Sold some fur today...

[whiskeylivewire]

I thought some of y'all might be interested in the prices my DH got on his furs.


1 coon-$6
1 coon-$3
2 possum- $1 each
1 skunk-$4
1 gray fox-$17
2 red fox-$15 each
1 cat-$70
2 cats-$60 each
1 cat-$50

He was tickled to death with what the cats brought, and the coons, possums and skunk he was just glad to get rid of! The buyer did say the most he would pay for coon was $16, it would have to be over 34" and he only had one that big.

[Ryan NC]

were his furs green frozen or put up?

[whiskeylivewire]

they were green. He doesn't have much time to do more than skin them. One bobcat wasn't even skinned. They don't pay as good for cats from here. Now Western cats go for big money!

[Ryan NC]

coon are a bit low imho but I'd be happy with those prices green, I'm dreading fleshing out the critters hanging out in my freezer! With the lack of country buyers around here it looks like ours are going to auction this year

[mekasmom]

I remember back when I was a teen, Dad would sell coons for 35-45 dollars skinned out. Whole coons were about five dollars less. And back then skinned possums ran a dollar or two as did skunks. A Coyote would bring over $60. Times they have changed in the last 35yrs.

[Ryan NC]

Originally Posted by mekasmom

Times they have changed in the last 35yrs.

Boy ain't that the truth!!! I've decided that I was just born 100 years or so after when I should have been lol

[farmerDale]

Originally Posted by Ryan NC

Boy ain't that the truth!!! I've decided that I was just born 100 years or so after when I should have been lol

I hear you. Though in the latest fur auction from NAFA, they had a western average yote price of 52 bucks I believe. Almost makes it worth it again. I remember mt dad in the 70's and 80's getting 100 bucks easy. sometimes up to almost 200.

[Ryan NC]

I've went to selling the best of the best to the taxidermy market. It does require dorsal skinning and more records than normal but I am seeing around $50 for nicer gray fox, $40-50 for jumbo coon, $25-35 for XXS coon kittens with a few xxxS going for $50-75 for family mounts, hoping to add a few otter to the mix which will bring about $80. Yotes overall have not brought enough to make it worth skinning the dang things, there have been a few sell at nice prices but for the most part they are bringing about $15 from what I've seen. Farmers around here are starting to pay private bounty on them tho which might change the dynamics next year. Western cats have been flat rocking!

Another thing I'm seeing what has my interest is that beaver tails are bringing almost what the hide is bringing. if you can get a good 6x10.5" flat outa the tail they seem fairly easy to move at about $8-10 which when combined with the hide makes them worth a little over $20. Still not big money but better than nothing!

Rats have come up to the point that they are worth trapping again but for the most part it's still just a hobby that you can hope to break even on. Made pretty good money as a kid stacking coon and rats but today I just hope to pay the gas bill.

[whiskeylivewire]

Possums seem to be the only fur that doesn't go up or down lol it always seems to be a dollar for one. They won't buy them here if they are black ones either. We got a coyote yesterday, I don't remember what they said they were bringing but I will let you know when we get done!

[farmerDale]

Possums are foreign to this Canadian. I have researched them a bit, I didn't realize they got that big. A bit of a weird creature, eh? Now, I've been on another site they call 'em grinners for obvious reasons. But the guys there seem disgusted when the catch one. Are they gross in some way. One article I read stated they emit a foul odor when the play dead when bothered. Does this include when they get into traps?

[whiskeylivewire]

It's just annoying because you're trapping for fur that is higher pay usually. My DD4 loves them...really. She named her cat possum! I have 2 dead ones on my kitchen floor right now that DH is going to skin...one of them has a bit of rust color under it's chin.

And yes, they are disgusting!

[Troy]

Ryan , He sold at the MTA auction they held today. Typically there are about 15-20 buyers there. Coon here are rather small and flat coated so that price is really not out of line for a green coon , but go 100 miles north and you wouldn't believe the price differance.

WLW , You won't be happy with what Coyotes bring from Mo. almost not worth skinning for the price , however every dollar does add to the check.

[whiskeylivewire]

I know, Troy, and they are super hard to skin(according to my DH, I have no skinning skills!). DH pulled his traps on the 31st, right before we got hit with 20+ inches of snow. He's still going to put out some cable restraints and trap for beaver I think.

[Paquebot]

With opposum fur being featured here, how many have actually seen something with that fur used? Never have seen anything in the US but saw a full-length woman's coat in a shop in Denmark in 1976. It was beautiful and very expensive!

Martin

[Ryan NC]

I'd love to see a grinner item that was marketable here in the US, once you get past the pretty grin the paler ones have beautiful fur... Kinda goes back to the old American Sable marketing ploy and truth in advertising tho I guess.

Grinners aren't that hard to skin it's the fleshing that sucks, they are fairly thin skinned critters and it's easy to tear them and nick holes in the hide. Not sure if he's familiar with skinning muskrats or not but it's the same concept. Take your time getting it started without extra flesh while staying as even as possible and you can pull they hide off pretty easy without ripping it...

[Ed Norman]

Originally Posted by Paquebot

With opposum fur being featured here, how many have actually seen something with that fur used? Never have seen anything in the US but saw a full-length woman's coat in a shop in Denmark in 1976. It was beautiful and very expensive!

Martin

I remember a game show in the early 70s when fur was still a good thing. The announcer was talking about the prize and the model came out wearing a long leather and fur coat. Announcer said, You've won a beautiful Posiman Leather coat. He ran the Possum and And into one word.

But I was a kid and still got 50 or 75 cents for a skinned possum. And I skinned plenty of them for that money.

[chickenman]

I've seen some teddy bears made out of 'possum. The better ones actually have some very nice fur. I usually catch a dozen or so every year and I skin them all out. I usually get a buck a piece for them. I really love to work with fur, so I don't mind putting them up.

[coonripper]

I buy furs and this year our possum numbers were way down. I think people are tossing them in the ditch these days. We have ear muffs and fur head bands made from them. I agree your coon prices sound low to me. Depends on the size and quality of fur though but sight unseen seems low.

[whiskeylivewire]

It was low. One had a bit of mange and the other was small. Here is a pic of a possum DH caught that has cinnamon and green tinged fur. Kinda neat looking really.

[coonripper]

Whiskey, possums have glads around there head that make those stains. Thats the biggest challenge on tanning possum hides, to get that stain out. Im sure its a scent gland that they secret their odor to mark their territory and find mates.