NAFA Day 4 News Release

[trappnman]

my mistake steven................


443,362 93

lots, average, top

Western Northern $22.48 $130.00
The top lot of Raccoon was purchased by D.J. Larsen
Import/Export, Ltd. for Vassou Papadamou of
Kastoria, Greece.

100 Western North Central $19.02 $56.00

80 Canadian $15.23 $52.00

97 Eastern North Central $14.39 $44.00

100 Western Semi Heavy $19.45 $39.00

100 Eastern Semi Heavy $13.15 $30.00

100 Section III $3.41

but good clearances

[packerfan]

Early (Mid Oct.) Wisconsin coon.......3-4XL/I and I-II/50%color 4/5 and 50% 2-3......$24.50 avg. (before 6% comm.)
Very happy with this. Next batch (Late Oct.-Late Dec.) will sell at FHA March sale.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Coon prices werent great yet they werent bad and the important thing is they cleared them.

Good heavy coon still have good value.

[packerfan]

Good point. Buy backs were (and still are) my biggest concern this year.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Feb 22, 2012 9:31:54 GMT -6 packerfan said:

Good point. Buy backs were (and still are) my biggest concern this year.

On what coon?

Very few buy backs.

20 percent westerns, and three percent north centrals.

Otherwise 100 percent sold sundry good.

Sure there were probably some dealer lots with high minimums that didnt sell.

I'd wager that the remainder of the trapper stuff will clear private treaty before prompt date.

[packerfan]

I was refering to future auctions, Steve. No buy backs this auction for me.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Feb 22, 2012 15:26:54 GMT -6 packerfan said:

I was refering to future auctions, Steve. No buy backs this auction for me.

packerfan as long as they keep clearing ranch mink at 100 150 skin prices I think that someone will look to coon and other furs for an alternative.

[packerfan]

I agree Steve. I was thinking that the (coon) pipeline could back up at any time with all the coon caught this year. I don't mind SOME coon being held, but I do have plans for these auction checks. I sold some fur locally in Kansas, but most prices were lower than here (and the fur was great). The local buyers were very helpful and I liked buying and selling with them.

[mtcbrlatrap]

Yes 50% 2-3 color is the main reason my 25% 2-3 color coons averaged $21 gross instead of maybe $23-$25 with better color. I had smaller coons this year (only 3 xl) but 43% 2xls and grade was better too, no region 111s or 4s and only 6 11 grade coons out of 79. I had the most NTH versus NC than in recent history, just not enough good color to get $8-$12 more on about 12-20 coons. Good to see the high clearances and that may have put a bit of downward pressure on some prices as you don't want a couple 100K of carry over to May if that sale will be big to begin with.

Bryce

[thorsmightyhammer]

I agree with your assesments bryce.

Coon harvest would have been normal the prices would have reflected. IMHO the coon sale was more than a bit better than I thought it would be.

But its all on 90 dollar over all average on ranch mink.

some of they finished goods that they had at nafa that were dyed and sheared astounded me.

Those goods are directly an alternative for mink.

[mtcbrlatrap]

The good coons are alternatives to Finnish Fitch, silver foxes and expensive other ranched long fur. As are reds, good color coyotes etc. Alternatives to high priced ranch mink are rats and maybe sheared beaver, especially some of the lighter leather pelts in my opinion.

That leaves not much of a home in the current market for lower grade and poorer colored coons except as really cheap alternatives to even lower quality ranch fur. That gets down the list pretty far as priorities.
With the new fur it does not take any more labor to dress, cut or sew $100 pelts than $2.00 pelts for the most part and they are going to put their resources where they get the most return on their investment.
We need s strong fur market that can keep all boats floating and rising if possible. We may see the day when a season catch of my coons will average $ 12 with 25% selling for $28 and 75% selling for $6.60. Especially if one goes early. If the spread gets that wide then the cost of leaving the bottom 20-25% in the woods is very, very low. Will one be ethical and skin, flesh and board coons worth $1.00 to $2.00 put up?

Bryce

[jim]

I wouldn't call it ethical, I would be smart and leave it in the woods.


Jim

[Stef]

here's what I think
Foxes look promising because many countries want them now.

Coyotes, not the same as fox... As soon as the parka type coats won't sell as much as the past few years... We'll see prices down the bucket again.

The real problem for us now is that fox # are real down almost everywhere.

[longrangekilla]

Packerfan- Did you have coon at NAFA?

[packerfan]

Yes, but the bulk of my catch is at FHA. I hope it does as well. This was an amazing sale.

[thorsmightyhammer]

FHA is gonna be good and it will be spun they set the bar when in reality we are on a rising market.

Bryce, right now anything is becoming an alternative to ranch mink.

Mink prices are getting so high that some manufacturers are being priced out and they have to turn to an alternative.

Talked to a chinaman the other day that used to buy a bunch of possums. He didnt even get any of those at the last sale. They didnt bring much but more than he usually payed.

Bryce we have seen the day when coon from all sections averaged 12 dollars for the good ones.

One thing about it fur seems to be coming back into vogue.

Saw alot of it at the four airports I was at over the weekend.

Stef, oh what I would give to have fox like we did in the mid 90's.

[seldom]

Feb 24, 2012 19:40:04 GMT -6 thorsmightyhammer said:

FHA is gonna be good and it will be spun they set the bar when in reality we are on a rising market.

Stef, oh what I would give to have fox like we did in the mid 90's.[/quote]

Not me! My silver/grey-butt reds were in vogue in the 70's and 80's and brought the highest averages ($125.00 best personal ave) but not today!! Every since my color of red went out of vogue, my coyotes, commercial they may be, have always averaged higher!!!

[thorsmightyhammer]

Seldom, todays red fox market isnt the same as 2 weeks ago or a year ago.

If it had hair it brought good money.

Medium/small flats brought 35 bucks.

PA guys probably average 45 50 and your fox has to be better. Did you average 50 on your coyotes?

[thebeav2]

Don't know about the If It has hair statement Longrange killa had a pretty nice red go for $2.00

[seldom]

Feb 24, 2012 21:51:57 GMT -6 thorsmightyhammer said:

Seldom, todays red fox market isnt the same as 2 weeks ago or a year ago.

If it had hair it brought good money.

Medium/small flats brought 35 bucks.

PA guys probably average 45 50 and your fox has to be better. Did you average 50 on your coyotes?

$48.45 on the coyotes and $43.33 on my reds and the reds were no different than what I caught back in the day taken from literally the same fields. Buyers(more than a couple) back in that time period told me that our rats we're the best in the entire country AND reds were the best in this part of the US. Why I commented was that it appears where my "color of fox" fox use to be in great demand to pull the averages($115-$125) back than, don't appear to be that highly desired in today's market, comparatively speaking. Now if other parts of the country with comparable reds are pulling better averages, cool beans! Not much I can do about it! A red is a red and I don't make sow's ears out of my silk purses!

I may be wrong but I attribute it to the grey-back grade/color of "my" fox and I have no idea of fox or the ability to compate fox from other parts of the country except those caught in the Saginaw Valley! There is and always was the "cherry" but I think they used our run-of-the-mill fox back then "au natural" but they have since moved away from it as I was told due to the inability to take dye. That may have been and it could be changing. The last two seasons I have to admit, I've seen somewhat of a resurgence for our color or some other reason which is good but until my reds better my coyote averages.........! Besides, I have more coyote than reds!