The way I interpret it is semi’s included. Just like the catalogue is setup

Two-dollar average on 'possum.

You gotta be kiddin' me.

Overall their sale was pretty dismal , so much for moving the sale to Helsinki . I won’t be sending any fur to them in the near future, NAFA either .
Tired of paying 11% commission, agent pick up charge, and drumming fees, to get low fur price. I can receive low price locally and not pay all these extra fees.

There are a lot of things that go into it to be considered. Look at it this way,if there was any one buyer out there that was paying the best,they would simply own them all. That is not the case. Why didn't buyer "A" go to every sale and buy every coyote at top price? As far as auction,you lose control of your fur and at the mercy of the grade you are handed,they might sell,they might sit or they may be sold at low price to clear the warehouse.These are all decisions one has to take into consideration.The sale that will concern me prior to going into this next season is these last couple auctions,how much is bought back or carried over going into fall. We were blessed with a cold winter,fur acceptable again in the states were a plus.

I quit using the auction houses and went to a country buyer not too far from us. I have learned more from him in a year than at any other time in my life since he is a professional fur guy and really knows how grade fur. He is fair, honest and what I really like is I get money when I leave. After drumming fees, commission, etc he has been right on and sometimes does better than the auction houses. I don't get discounted on my castor as he gives straight fee with no deducts for different grades. I have a college business degree and drive my trapping business by 2 principles: return on investment and cash flow. You lose money any time you send furs to an auction house and they don't sell for even one year. That money could have been used to buy new traps, gas, etc but it is locked up until they sell. I guarantee myself cash flow with my country buyer although I may never get the big bucks for a beaver or coyote, etc. but he will give better prices for better furs. That being said I did have some furs left over from last year on the last FHA auction and my buyer was right on this winter with my average rat and beaver prices from the auction but, again, I save myself the 11% commission and time delay to get my money.

The key to this business is to turn the peaks and valleys into gently rolling hills. Shipping you lose control of that ability, unfortunately it’s human nature and greed takes over and it’s hard for most to not chase the peaks and will forever roll the dice with auctions

Good post M4. Glad you're putting that college degree to good use!

M4: congrats on the business degree, you understand. "ROI", "lean", B to B, Globalization, making the market, the middle man, overhead and no doubt you understand the stock market.I am sure you have read the "Ascent of Money" and "Lords of Finance". I hope you take your post about the trappers options, marketing local vs auction house and post it near your desk, Over the years, you will revisit it. You are blessed to have a buyer in your area that as survived the test of time. I wish you luck on your trapline and hope you survive the test of time to become an old sage in the industry, but never forget free market capitalism, trapping or otherwise. Old sages like Milton Friedman, Warren Buffet, Nicholas Taleb, Niall Ferguson and others all had "skin" in the money game just as every lure maker, trapper and fur buyer has had "skin" in their trade. The real riches are the memories. Again good luck and may ur taps be full and ur chains be a jangleing.

Is this just the best skins that sold or is it all

I forgot to mention that my wife and I send other furs to the tanner to make hats, mitts, hoops, etc so we are also into the selling part of the fur industry. We recently purchased a high end leather sewing machine and we are just waiting to get some hides back from the tanner to get some specialty items going. We will never get rich doing what we do, but it puts a little extra money in the bank and keeps us both busy.

This auction was close enough to the NAFA auction so markets should have been similar. It does appear that the auction demonstrated the current lackluster market. 100% of rats sold at $3.80. I sold 90% of mine for a nickel less with my 2xl-3xl selects left.
The coon show a very, very limited market with an over $5 break from western northerns to north centrals. Averages of near $13 to about $8. I had about 50-50 westerns and north centrals and averaged $15 with one better coon left.
My two mink averaged $14.50, so this year with my commercial species I did better with the NAFA sale. I don't know if I would have done better locally I am guessing about the same on rats and not nearly as good on coon and mink. I hope the lower prices two weeks after one auction don't indicate that small of a market, but it may.

Bryce

Groney ROCKS on rats.