Selling fur

[Pa Goosehntr]

  Now John ...where are the armadillos (your version of Grinners) 

CJ that's nice 

[Hern]

coyotejohn, looks like you have 'em bundled up and ready to sell.
Nice picture.

[coyotejohn]

I'll attend the Feb auction here in AZ if capable, if not by buddy will take his and mine.  Coyotes on the high side should bring upwards of - ?, bobcats will go at least $200 if last year is any indication.  Hope you all do as well.  This is my last year of trapping and all probabilities my last of hunting also.   

[Pa Goosehntr]

  There is no last year until the man upstairs says so...keep all of your options open. Remember you hafta teach those young'ns ...just going along teaching and sharing the experience is still hunting or trapping 

[uncle buck]

JJ is only paying $15.00 for reds in the round... XXL coon $5.00 and smaller ones only $1.00.  I was looking at Fur Fish And Game this month and looks like $32.00 was tops for reds. Coon was low.. I asked JJ last year if I put it up and did it and sold it at the end of the year how much more would he give instead of In the Round... $5.00 more... So if your going to put it up probably best not to sell it locally.. Jaspr sound like that guy that was only getting $15.00 and he did put it up must not have done a good job on it... truly it's not even worth it trapping or shooting coon for $$$$. Unless you do it in large qty and send it or take it somewhere else... Locals not giving much... As you all know too the problem is Russia economy... Their near broke so.  Yes this is a bad fur year...I made a lot more money last year.. It started off with some big $$$$$ for reds and then it dropped to half that and I still made some $$$$$$.. This year it's just good to get out there and enjoy the outdoors with my son and I...JJ told me that by the  19th all of the female reds will or should be mated by then... I'm pulling my restraints Sunday... Also the rubbing going to begin by the 19th also... Get out there and still do some good predator control for your farmers... remember many do allow you to hunt their lands because they have bad memories of what coyotes or fox or coon have done...I am seeing a bit of mange in some of my cabled fox...So it's good to get them off of the land...

[Hern]

Uncle Buck, JJ price on Reds in the round is low.
You should shop around and shy away from prices like that.
A local buyer is paying $30 for Reds another is paying $27 for Reds, put up.
So if JJ is paying $5 more for put up Reds that would be $20 put up.
Maybe JJ is offering you less because you are calling and shooting the fur. I try not to mention I blasted it with a shotgun or it has a .22 mag hole in the back, I try to make 'em look pretty.
We all have our agendas, and chose to sell fur the way we do. Am not knocking how anyone sells.

I know the buyer takes a chance buying fur in the round. He can't see the leather, scars, tick marks or other imperfections. That's why he offers less, plus he has to put them up. So he has the advantage of looking over round fur and having a good idea how it will grade, but offers less cash.
Selling fur is the toughest part of fur harvesting for me each season. I hate selling...lol

[Hern]

Uncle Buck, don't take my post the wrong way. I am trying to show folks not to get locked into one local dealer or one auction or one magazine article.
I sold to two different local dealers this year, one dealer I never sold to before but his prices seemed fair. Plus I sent a few to Canada auction aka NAFA.
It's tough selling fur and feeling you are getting fair prices. So I guess that's what's it all about. If you are happy, that's what it's about.

I won't say it's a bad fur year. Put up Reds and Muskrats are bringing a fair price. Where we really seen a drop is Coon and Greys, Beaver to a degree.
The decline started late last season. China fur buyers were fined and jailed by their government for not paying a tax to import fur. That sent a shock wave throughout the fur industry. Greys, Coon and Muskrats declined sharply at that point. Many furs were unsold at the Canadian auctions at the final sale. I still have some Greys at these sales that didn't sell. With all the no sales and hold overs from last year, folks that follow the fur market gave an educated speculation this year's market would be soft.
This season, Russia's economy is in turmoil. Russia likes our North American Raccoon. So with that, Coon prices dropped. Will Russian buyers attend the auctions? It's anyone's guess. An average Russian owns 3 fur garments. Not for fashion, but for warmth and everyday wear. We need Russian buyers at the fur  auctions.   

