treefrog
06-02-2012, 12:53 AM
I haven't had as much time to check in with you folks lately; I've been on course to renew my trapper's licence.
I first got a licence when I was sixteen and back then you paid ten bucks, told them whereabouts you'd be setting
your line and you were an instant trapper. I guess the assumption was made that you were able to find local yokels to
give you some tips and guidance, and with some trial and error added to that you'd find your way.
Now the course is pretty intensive and really quite interesting. A lot of it has to do with pelt handling; knowing the exact
specifications that the fur graders require for each species as to how it must be skinned and presented, along with
knowing what exact time of year produces optimum prime pelts for each animal.
Ontario is pretty much the center of the universe for the fur industry. The 2 biggest fur auction houses in the world are here and
buyers from Europe and China come every winter to buy.
Anyway I could go on and on about it, but I just wanted to mention that next weekend we'll be doing a lot of skinning practice
on coyote, fisher, beaver, fox, etc., so CanadianMike's beautiful little Scout knife is going to get good and dirty. Watch this space
for the field test report. I know just by the feel of that knife it'll be a real winner on some of the mid-size animals.
I'm also taking along my Mora classic and, what I've always referred to as my 'skinning knife'- a standard Russel Belt knife.
More to come,
Jack
I first got a licence when I was sixteen and back then you paid ten bucks, told them whereabouts you'd be setting
your line and you were an instant trapper. I guess the assumption was made that you were able to find local yokels to
give you some tips and guidance, and with some trial and error added to that you'd find your way.
Now the course is pretty intensive and really quite interesting. A lot of it has to do with pelt handling; knowing the exact
specifications that the fur graders require for each species as to how it must be skinned and presented, along with
knowing what exact time of year produces optimum prime pelts for each animal.
Ontario is pretty much the center of the universe for the fur industry. The 2 biggest fur auction houses in the world are here and
buyers from Europe and China come every winter to buy.
Anyway I could go on and on about it, but I just wanted to mention that next weekend we'll be doing a lot of skinning practice
on coyote, fisher, beaver, fox, etc., so CanadianMike's beautiful little Scout knife is going to get good and dirty. Watch this space
for the field test report. I know just by the feel of that knife it'll be a real winner on some of the mid-size animals.
I'm also taking along my Mora classic and, what I've always referred to as my 'skinning knife'- a standard Russel Belt knife.
More to come,
Jack