No reason you should, Boco. You have a quality product and know what it's worth. That's the way it should be.

Groenwald does not negotiate. It’s take it or leave. [/quote]
This

Not true…you need to know what you have and where he puts it. It’s like playing a shell game with Guy. He’s got his predetermining average and knows how many to put in each pile to get it.

Sell much fur lately? Or are you holding yours hostage for better prices?

Yes.


What did you negotiate on. And your results? Who was the buyer?
You choose what ever you want and think you are familiar with, just tell us what you are talking about.

high fur prices with good demand leaves room for negotiation.....no demand not much room for negotiation

In the past I have taken In fur to the rat wagon and after he graded my fur I was given a price. I decided to put some of that fur back In the truck. The price changed to I can't give you that price unless I can buy all the fur. I don't know If things have changed.

All them hats for the Yellowstone fans driving at least one market. Til the greenies figure it out and start protesting.

Groney said in the letter there is good demand for beaver. Apparently it is so good, the price is bad, and he has to send letters to trappers to con them into trapping at a loss.

Those 'Top prices' still are not enough to make many of us want to rush out to set traps

Not sure what GFW is paying, but I sold a few furs yesterday to Danny Perry in Louisiana. The price was more than I have received the past two years. Last year he paid $5.50 for green beavers. Yesterday he paid $8.


Green beaver pelts: $8
Otter: $25
Nutria: $1.50

I sold 16 beaver to the GFW truck, exactly 1-week ago in Grayling, Mi. They were from nuisance jobs, I had already been paid well by the landowners so any additional income from these was a bonus, I just didnt want the resource wasted. I rough skinned, folded and froze them flat on cardboard. The biggest ones weighed upper-30's live, maybe 40 lbs at the most. I didnt dry them especially well, alot of the fur was frozen solid. Groneys offer was 12 @ $14 and 4 kits at $7. I was a bit shocked at the $7 kits honestly.

-NC

Beaver is something that is selling well and can be turned over quickly so beaver is a liquid product cash wise. Also with so much less other fur harvested and at such low cost there is not much cash tied up in other non productive fur withthe exception of the carry overs from past seasons, which could be considerable.

Bryce

What do they do to make the pelts sellable to the hatters? Do they shear them or do the hatters? Seems like it would be possible to sell direct to the source maybe? $10 average is not something to get excited about, I still remember $7 rat averages and they sure are easier to carry than beavers.

I'm looking forward to spring beaver. I can even make a little money at it.

My understanding is hatter beaver are baled and sold by the lb. In FHA's June sale blanket hatters were at $19.50 ea. and reports say a lot of buyers left with less than they wanted.

It would be nice to see them hatter blanket beavers going for $23-24 like they did about 12-13 years ago.

At the same sale winter beaver that were "clean" and heavy sold for about double that. In summation, sell your fall and mid spring beaver for poundage and anything good at FHA. There is good interest in semi's this year as well.

That does not seem bad in this market. He gave me $7 for blanket hatters last year.

If GFW really wants to buy fur and beavers are all primarily for the hatter market where damage doesn't matter; why is he giving top prices? If they want to encourage trappers ... specify the minimum price with a top for each grade, or a per pound price. Then all they would need is to have a realistic minimum to make it worth a trapper's effort.

Even the government legislates what the minimum wage will be, if you go to work for a company, which is what GFW is asking trappers to do.