# Hunting for fur....



## eyemall (Jul 5, 2010)

I am interested if I should decide to hunt for fur to sell. What is the easiest and cheapest way to handle a coyote or fox fur? Do they have to be stretched and scraped to sell them?


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Well in my humble opinion it is what ever you want to do with them. You can takem whole to someone who wants them or you can do it all yourself. Easiest and cheepest are a contradiction in terms. If you are want you can skin them roll them up and freeze them, or you can flesh and dry them...the more you do the more you will recieve.

BTW....you will not breakeven in this venture. With the money spent on fuel, supplies, transportation, guns, and not to mention your time. So if you are jumping to hunting for fur to make money....try raising chinchellas.


----------



## eyemall (Jul 5, 2010)

I dont hunt to make money I hunt because I like it. I was just think if I managed to kill some in the Prime Time I might save them to sell later.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeppers....make it when you can is my motto, or if Cat was here...make hay when the sun shines....I bet he does see alot of sun shine.
BTW...where ya been Cat.


----------



## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Here in Texas furs are worth little money. I enjoy hunting so i do skin my animals that are different or hold special memories. Taxidermist pay more for hides than fur buyers but they have limited usage to them. Being in Kentucky your hide will be worth more than Texas. Like OAC said you wont get rich but can help to pay for a little ammo or gas.


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

BTW...where ya been Cat. Kind of wondering that myself Ed too. Maybe the two of them are in the mountains together


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeah maybe they headed up where the air is thin and cool .. mmmm...I will go looking for them


----------



## eyemall (Jul 5, 2010)

Thanks for the replies,guys.


----------



## wilded (Feb 10, 2010)

Join your State Trappers association and get a list of country fur buyers if you do not wish to process your own furs. Many furs are devalued in the fleshing and drying process as there is a learning curve in doing it right. If you can find someone close to show and teach you the proper methods you can cut the learning curve. Those that can properly prepare their furs can ship them to the auctions and in most cases come out ahead. Country buyers pay less but you do not have to do as much work and they will take just skinned furs. Some will even take the whole animal but of course discount what they pay. In other words the more work you do on the fur the more you get for it normally. Exceptional specimans should be frozen whole or skinned out for full body mounts and sold to taxidermists if possible. Normal run of the mill specimans are not of much value to the taxidermy trade. JMHO ET


----------



## IPC (Feb 23, 2010)

Well I had typed up this reply (somehow) before I read the response from others. Sounds like everyone pretty much nailed it... but here's my thoughts since I already took the time to write them down! LOL!

Hunting for fur is a great idea and I think you'll find some added pleasure and enjoyment when you place a value to the fur your harvesting. Being from your area, I know our fur isn't extremely valuable but I still enjoy working in the fur shed a little and meeting up at the fur auctions.

My advice would be to start out by getting yourself a handful of raccoon first. Of course, I'm assuming you are completely clueless about fur handling at this point. Skin, flesh, stretch and dry those raccoon. Then find yourself a local fur buyer or look for a scheduled auction. I occasionally visit the United Trappers of Kentucky convention and their fur sales, great bunch of guys. Take a look around at what others are doing with their fur, watch the prices, and learn how the auction procedure is handled.

With that little bit of experience under your belt, take a bite out of coyote and fox handling. I personally don't work up coyotes that are obviously flat, rubbed or overly damaged. Too many hours and procedures involved in working up a coyote that gets refused. In Kentucky, there is a legitimate chance that a rubbed/flat or damaged coyote fur will be refused. In the high deserts and sandhills you'd get away with a lot more ($40 coyotes versus $4 coyotes).

If you come across some unique coyotes, be they large or colorful, do some research on taxidermy skinning requirements. If nothing else, leave the skull, feet & tail inside and freeze the cape whole. The taxidermy market can be tapped into occasionally for a sizable profit.

In recent years I have sold my furs to taxidermist or I've had them tanned and sold them to individuals. To clarify, I've probably only sold about 25% of the coyotes harvested. Once you stand around a fur auction here in the Kentuckiana area... you'll start noticing "flat" or "rubbed" fur with poor coloration traits. I have also skinned a good number of coyotes and froze them back. I'll donate these to a trappers association for their fleshing demos, or donate it to a benefit fur auction of some sort. A couple years ago I had a good week and the coyotes kept (frozen) in my barn for several days. I hauled 18 coyotes to the fur buyer and asked him to forward the check to our local FTA chapter. He sent me a copy of the invoice for $200 and I recognized his own generousity in those prices. I believe 5 were refused and he had done all the skinning & fleshing.

In closing, there is a lot of bickering online over the use of furs (or lack thereof). I know guys in the Plains that kill 100 coyotes a year worth $25-$40 a piece. They have spent their life handling fur and have skinning & fleshing down to an art. They can average almost $50 per hour if they play their cards right. I know guys in Indiana that hunt HARD all year for 6 flat, rubbed, chocolate coyotes and they throw in a sinkhole. To each their own, but I believe the mindset of putting up fur is best instilled in all new hunters... and it can freshen up an old hobby for the most experienced hunters.

On another note: I skin & sell everything I trap, or I don't set a trap. When I'm running a trapline on the side of my calling efforts, I'm much more likely to skin every coyote that comes into the shed. Volume makes the processes easier and it can increase the value to buyers at auction. Just my .02


----------



## wilded (Feb 10, 2010)

Great Advice, Jason.


----------