A couple of short years ago, prices were on the rise and word got out. Seem like everyone was after fur and making a few bucks. Some are complaining now and some haven't sold and will get a surprise when they do. These folks will fade away and return when prices go up. Several on this site been around for a long time and rode the fur market waves before.

[Hern]

I would like to add...
With hundreds of thousand's of unsold fur still sitting at Canada auctions, local fur buyers are reluctant to pay top dollar for fur. The market is unsettled. These local fur buyers and guys like us that sent fur to Canada last season still have fur up there to sell. Local fur buyers have reason to buy low. Local fur buyers lost money on some species last year.

[Buckwheat]

Hern
I kinda consider myself now that i am older white trash when it comes to fur. I shoot it have some other guy do all the work. I do not even feel bad about it.  But i never barter much on price either. I was always happy to have some one take care of my fur even when they are worth next to nothing.
When i was younger i trapped like a little mad man after fox and raccoon. I was making enought money that i would take off work and make money that way and enjoyed every bit of it. The funny thing i was happy and broke whether i worked or trapped. I just had no money. I was young and was paid little and was raising a family. If it was not for trapping and working i think my Christmas would been pretty bad. The last fox i sold to my buyer i did not realy want to sell. It was the biggest red fox i ever trapped. But Christmas was here and that $50 fox i had to sell. Still burns my ass a little today yet. Then the next year the market took a noise dive. Trapping stopped for me then all i did was hunt fox. My fur buyer woukd take most of what i gave him. Notice i said gave him. As life goes work takes over most people trying to put food on the table. I started making more and more money and spent more but worked more. You know how it goes. So the times i got to hunt fox it was nice to drop them off at my buyer. No questions asked, just dropped off. So to day when i go fox hunting my fur buyer is the work horse. Hell i would pay to hunt fox so giving my fur away was nothing. If i got anything for fox i was and am still happy. Today i enjoy the hunting and the few bucks i get for what ever I throw on his floor might get me and my buddy breakfast I am happy as pigs in ****. I am just glad to hunt and lie like hell about who missed what and whos was bigger. Yep the fur market might be sliding down some. I might have to pay for my own breakfast. You know how bad this white trash feels about that. I will just have to get my hunting partner to pay.

[Hern]

Hey white trash, I wished we lived closer. I would take your fur. I would even buy you and partner breakfast.

How folks handle or sell their fur is none of my business. No problem.
If someone wants to learn how-to-do-it, I am willing to show them.
One guy I know, has his Fox and Coyotes tanned then sells them. Profit wise, he makes out better than you and me. But he created a tanned fur market of his own. Good for him.
I know other guys that get ear muffs made from Fox and give as Christmas presents.
One fella in the Harrisburg area has been a top-notch Fox, Muskrat, Mink and Coon trapper. His fondest was always the Mink. Several years ago, He switched totally to trapping Mink. I ask him, what's up? Only Mink? Why are you leaving them Fox run? His answer, 'Wife and I moved to an elderly apartment. I have no place to put up fur. But I did talk the wife into using the laundry room to put up Mink and the custodian said I could dry and store the Mink in the supply room. If I catch accidental Coons, I drop 'em off at the fur buyers and sell in the round.'
His story gave me a new perspective why or how folks target certain species or why or how they handle or market their fur.

[Pa Goosehntr]

  WOW that's dedication....

[Buckwheat]

Hern
I have not put up furs for over 20 years.
I dove over 60 miles a day one way for work and worked a lot of 10 and 12 hours days.
I just liked hunting critters and when i did get time to hunt the last thing i had time for was putting up fur. The money for my time did not cover my time.  The old saying time is money. I had to learn to what money was woth for my time.
Besides i like my fur buyer. Him and his wife did all the work and I never had to worry. They would take my furs when nobody wanted them. I could go on more but this white trash hunter has never had any regrets. But thanks for the fur care offer, almost everybody i hunted with made the same type of offer. Most of the times i was just happy to hear that. I  might change now that i am headed for retirement ment but we will see. I did put up one fur or two over the last 20 years
just because I felt like it and still have all the equipment. We will talk next year maybe I will put up a ton of fur. LOL You never know.