This is the first time taking fur to an auction. My wife and I will be traveling this Friday to Nephi for the Utah Trapper's Association annual fur auction. I've got cats all tagged and bounty on coyotes all taken care of. So a couple questions. 1. What do I need to do when I get there? and 2. Are there things to watch or do, or should I just go back home?

When you get there, check in with some one at the front door. They will give you all the instructions you need. Don't start unloading anything until you are told to. It just clogs up the situation and slows things down.

There will be plenty of other trappers to talk to. Plus some of the buyers might have time to talk. Some sales have demos and meetings for the trappers. Not sure if Utah does or not.

I don't think you are allowed on the grading floor at Utah sales but there will be fur you can look at as trappers are checking in.

I would definitely stick around for awhile.

Thanks Wissmiss. Good info.

Keep your fur in your vehicle when you get there..go in and sign up if your membership dues are due they will have pay them then they will ask you how many lot numbers you want for each specie you have they have been letting us have 3 or 4 lots for each animal they may let you lot your cats separately then you go out and lot your own fur and turn it in

Thanks Mike. I have a dozen cats and a dozen coyotes and a few fox. I hope to sell them all. I'm curious, what is the benefit of selling them in lots? Can you make more $ by separating them out? Like i said above this is my first rodeo.

I'm not Mike but I will offer my opinion.

Cats are often looted individually or in small lots because there is a lot of variation and often times buyers are looking for some specific in a cat and not every buyer wants the same thing. By selling them separately, the buyers can pick and choose what they want/need and might be able to pay more than if they have to buy a group of cats, some of which might not be what they are looking for.

Coyotes and fox are more uniform and it is better to sell in a single lot of say 12 coyotes. Unlike cats, it is tedious for the buyers to grade and price individual coyotes. And you most likely will get the same average if not more by selling them as a single lot.

The exception would be if you have one coyote that is exceptionally nice. I mean really, really nice!! You might offer that pelt separately because certain buyers like to pick out a really nice single coyote or two and do some advertising by paying a higher than normal price. Several of those buyers will be at the Utah sale.

Again thanks Wissmiss. So would you suggest putting the cats in 12 different lots, or just putting those together with similar characteristics? Clear spotted bellies, Casty bellies, big cats, small cats. How would you lot them? I know it would be tough not seeing the pelts.

The first thing I would do is find out what utahs requirements are for lotting cats. It is probably on there web page some place.

If you can have 12 cat lots and if all of your cats are nice big males, then I would lot them separately.

If you have a couple of females with milk stain on the belly - nursing females that you can see the nipples, I would put those together in one lot.

If you have a couple of smaller cats that have similar bellies, I would lot them together.

Not sure if that helps or not. If I was there in person, this would be a snap!! There will be folks at the sale that can help you lot out your cats. Possibly more opinions than you want to deal with. LOL

Here is a link to the Utah fur sale rules

http://www.utahtrappers.org/fursale_details.asp

It looks like single pelt lots are discouraged but it doesn't say how many are allowed.

So, I would go through your cats and see if any of them fit together nicely - small sizes, female bellies, etc. - and lot those accordingly.

Any of the big males with nice bellies, I would sell separately if at all possible. Big cats with very casty bellies can be blotted together.

In this seasons market, only the big really nice cats are going to bring premium prices. All other cats will be disappointing price wise. Sorry to have to say that, but that is my opinion.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Good Luck at the sale.

I really appreciate the information on this. I'll learn a lot I'm sure. But this will get me heading in the right direction. Thanks again Wissmiss and the rest. I hope we've got a few good cats. I'll let you know how it goes.