Very interesting and informative post thanks all for the information, opinions and proceedures.
Everyone should have taken something new out of it!
Couple of questions fall out of this for me
If the front legs are tubular and inside can a grader teconize that they have been handled like that other than smell?.And how can they smell an individual marten with a stack of a few hundred in front of them.
Ron could you explain the proceedure of grading starting at that pile? I asume that the collection agent afixes your computer ID tag or am I wrong
I know the graders do an amazing job ( love en or hate em)When I have talked to graders at conventions they tell me they are extremely busy and have less than a couple seconds to grade your pelt.
They get good at it in so much as they can actually tell from what part of the country a certain pelt has come from.Heard once that a shipment of raw fur was stolen and submitted by the thief.The crown brought in an experienced grader to tell that no way that person could have collected those furs from his location
Ive been at this for over 30 years also and have seen many changes at the auction houses.
Thinking that Ive seen 3 changes on board sizes in that time
Y254 mentions one size fits all board for marten is this new.Right now ive been using one size for all males(very rarly a female) and one size for all females(sometimes a yoy male) for a total of 2 board sizes for marten
Oh and Ron just ordered 5/8 pins from Wayne and when I looked they were 1/2ers so maybe they do not have them anymore

Dan'l

Boles, it is my understanding that at NAFA they staple a barcode onto marten. This is why they want the lower lip removed, as it makes it easier to staple the barcode to the head area to track the pelt. Not sure what FHA does.

Ok that! I knew they stapled the barcode on and lower lip removed but was wondering if the collection agent did that.Always you get a reciept from that agent with ID numbers for your fur.Thats why I do not think the grader did it
Dan'l

Yeah I don't think the grader does it. Not sure if the receiving agent does it either, I wouldn't think so. I think they are attached in the in-processing procedure. Makes sense as it is easier for the auction house to make sure the correct number gets onto the specific trappers furs if they do it themselves. I think there was a thread on here once that showed the whole intake process.