# March 2010 Fur Prices



## catcapper

Here's a few of yesterdays fur prices at the NAFA auction. Rats hit an all time high.

Average High

Muskrat Eastern I $9.56 $40.00

Beaver Eastern $19.57 $160.00
Western $16.74 $48.00

Grey Fox East/West $24.74 $68.00

Coyote West Heavy $35.29 $130.00
Eastern $23.48 $41.00

Lynx Cat Western $346.54 $800.00
Northern $73.78 $190.00


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## tjc1230

Boy i'm glad to see the prices going up.I'll finally break even LOL


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## On a call

Good to see those prices but what were the average prices...or norm ??


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## catcapper

Brian--The way the forum saw my post was different then the way I typed it. Where you see Average & High--those two words should be moved to the right about 1 1/2" so that they are above the dollar sign and amount. Example: Muskrat-Eastern I-Average price $9.56-High price $40.00----Beaver-Eastern-Average price $19.57-High price $160.00 and so on down the list.


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## tjc1230

$ 40 rats and $160 beavers??????? some one is jerkin your leg my friend. Yes fur $$ are up but that is WAY out of line.


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## On a call

I think he is right.....those are the high prices the cream if you will of the crop. A friend who traps beaver told me of getting over 200 for very sellect hides but only got 30's for average hides a few years ago. So rats are not bringing in 40 and beaver 160...only the very very few. If they were...I would quit my job. That is why I asked Catcapper that question. I have no idea where they should be or where they are headed I now just enjoy trapping.

It makes sense now that re read it Dave....thanks for the heads up...


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## catcapper

Those numbers are right from the NAFA auction report. They sold 216,207 Rats and moved 100 percent.


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## Rem22-250

Interesting catcapper. I'm thinking seriously about getting back into trapping next year. What is the deal with the fur trade now? Are all of the american furs shipped and sold to foreign countrys? How do you sell your furs, to get the best prices. I guess what I'm asking is do you eliminate the middle man and go directly to an auction house? Thanks.


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## catcapper

Whew! Rem22-250 you ask a lot of questions--But that's part of what PredatorTalk is all about. The prices were seeing now on the market were caused by the lack of quality fur last year. Its a supply and demand thing. With furrier/garmet companys running low on thier supply--NAFA canceled thier Jan. sale to dirve prices higher and pull more fur buyers to the March auction. This coming year will have a larger supply of fur for sale because trappers have seen $40.00 Rats and an $800.00 Lynx Cat. It will be well worth the time in the timber trapping this season. The fur market should stay strong for well handled pelts. 
The vast majority of fur is sold at auction houses. Buyers from around the world (China dominated the March sale)come to this great country of ours to purchase the finest fur available anywhere. A trapper can sell his fur to a local fur buyer,or sell to a fur company such as Groenewold,or send furs directly to an auction house. Local buyer and fur company are the middle man and they take a cut. I sell my fur strait to the auction house for the best price (keep your fingers crossed). I haven't blown this much air in a long time lol. Put up some good fur this coming season and you'll be glad you did.


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## On a call

catcapper said:


> Whew! Rem22-250 you ask a lot of questions--But that's part of what PredatorTalk is all about. The prices were seeing now on the market were caused by the lack of quality fur last year. Its a supply and demand thing. With furrier/garmet companys running low on thier supply--NAFA canceled thier Jan. sale to dirve prices higher and pull more fur buyers to the March auction. This coming year will have a larger supply of fur for sale because trappers have seen $40.00 Rats and an $800.00 Lynx Cat. It will be well worth the time in the timber trapping this season. The fur market should stay strong for well handled pelts.
> The vast majority of fur is sold at auction houses. Buyers from around the world (China dominated the March sale)come to this great country of ours to purchase the finest fur available anywhere. A trapper can sell his fur to a local fur buyer,or sell to a fur company such as Groenewold,or send furs directly to an auction house. Local buyer and fur company are the middle man and they take a cut. I sell my fur strait to the auction house for the best price (keep your fingers crossed). I haven't blown this much air in a long time lol. Put up some good fur this coming season and you'll be glad you did.


