Coonman better take the advise I gave him for his rats and mink after looking at that.
I told him to take the 4-5 average Groeny is giving for mink and run.

What more could loose if u get $5 for finish coon in country , I want try fha

Swamp's dead on. I gladly take an $8 nose count on big beaver and $3 on small ones, all green.

I got into putting up fur in 2012. Taught myself, learned everything from watching and reading online. I took the time to learn it, because I enjoyed it. Shipped to NAFA in 2013 and enjoyed $10 coons, $50 cats, $80 otters, and $15 beaver averages. I have top lot certificates in all of those furbearers too. That didn't last long, and I soon quit shipping to NAFA (circa 2016) because of the long holdovers and low prices. I was able to quit shipping to NAFA because Groeny gave us an outlet. I also do furrier work so I keep some of my catch for that.

I am 1 of 2 licensed fur buyers (according to DNR) in South Carolina this year. Trapping in the south is a fast growing fad. When I started trapping in 2011, no one was trapping. Now, everyone is trapping. But, no one is handling fur. They are just live market trapping for coyote and fox mostly, but catching some beavers and otters. They are literally throwing away beavers, otters, and bobcats, because they don't know what to do with them, and even when I tell them, they are too lazy to skin and freeze. So, I offer pennies on the dollar for some of those carcass animals, and they are happy. I have markets for skulls, castor, sac oil, and some of this "worthless" southern fur. And I can use this to help replenish my needs as a furrier. So, it is working for me. Might not every year, but it is for now. Of course I can't buy loads of fur, because I don't have the means or time to put it up. But I don't have to. I can pick and choose what I want, and pretty much name the price, because most of these fad trappers don't care to learn. I saw an opportunity and it's panning out.

I was referring to when you said you were going to sell rats local and ship mink.

Did NAFA ever sell all your coon last year?

All but 1 an bunch possums

That's good, glad you didn't get stuck. I remember you saying your better ones didn't sell.

So bur, I think what you are saying, is that it is not that difficult ( or risky)to make money off hobby trappers?

There Is a otter shooting season In SC. I was having some tire work done and the guy saw some otters In the back of my truck. He said what are those worth of coarse I didn't tell Him. Then he said I see all kinds of them when I'm out fishing. I said for everyone you shoot and drop off at my place I would give him $40.00. He said that was to much work for that kind of money. LOL

Dirt,

In the lowcountry of South Carolina, no, it's not. It's a win win for me and the trapper. They could care less to learn to handle fur, and are happy with any money. What works is that I'm buying from 1-5 items per trapper. It's not enough for them to want to learn to skin, or to drive to meet Groeny 2 hours from here, etc. If someone was catching a lot of fur, they probably have outlets. Remember, these trappers are focusing on coyote and fox for live market. Bobcats are bycatch. Guys might set a few beaver traps while land trapping to help out a landowner and now have beaver and otter with nothing to do with them. It's really the perfect storm for me. I think in a few years trapping will fade off .... it's work, and most people are in it for a little live market cash. Once they get over the excitement of being a new trapper, and live market prices drop, they will realize that cash they are "making" doesn't offset their hard costs or time. 2 seasons ago live coyotes doubled in price due to a shortage, and it brought all kinds of people out of the woods.

And I hope these trappers all stay in it, and learn to handle fur. I think that's good for the future of trapping. But I don't see that happening, it's just too much work for the amount of time you have in it. And I don't think people love it that much. But for now, I'm in the driver's seat. I don't make any qualms about it. I'll pay you a little cash for your catch, or you can keep it for nothing. It's still work for me, but I don't mind the extra work that I can pick and choose.

And before some say I am ripping anyone off, I am not. I pay fairly for what I get. Heck, at current prices, hard to rip someone off unless I asked them to pay me to take their fur. My time and knowledge and outlets I have are worth something, and I price that into how I buy. If it was easy to do, I wouldn't be 1 of 2 fur buyers in the state. And I do feel like I am providing a service for some of these local guys, because they can turn some of the catch into cash.

Any fur Comeing out of Texas and new Mexico and Nevada? If so what are the guys catching as far south as yo can possibly go. Other the. Mexico.

I agree. I was speaking personally. I don't paint myself in a corner. I always consider all of my options, and in my area I have several. FHA agent is about 5 miles away. There's a Groney stop close and several buyers within a relatively short distance and I have enough fur that buyers will come to me. That being said, other sellers can do the same as me and consider options and have a plan. They may not have as many options as me, but with a little planning and homework they should have some. The first step would be to learn to put up fur. If someone has so little fur that it's not worth it to find ways to get the most for it, then oh, well. I think most country buyers make a lot of their money off of guys who do a little trapping and get rid of their stuff for whatever they get. No haggling, no marketing, no exploring other outlets. If I just ran a handful of traps in the back forty I would probably do the same.

Jackson129890- You might want to get yourself a physical geography atlas and look at both Nevada and New Mexico. There are some substantial mountains in those states and a person can swap out a certain amount of latitude for elevation increases so just because parts of them are "way south" in your opinion, doesn't necessarily mean a lot of those states are warm in the winter. I'll let some of the Western state buyers and auction goers chime in but I've heard that both Nevada and New Mexico produce some outstanding bobcats and good coyotes. I wouldn't count them out in producing good fur.

bur, I think you got the right idea for your situation.

bur isn't alone in his thinking or in what he's doing. There's a LOT of weekenders/hobby trappers/excitement seekers. No different than the callers that go out and shoot coyotes, cats, foxes, coons, then just leave them lay. Tell them you'll give them a couple bucks for some of it, and some will bring it to you. Tell them that they can skin it, flesh it out, stitch the bullet hole, then sale it at auction, and they won't even walk over to see if it's dead. Even if you offer to teach them. Even if you offer to skin and put it up for them, then split the sales amount, nothing.

I know a couple guys around that buy from the locals. They don't buy a lot, and they don't pay a lot. But, the people that deal with them appreciate that something is being done with the fur, and they got a couple bucks for doing something fun.

It's a lot like hunting. Many spend thousands for the experience, then they don't like the taste of wild game. BUT, if you offer them a place to take it, and say it will be used to feed the needy, many will at least drive it to the drop-off location rather than leave it in a ditch. It's a sad situation in reality.

You sir have a lot of educating to do when referring to regions, and fur quality. The higher mountain regions of those states produce a MUCH better cat than your area.

I never said they didn't. And we only have Lynx in my area. For cats. With the odd cuger were not aloud to shoot.

I guess I took it you were insinuating that southern regions of the U.S. didn't produce High quality fur. If my assumption was wrong I apologize.

Hey waderman!!! You got the popcorn??? Lol

i'm gettin full,wish i'd a bought stock in redenbocker

Do you guys have ticks that eat up your critters ?

What you sell for is a dream here.