. Strange to think, but that 20-year old fellow is now seven years older than Dad was back in 1987.
Trucks have also been an integral part of the adventures and Dad’s Ford Ranger and Uncle Dick’s Chevy S10 were around for more than a few seasons. Both predate the appearance of four wheel drive vehicles on the trapline which made for some interesting situations along with the need for a little manpower assistance when things got slippery.
A little fuzzy on the scan but that’s 85 coons, 101 muskrats and 6 beaver for $2,002.75 during the 1987-88 season with Top Coon at $30
A final bit of flashback fun involves a look at some stats from this 1987-88 trapping season. Dad has data on catches and total dollars earned dating all the way back to 1971 with yearly totals for nearly every season from 1979-80 to just a few years ago. Quite interesting to look back at the numbers and see the ups and downs of the fur market over time. While the rest of the numbers will be reserved for that big future trapping project, I will say that fur prices looked to be pretty solid for the haul noted above.
That’s all for another Trapping Tuesday but plenty more to come with a weekly posting through the end of January. Lots of other outdoor stuff mixed in around those flashbacks as well, so hope you’ll stop by. Talk to you later. Troy