Waiting until after they den up may be the best option.

I'm a low volume hobbyist so never have too many in numbers. I have shipped to NAFA starting with the May 2013 sale. Typically I have about 30% Western Northerns, 65% Western North-Centrals, and 5% Western Semi-heavy. Last season I had nothing caught in Nov and early Dec so there were probably some that were past prime (except I didn't have any IIs but 2 damaged). Everything else was SDA or better (or is I* lower in grade than a SDA?). But I had no Western Northerns and more Western Semis (although caught in the same general area). So yeah, if I can get some bigger late Nov/ early Dec 3xl+ Western Northerns, it might be worth it and keep averages up. Its sort of like how many times I win decent on a state scratch ticket. I might hit it a bit harder and see if I can get my numbers up and thus probably more top end hides. Otherwise, I should stay home. Will have to see...

I agree with bvrtrpr, I had 100% sales at Nafa for my big 3x-5x coon. I put out bucket sets after Dec 1st and had almost half grade select. They were all in the first five lots except a couple that I caught in snares that graded sda. I snared one old boar that weighed 39 lbs, he was a 6x but I'm tanning him for my wall.

The way I look at it if I can get a fair average out of the coons to pay the gas bill nothing crazy just not the $3-$5 a coon prices, then the civets, stripped skunks (essence) will be more profitable then. Then I can get the yote line out about the 1st of Nov as I go.

Ya sure....I hear rats are going thru the roof too...

Beaver,red fox and mink too..all three probably at historic lows.

I have good markets for everything mentioned but the coons so the coons might fill the gaps is all I'm looking for not expecting no $20 dollar coons here! LOL

With the amount of coons a guy can get and them being mostly larger ones I will see if it works out!

Red fox. beaver mink. What’s your idea of a market. This is the worse fox market probably since the 50s or 60s. Mink ? Beaver? Good gracious????? You sell a few tanned furs or what?

For as informed as they claim, do the ffg folks buy fur?

Never said anything about the fox, beaver and mink? Good Gracious is right! LOL

They hire the fur expert to make his predictions an that's all they are really it's all a crap shoot!

No but they do sell magazines and advertising in those magazines to the people who sell trapping supplie

No, but they have a great comedian they pay $10 per month to write funnies.

I gave my last 3 or so coon to a young trapper lady who wants to make a blanket

Wasn't it Groenys who said this same thing last year about this time...then nothing? Hmmmm.

I averaged just under $13 for my few dozen coon that showed up pretty much on accident last year...Not so horrible in todays market. I do feel for the southern guys, though.

i don't,they have a meat market.

Ha ha ha

Which is great, but is not what it used to be, at least around here. The younger generation does not buy racoons and opossums as much as the older generation did . It is getting harder to do any volume.

A 10-12 dollar average would work fine for what I'm doing I can make more off of the skunks here that is the point of this post never said I was after mink, fox or beaver but it's clear why that was brought up! Hard keep a post on subject it seems. LOL

3-4 coons a day will pay the gasoline bill that is what I'm looking for the rest is spotted skunks for research/essence and essence/pods on the striped skunks and keep the select pelts for the fur markets. Our skunks often reach the 8-10lb range up to 16 pounds at times with good stripes on many of them.