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Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428524
12/11/21 12:56 PM
12/11/21 12:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,263
james bay frontierOnt.
B
Boco Online content
trapper
Boco  Online Content
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,263
james bay frontierOnt.
If you put up your fur you have many more options when it comes to marketing your collection.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428653
12/11/21 03:38 PM
12/11/21 03:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Magna, Utah
G
GritGuy Offline
trapper
GritGuy  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Magna, Utah
Dirt
I know people who put fur up just for pleasure and don't really care about the price, but they do finish it off after catching it, the whole process for them is just a mind game, finished fur is the end product !

Why is that so baffling, it's not like it's going to waste, one does not have to worry about getting paid to do the finish if they enjoy the whole process.

I don't understand the part of taking the fur just to throw it away, thats baffling to me, it's always worth something unless it's been infected with lice or mange, taken to early like ADC work, there is a market for finished good fur, it may not pay the same as auctions, but it just may pay better as well !!

As an end user and small buyer my self, I come across very nice pelts all the time that people just don't wish to throw away and just are happy to be able to move them to someone who can do something with them.

One only needs to do some searching to find the market, pretty soon the hobby-craft market will be saturated as well, thats probably when fur will completely die off in this country or maybe it will be the cause of people actually really finding out the utility of using fur as apparel and making money.


[Linked Image]

Sorry if my opinions or replies offend you, they are not meant to !

Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428671
12/11/21 03:59 PM
12/11/21 03:59 PM
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 439
Pottsboro TX Grayson county
J
Jiggamitch Offline
trapper
Jiggamitch  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 439
Pottsboro TX Grayson county
I put up one finished beaver just to try it out. I just nuisance trap (can't keep them) or trap for the meat. Maybe if they had better fur like up north I would finish them.

Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428704
12/11/21 04:53 PM
12/11/21 04:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,135
Armpit, ak
D
Dirt Offline
trapper
Dirt  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 11,135
Armpit, ak
I wish I had a bunch of people around me that enjoy putting up fur. I'd let them put up mine and wouldn't even charge them for the pleasure. I'm a giver!


Who is John Galt?
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428718
12/11/21 05:23 PM
12/11/21 05:23 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,263
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Online content
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Boco  Online Content
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,263
james bay frontierOnt.
I got hired on a real good trapline to apprentice with an old accomplished trapper when I was learning to run a registered line.All I had to do was put up the old trappers catch for him.At that time he was catching about 1/3 the marten quota and 1/4 the beaver quota.The rest was mine.

When I was a kid I started trapping to make stuff out of the fur-I trapped skinned and tanned fur for my own use.It wasm't until a couple years later that i even knew you could sell raw fur.

Last edited by Boco; 12/11/21 05:26 PM.

Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428728
12/11/21 05:33 PM
12/11/21 05:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,995
Oregon
beaverpeeler Offline
trapper
beaverpeeler  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,995
Oregon
I don't care if TM members skin and put up fur or not. I don't judge. Everybody has to decide what's best for them. After all, many of the iconic trappers that we so much look up to like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Joe Meek, etc, etc likely didn't put up much fur either. They had camp keepers and squaws for that. But you can bet they sure knew how to.


My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428763
12/11/21 06:25 PM
12/11/21 06:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 586
central IA
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bodycount Offline
trapper
bodycount  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 586
central IA
I finished fur when NAFA was going just to get the satisfaction of making top lots. That told me I was doing it right. Price was secondary. These days you get no recognition of doing great job of finishing from the buyer.

Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7428807
12/11/21 07:41 PM
12/11/21 07:41 PM
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,283
PA
L
lumberjack391 Offline
trapper
lumberjack391  Offline
trapper
L

Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,283
PA
Maybe your fur buyer is swamped with carcuss fur because there is no money left to pay for help? 2,3,and 5 dollar finished pelts doesnt leave much room for hired help.

Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7429126
12/12/21 12:54 AM
12/12/21 12:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
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coonman220 Offline
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coonman220  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
If u dont finish pelts an do good job, ur definatrly trapping for fun, no money in it at all an green or carcass , close worthless, wasn't plan on trapping this late but warm this week, probly leave a few out till next weekend , thinking about not do any at all after then until Jan in thaw, have not been get much lately as no new places , no idea what going do about marketing yet, way things are going, not sure if hardly any markets a year fr now

Last edited by coonman220; 12/12/21 12:55 AM.
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7429131
12/12/21 12:57 AM
12/12/21 12:57 AM
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 443
Hot Springs SD
L
Larry Bowden Offline OP
trapper
Larry Bowden  Offline OP
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 443
Hot Springs SD
I just read all six and a half pages of the responses to my post. Wow what a diverse group of post!
My initial question was solely directed to fur trappers and I didn't mean to include ADC trapping.
I have been fur harvesting (trapping and coon hunting with hounds) for about 50 years.
As a young man following a pack of hounds thru the north Missouri woods I learned to skin coons at the base of the tree. Usually with very poor lighting so I didn't have to carry the carcasses all night. If we happened to be close to the truck I would carry a coon back unskinned. In those days I usually froze those skinned coons and sold them green at the end of the season.
I skinned everything I trapped those days and froze most of the hides to sell green at the end of the season. I did finish my muskrats in those days and longed for the time and knowledge to finish the coyotes, beaver and other furs.
After moving west I started to pursuit finishing more of my fur. One old fur buyer I dealt with gave me some pointers about how to do a better job and get more money for my furs. We did business for several years and eventually I and my trapping buddy started going to the buyers shop and helping him put up fur he had bought and trapped himself. We helped him solely for the experience and education with the only pay being a free home cooked breakfast if we worked all night! We could only do that on the weekends as my buddy and I had day jobs.
I must add that I didn't put up most furs until the seasons were over. I skinned most critters the day they were caught and frozen right away. The one exception was bobcats, I put them up the day of harvest. Which sometimes meant getting out of bed to turn the hides on the stretcher in the middle of the night.
At the end of trapping season I gradually thawed out hides then flesh and stretched them. During season I want to spend my time and energy collecting more furs instead of finishing them.
After retiring I do finish more fur as I catch them but if I seem to be getting back logged I will skin and freeze hides until I have more time.
I take great joy in finishing all my fur and enjoy getting a picture of my seasons labors when the job is done.
Thanks again for all the opinions and comments. I feel it has been a very spirited and constructive post.
Larry


Western SD Fur Harvesters, SDTA, NTA, FTA and life member of NRA. Cancer survivor (7 years) and still fighting it.
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7429139
12/12/21 01:07 AM
12/12/21 01:07 AM
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 828
Indiana
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CaseXX Offline
trapper
CaseXX  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 828
Indiana
Larry, thanks for posting back and for letting me ride along.


Rules:
Col. Jeff Cooper #1for a gunfight
Gibbs. #9 always carry a knife
Re: Why people don't learn to finish fur? [Re: Larry Bowden] #7429140
12/12/21 01:08 AM
12/12/21 01:08 AM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,849
ohio
Ohio Wolverine Offline
trapper
Ohio Wolverine  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,849
ohio
One thing about learning to finish furs , is you can skin any animal for the taxidermy trade , just need to do a couple things different .
But the skill is learned over the years .


We have met the enemy and the enemy is us!
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