Some rat grading observations from NAFA

[bblwi]

I have spent an hour doing some comparisons

Last year 2012 I shipped 229 rats and averaged $12.19
I caught 37 of those rats in the early northern WI season which are lighter pelted and smaller rats typically.
I caught no rats after November 20th
I had 6% selects 18% 1 grade and 41% good falls and about 12 kits

2013 I shipped 164 rats
I had no northern WI rats and 20 of the rats shipped were caught through the ice in December
I had no selects
I had 14% 1 grade
I had 52% good falls

The other real change is this is the first year since the scanning process where the numbers of 3xl, 2xl and xl rats was Lower than when I measured them the old way at home.
I always had about 10% more 2xl or xl than by the straight measurement
This year I had about 8% fewer 2xl and 3xl then measured and about 20% fewer xl rats then measured.
When one looks at last years price breaks the drop from 2xl and up to xl is about $2.00 per rat The drop from xl to large is about $3.50 per rat.
If one has 25 to40 rats dropped a size that is over $100 in this market. A drop in grade is about 50 cents or another $25.

It will be interesting to see how the prices line up on the same grade and size with last year.
I am glad I ship because it allows me to review items like this in great detail and try to learn what is taking place.
As stated this is the first year that things were less then or reversed from what I measured and I don't feel I was being more 'liberal" with my measuring. I felt I had bigger and better grade rats this year but the lotting letters indicate that is not the case.

Bryce

[wbg]

Could very well be that You have better rats this year than last, just a tougher grade this year. Lots of folks have high expectations for rats on this sale based on some of the country prices. But it must be remembered that most of those rats ended up with a hand full of large buyers with orders in hand. while prices at auction can influence country prices, what goods sell for in the country has little bearing on auction prices. Also some of the smaller buyers operating on spec., with high limits on their rats, could lower clearance. I guess we'll know soon enough.

[trappincoyotes39]

Well could be a way for buyers to get the good rats at a cheaper price? Why would the grade be tougher if rat numbers are down?

Interest high?

sounds like the shell game continues on?

[motrapperjohn]

My rats this year also way better than last with only a few kits, and many caught much later than last year and about 100 or so being in late DEC, and Jan. rats. Good heavy winter rats, but none showing in my grades. One over 22"

[spawner]

I don't understand why they have rough grading or loose grading from year to year . why isn't the fur graded for what it is consistently and let the buyers tell what its worth. no magic no smoke and mirrors just grade the fur for what it really is.

[trappnman]

grading fur is so subjective, that you could give an "average" piece of fur to 6 different graders and get a half a doz different grades.

one thing I always believed was true, is that with high prices, you do get a tuffer grade-

and that makes perfect sense- at $2 rats, a difference in grade is pennies- at $12 rats, its a few bucks..so buyers do tend to grade not perhaps harder, but more throughly- blemishes that were ignored at low dollar prices, are not at high dollar ones

[trappnman]

high prices mean higher prices across the board for sure- for example a damaged item, in a high market, can still bring a good price

if coon are like they are now- it takes a darn fine coon to bring top dollar, and those coon are the minority.

when prices are low, you get more coon graded high, since the difference in grades is slight- thats my experience anyways in dealing with a lot of different locals over the years

but we can sure agree to disagree

[wbg]

High market, country- easier grade, auction- tougher grade.

[trappnman]

interesting others have different observations

[Bigfoot]

the folks i sell to, i agree steve

[bblwi]

My average this year was $12.75 so I am not complain about my prices or the average price.
What I did see however was the better and bigger pelts were $2 plus more than last year. Top of $19 this year with no selects and top of $16.50 last year with over a dozen selects. The prices were lower on the large and even the xl rats that were average falls. I had fewer mediums and smalls this year as well.

It is like the guy choking on a silver spoon wishing it was gold but then there is a real change this year from the pattern that was developed the two years before this sale.
I guess I too am one that a grade is a grade and a size is a size no matter what the market is and the price is the variable but it seems there are many variables that change maybe from auction to auction let a lone season to season. I am
Bryce

[wileytrapper]

Guys I don't post on here much but do visit off and on to read some very good posts from time to time. I found this post very interesting and wanted to share my findings this year on my muskrat percentage. This season compared to last season my size average was substantially higher. Last season I put all my rats up on wire which I had 29% 3X-XXL, 34% XL, 32% large, and the balance in Mediums. This season I went to putting them all up on wood and had the following percentages 70% 3X-XXL, 26% XL, 2% large, and remainder percentage in Medium. I myself will be sticking to wood from here on out. My grades also increased but I also elected to harvest the majority of my rats from the middle of December thru January.

[jim]

Wileytrapper: Good to see you here. Could you post your moneycut and putup for muskrats on here? I have seen them but some of the other guys wanted to see them also. Thanks

Jim

[wileytrapper]

Notice the brown back fur. That needs to stay on the back when boarded.


I basically cut straight across leg to leg.


I then make a cut straight up starting at the base of the tail to my cross cut. Skin around the tail then once you get around basically pull and skin the rest of the muskrat.

[trappnman]

here is thei nteresting thing about wood-

after all the talk here about all the advantages of wood over wire, I bought some wood stretchers 3 years ago, and started putitng some up on wood. At the first sale with wood, my buyer didn't say anything either way. 2nd time, I commented that I was putting some up on wood and his exact words were- "why, you need more wire?"

I said I thought it wa preffered on wood, a bigger rat- and he replied no, that wire gave a bigger rat.

now- we can debate that nafa makes more money from a bigger rat than do locals, but thats not really true- locals are still reselling and a bigger rat means more money for them as well- and my buyer has literally bought 100,000s of rats over the years, so I think hes fairly knowledgeable on grading, etc

bottomline, its not as cut and dried as opinions may indicate

[thorsmightyhammer]

Forget what your buyer thinks.

What do you think.

Take and put half up on wood, half up on wire and tell me what which one averages a bigger size.

I cant tell you because I have done half and half.

But I will say that if the day comes where I ship all my rats they are going on wood.

[wileytrapper]

Feb 25, 2013 9:00:17 GMT -6 trappnman said:

Bottom-line, its not as cut and dried as opinions may indicate

I do agree with your statement and I wish the big auctions houses would show us a preferred method like they do for other fur-bearers. in the mean time I can only use my lotting letter as my source of information.

[trappnman]

steven- I don't believe, in the ones I put up and measured, trying to put comparative ones on each to have a baseline, that there is any difference or enough to matter.

I believe if put on wire right- and there is more than one way- that the size is the size. To qualify, I only use the old Peerless stretchers, IMO they are far and away the cadalac of wire rat stretchers.

I did give wood a fair try.

wileytrapper- never saw the method- never thought about doing such to be honest

if you went to wood with that cut, and they only scan the backs, no doubt a bigger rat is the scanned inches on the back.

I'f have to wait til next year, but I don't remember the color difference being that stark on my rats- but they well could be.

wouldn't gain me anything local, but if I shipped, I'd do it that way. good tip.