Get Paid for Squirrel Hunting! Mepps Needs Squirrel Tails
Squirrels are a plentiful natural resource. Plus, squirrel is some of the best wild meat, and their skins are used for caps, coats, glove linings, and many other items, but the tail is usually thrown away. Mepps is asking you to help them recycle this valuable resource, AND, they’re offering to reward you for your efforts!
Make Money Squirrel Hunting
Mepps buys fox, black, grey, and red squirrel tails and will pay up to 26 cents each for tails, depending on quality and quantity. Plus, the cash value is doubled if the tails are traded for Mepps lures.
Mepps needs squirrel tails to create hand-tied, dressed hooks for their world-famous, fish-catching lures. They’ve been recycling squirrel tails for over half-a-century.
“Over the years Mepps has tried hundreds of other natural and synthetic materials, such as bear hair, fox, coyote, badger, skunk, deer, even Angus cow, but nothing works as well as squirrel tail hair,” explains Mepps Communications Director, Nik Kolbeck.
The fact is squirrel tails are all hair–no fur. Practically all other animals have fur tails with just a few guard hairs. Fur doesn’t have the same rippling, pulsating movement that the squirrel hair has while moving through the water.
Shipping refunded on 50 tails or more. Ship First Class Mail, First Class Parcel, Priority Mail or UPS Ground only. No refund on insurance charges or service fees charged by independent mailing services.
For all good quality tails we pay the following:
- Gray, Fox & Black Squirrel Tails
- 16 ¢ each — under 100
- 19 ¢ each — over 100
- 21 ¢ each — over 500
- 22 ¢ each — over 1000
- Premium Tails
- 20 ¢ each — under 100
- 23 ¢ each — over 100
- 25 ¢ each — over 500
- 26 ¢ each — over 1000
- Red Squirrel Tails (Hair at the base of the tail must be at least 1″ long)
- 8 ¢ each — under 100
- 9 ¢ each — over 100
- 10 ¢ each — over 500
- 11 ¢ each — over 1000
How to Submit Your Squirrel Tails
- Tails are best on squirrels taken after October 1st.
- Do NOT remove the bone from the tail. Deboned and split tails have no value.
- Salt the butt end of the tail generously. Use either dry salt or dip in a strong saltwater solution.
- Be sure the tail is straight before drying. Tails that dry in a curled position cannot be used.
- Keep tails away from flies. Best storage is in a freezer. Do not send tails that have been exposed to flies.
- Do not put tails in a plastic bag for storage or shipment. They could heat up and spoil.
- The best time to ship is during cold weather months (Jan, Feb, & Mar). Dried squirrel tails may be shipped anytime.
- Put your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and tail count inside each package. And, please indicate whether you would like to receive the cash value for your tails or you would like to take advantage of lure exchange program. You can simply write “Trade for cash” or “Trade for lures”.
- Ship First Class Mail, First Class Parcel, Priority Mail if under 10 pounds or UPS Ground if over 10 pounds. Pack without fill in smallest packaging possible. Shipping will be refunded on shipments over 50 tails.
- Send your tails to: Sheldons’, Inc. 626 Center St. Antigo, WI 54409-2496
- Once Mepps has received your tails, our experienced team will grade the tails as premium, average, or unusable. With over 30 years of experience, you can trust their appraisal will be fair and accurate. If you have indicated “Trade for cash” (see step 8), a check will be sent to you. If you have indicated “Trade for lures”, you will be contacted to take your lure order.
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.