Hey Catcapper,

Thank you for sharring your experience and knowledge. I have questions others might have too...what and how do you move onto the auction house ??/ I know guys who will sell me thier catch and I would love to help them...and myself at the same time...I know there are gambles but hey that is life and bussiness.

PM me some time soon...I have other ideas too. And yes...my fingers are crossed.


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## LilBill

Rem those prices dont reflect accurately what we get in our local tn auctions.not sure where you are located in tn but click on this link Tennessee Fur Harvesters Association - Fur Auctions and you will see what it is going on here.rats are up.


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## catcapper

On a call---To sell or buy fur at some of the larger auction companys like FHA or NAFA,you need to register an account. They give you shipping/handling instructions and the larger AC's provide fur lot tags. Its pretty strait forward stuff. The down side to auction sales is you have to wait till the end of season for your fur payment. Most trappers sell to local buyers or fur companys so they get cash right then. If your going to buy furs (as a local fur buyer)and prepare them for an auction--You'll need to learn to grade and size them. You don't want to give a trapper $28.00 for a Beaver and have the AC give you $19.00. Check your state regs--you may need a permit ot buy and sell.


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## On a call

Thanks Dave,

I appreciate the advice. You sell dirrect, am I correct ? If you do how does that work out for you ? I have no problem waiting a few months....if there is a reward in the end. But like you say experience in grading is good advice. Do not want to pay more than it is worth.


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## LilBill

catcapper you are very right on everything.i wish i could come out your way and run a line.you have some beautiful animals in your neck of the woods.you are very fortunate.for the most part all we have here are some rabbit furred cats.beautiful ,but not spotted like the ones you have.very envious.


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## GritGuy

Just remember that today's prices denote most of the catch next year and supply denotes price more than demand does.
Trapping harvests are nortoriously always behind a year in supply, whats high this year could be the bottom the following year due to over supply caused by the previous years pay on pelts.

It's not like stocks where things gradually keep going up and then dump on you, fur prices can dump on you in the same season, especialy later on when more of the real harvests start showing up in larger lots at teh alrger auction houses.


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## snoman

Just sold my muskrats to Johnson Fur for an average of $6.60. About 20% were either small or fur damaged. I was happy. I guess Nevada rats are about as good as Eastern rats. Last year they brought $1.85 average.


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## catcapper

All you trappers/predator hunters that are going to play the fur market buying and selling should go up a couple clicks and read GritGuy's words of wisdom. Some years you can make a kill'in (no pun intended)and some years lose your butt. I think it was back in 78 or 79 that western heavy coyotes were bringing 120.00 to 165.00 dollars because the pelts were being used for garmets. The next year fashion changed and coyotes were being bought for trim and the price of yotes fell to around 20.00 dollars per hide. "OUCH" Lots of local buyers took a big hit. Now that your done reading this---go back up and read GritGuy's post again and have it sink in---especially the first sentence


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## El Gato Loco

Hey Cat,

Any update for us? This would make a great monthly post!


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## catcapper

It will take a couple more weeks to see which way the fur market is gonna drift. Theres a lot of big players in the game this year---Russia, Greece, Italy and of course China. All the auction house forecast's are mostly the same as every year---they tell trappers that fur is in strong demand and profits should roll in high---yeah, sure---we'll wait and see.

NAFA's January auction is going to be an internet auction, so that will cut travel costs for buyers and should add around 400-500 new clients to the purchasing field---maybe good, maybe bad---we'll wait and see.

Fox will hold their own this year since Russia just started to show interest in Greys, and most dealers are sold out of this item.

Lynx Cat is still the money maker for nice bellied western heavys, and some of the southern cats are bringing more coin this year from some local buyers.

Buyers thought there would be more raccoon available by now, but with the bad weather in the midwest, a good number of trappers pulled their traps---the raccoon wern't run'in anyway.

Lets wait and see what kind of game China is going to play this buying season. Their 10% steady growth rate says they have the money to spend, but I just found out yesterday, their trying to put the can on last years high priced Rats.

I'll update you guys when more info comes in.

By the way Chris---I like your new avatar


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## ebbs

This is incredible information. Catcap and GritGuy, I feel like you guys are either partially psychic or are part furbearer yourselves. I'm impressed!


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