SmallCaliberCentral

I had been hearing "rumors" that fur prices were up quite a bit from last year--maybe in the $50 range!!! Unfortunately, that IS NOT TRUE!!! Also, due to unseasonably warm weather--it was 48º here yesterday and has been above freezing quite a few days this winter--the fur on many coyotes is rubbed fairly bad. One fellow hauled in a pickup load of 10 or so coyotes and the fur buyer didn't want any of them!!!

The first coyote I shot on the 26th of December was rubbed and a very dark, ugly colored coyote. The fur buyer gave me $5 for him. The other coyote, a nice, well furred female, with no rubbing brought $25. Well, I only drove about 40 miles that day, so gasoline only cost me about $12.00. I guess that is A-OK!!! These coyotes were in the round and the only thing I did to them was to clean off as much blood from the fur as I could, brush or comb out any cockelburs, and stretch them out as I froze them so they look as big as possible.

The fellow who sold his furs right after me had two coyotes that he shot around the middle of November. They were prime and not rubbed. He got a total of $36 for the pair. I didn't stick around to check on any other prices. I guess I'll keep on doing some calling when I get some time, but I sure won't expect big bucks for the furs if I continue to get coyotes that are rubbed.

Silverfox, Here is alittle some thing you might want to think about. Some 30 years ago I found I could always make more money selling my best prime fur to taxidermist. And all the rest went to fur buyers and for what i could get from them. This is only some to think about and to do with what you want to.

Lee C.Thanks for the suggestion. I have done that from time to time over the years too. However, it has been a long time since either of our taxidermists have purchased any furs from me. I keep trying, but they keep telling me they have all the hides they need.

I was given $17 for this NY fox unskinned. The other I shot is going to be a rug .

Hawkeye Joe--That is one beautifully colored red fox. We don't see many that are that deep red around North DaColder. If the one you are making into a rug is that nice, you'll have a fine rug indeed!!!!

The nicest fox I ever shot was a nice deep red. Even the fur that is normally white on a fox was tinted a reddish pink. I had that one case skinned, tanned, and mounted on felt. The taxidermist tore the tail off and tried to fasten it back on with glue. He got careless and some of the glue got onto the fur and it looks really bad up close, and even from a distance. If you look closely at this photo, you can see the separation in the fur of the tail about 3 or 4 inches from where the tail junctures with the body. I have not taken any hides back to that taxidermist.

Here's the one I'm having tanned. It was such a beautiful deep red, I just had to keep it. I hope my dog allows it in the house . The smell of fox drives him crazy . My brother had five pelts and also received $17 each.