# Tried something new selling my fur.



## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I've sold my fur locally and to fur trucks that come through in the past years. This year I wanted to do it differently, try to get a little more money for my fur. My original plan was to send my fur to NAFA, however by the time I was able to the cites tags on my cats I had missed the shipping date for the May sale. A buddy hooked me up on using Fur Harvesters. I received my check and results in the mail today and I was pretty happy with the results. 
I knew that I had one good cat and a couple of mediocre ones, but I was pleasantly surprised on the coyote results, buyers around here just don't pay that for coyotes. Anyways I figure I'm gonna continue sending my fur to the larger auction houses, whether it be NAFA or Fur Harvesters. 
Hopefully next season I devote more time into catching fur. Thought I'd share my results.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Well done, can't beat that.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Geez! Catch a bobcat instead of playing the lottery. Such payouts could motivate a man.

Nice work, Ruger!


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

:thumbsup:--- That should keep ya in beer money till next season.lol.

awprint:


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice payday Wayne !


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Congrats Wayne!!!!


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Congrats on a super cat!

Please tell us the story how you managed such a super fur.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

BTW...I sut of my computer and talked to Mrs. S for a bit. Then it hit me...maybe I should be a fur buyer instead of all that cold lonely work each season. I could buy a Cat for $75.00 send it to auction and make $725.00. Not making fun of fur buyers, just wondering what there profit margin really is?

Don't get me wrong fur buying is a gamble within itself as the Market can turn on you in weeks not months or years.

Wayne...not stealing your thunder...just writing down some thoughts you may want to reply too.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

The cat market definitely fluctuates big time, you can never really tell from season to season or even month to month. Most depends on what the buyers overseas want, and how much competition there is for it. The fur market is something I'm still trying to figure out, the best I can do is catch the fur and see what end up in my pocket after the sale.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Ruger said:


> The cat market definitely fluctuates big time, you can never really tell from season to season or even month to month. Most depends on what the buyers overseas want, and how much competition there is for it. The fur market is something I'm still trying to figure out, the best I can do is catch the fur and see what end up in my pocket after the sale.


Ruger be a farmer and get some storage to offset the market fluctuations.

I talking about freezer storage. A small chest freezer is around 100 bucks and stretched and dried fur can be stacked 250 deep in one. Buy new as older freezers cost many dollars extra each month to operate than new ones.

Just makes sure you store with caution to protect against freezer burn.

Also read your laws as you may need a permit to store fur longer than 10 days post season.

Also remember many auction houses have two auctions. So if the fur market looks fair in one. It may be an indicator it will be great in another.

Pay attention especially to reports on fur selling. IE: if lots are 100% depleted then I would take a chance and sell in the second auction. If lots still have 45% remaining then hold till next season.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I watch every sale locally and abroad. I was prepared to freeze my fur this year, but found another option. My freezer are for my deer and elk, lol.
Most times in this area February is the best time to sell. But the later sales this year had better prices. However in the sale my cats went through only 60% sold, gladly mine sold and won't be offered in the summer sale. Maybe one day I'll have it all figured out, my favorite part is obtaining the critters, always feels great to get a little change in my pocket at the end.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Ruger...don't forget trapping creates persoanl and/or business income and you must report it on taxes.

So why not make your trapping a business? There is no reason it cannot be considered a business for which you are a sole proprietor. By doing so, you cab depreciate all or part of your trapping vehicle, write off vehicle repairs, fuel, vehicle maintenance. Just keep good records discerning bussines mileage from personal mileage. For me my Subruban does that in the odometer section. I can have it record annual business miles and push a button and I can select personal miles. There is usually no worry about an audit as long as you have another vehicle to drive.

If you buy new traps you can depreciate them. If you buy lure, urine that goes into inventory. Trapping licence are a tax and are a business deduction. Fact is they are a tax and can be written off each year anyway whether you have a business or not, they are the same as vehicle registration.

Freezers for storing hides are depreciated and deductible. If you have a space set aside for just trapping lets say 10 x 10 area of the garage. That is you business space. I rent a storage unit for my traps so my rent is deductible.

The reason why all of this is legit is because trapping pays money and again the IRS states you must include all income you made in a year. No different than a farmer or rancher sending livestock to market or mink ranching. You are send a product to market for sale to make money.

Just be a smart business man and keep a ledger, records, reciepts, checks ect. You are required to hold these for 7 years. Now I don't keep my stuff primarily on a computer, I keep an excell file plus scanned receipts on a flash drive and I jeep hard copies in a large brown envelope marked trapping 2017 for this seasons expenses.

As I bought new traps with a total of 498.00 from Funke traps, I have three records. I have my credit card record, (always a plus for business because credit card records are trusted and I have one just for trapping) I have my bill of sale from Funke Traps in State Center, and on the 2017 trapping flash drive there is a scanned record of the bill of sale. I also use Quickbooks only because its easy to push a bitton and not read receipts each year, But its nit required.

Hope this helps. Not to mention its great for the kids to learn the basics of business. They can see profits/ losses and make adjustments so they can have a profitable trap line.

I started a simple spreadsheet for my grandson who is 15 last year. Although he had nothing to report he is learning business and what it takes to file taxes from a business perspective. The benefit though was in his freshman high school business class he already knew some of the business lingo like P/L statement from trapping. Thats pretty cool!


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Congrats on a good sale , hope you can get a few coyotes in to NAFA next year .. you'll find they are even better yet . As for holding fur and trying to guess the market , Im a little hesitant to do that . I sell all my first caught stuff as fast as I can { NAFA , first sale } ... had coyotes in their second sale graded the exact same that averaged $30 less . The first sale has always been best for me . Only time I hold fur over is when I cant make first or second sale and at that time the season is pretty well over anyways and I quit catching .


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Larry, I already write off all my hunting, fishing and if there will ever be any, trapping expenses under my current business under health care costs, after all it's a mental health issue........... :wink:


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

220swift said:


> Larry, I already write off all my hunting, fishing and if there will ever be any, trapping expenses under my current business under health care costs, after all it's a mental health issue........... :wink:


Hahaha good one!


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

C2C said:


> Congrats on a good sale , hope you can get a few coyotes in to NAFA next year .. you'll find they are even better yet . As for holding fur and trying to guess the market , Im a little hesitant to do that . I sell all my first caught stuff as fast as I can { NAFA , first sale } ... had coyotes in their second sale graded the exact same that averaged $30 less . The first sale has always been best for me . Only time I hold fur over is when I cant make first or second sale and at that time the season is pretty well over anyways and I quit catching .


Some of us don't have the fur money you have for gambling! Hahaha


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Larry said:


> Some of us don't have the fur money you have for gambling! Hahaha


LOL..Not really a gamble Larry , Ive done better in the first sale on a consistent basis..


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