Mink Handling

[jim]

Gibb: Does that mean I don't understand any better than your boys? Jim

[Gibb]

No, it means that I had a fustrating day.
But if I keep at it they will.
Cheers Jim

[jim]

Well I just wanted to know if you thought they would still be twins after they came from the tanning process. Jim

[jim]

The Beave : Do you think it may have been in 1988 that you had that $86.47 mink, I got $50 for my big males that year at the Marshall sale in Michigan was told that they averaged $75 at FHA that year. Jim

[Gibb]

For sure. Same mink.
Give any fur buyer a reason to drop the price and they will.
Another way to say this " if you board a mink that could have been a xlarge as a large do you think you will get paid for a xlarge".
Only a couple of our mink in an average catch are gooding to be number ones most are going to be commercial skins and that is were you are going to make your money. In The Details.
Cheers Jim

[lumberjack]

You would thing a grader would be better able to grade a fur that isnt artificially poofed up by the pleating process, I mean, we aint fooling him anyhow if he is worth his salt.
In other words pleating a low grade mink would have no benefit.
They still look the same after tanning no matter how they were boarded.......how true.

[Gibb]

It is not the junk you have trouble with it, is the good stuff that is turned into junk.
Cheers Jim

[northof50]

Now you are getting flustrated Jim.
Lets put it this way that the mink with the legs turned around to the front, what can happen is... because there are several inspections in this area by the graders, and buyers if your is in the buyers selection pile, those legs have to be opened up and moved every time, (and it is only going to happen that the hide will rip, and that is a disaster prior to tanning).
So the 100 to 10 pile starts pdq.... and there are 79 other buddies with him in that pile.
Get with the times, especially when the commercial producers are doing it, like 8 million times.

[trappnman]

Gibb- wondering why you cut front legs first- just to save knife time? I always found it easier and quicker to pop the legs, then cut off the length I want

[northof50]

My way is with side cutters @ the wrist. That way; vs; the pull method the claws can come back and bite you. Learnt it when there was those 100 rat days; helps alot.
Jim is spending quality time beaver boarding with his kids, And not computer boarding. Way to go dad.

[lumberjack]

Thats my point Jim, if its a good mink why does the base need pleated and tail stretched wide, a grader should see that without all the hocus-pocus.
Im not saying that I wouldnt do it that way, I just cant get the tails wide and short like that.

[thebeav2]

Jim
I'm not sure but I'm guessing It was about that time. If I remember correctly we were averaging In the high fifty's. Man those were the days.

[coonhangman1]

Averaging in the high 50's on mink? My God, that makes me drool.

I might of made Bob Wendt money a day or 2 on my line this year. haha

[jim]

Nick: averaging $30 in the 80's would be the same as $57 today. Now at less than $10 its just a lot of fun and sure a lot easier than coon or coyotes but I still put most of my time into the coyotes this year. Jim

[Gibb]

The tail does not matter long or short.
I cut the front legs with side cutters saves time and you have something simple to tuck in.

Mink,
last years world production of ranch mink was 57.5 million skins. The put up is all the same.
In 1987 when the market died I averaged 73,80 for my wild mink.
The worlds production of ranch mink was 42 million.

The world is slowly passing us by.

The production of wild mink drops every year.
Why?
Cheers Jim

[jim]

The production of wild mink drops every year.
Why?
Like I said its a fun thing now nobody gets excited about $10 mink.

[Stef]

No, just push pins. How would mesh get it any wider?

¼" mesh is commonly used to dry tails.
Just put mesh on open tail ( works with any furbearers if you want to).
You'll need only 2-4 push pins for holding the mesh on board and that's it.