Here's the question: Will the positive beaver prices from the March sale dramatically cause an uptick in beaver numbers for the May sale?

My guess is that the reason the felters were scrambling to fulfill their needs on the March sale is they had little confidence that they could just wait and get beaver cheaper in May. So in other words, they're not expecting a massive increase of beaver for the second sale.

What do you think?

I have a question. If felters can pay 50 cents and inch and turn a profit, why don't they always pay 50 cents an inch?

can you say Yellowstone

Because they are greedy and want higher profits.
Lower profits when supply is short is better than no profits from not being able to get whats needed
No doubt they will try to get the higher profits by raising the price,(initially at least to see how that pencils out) on their product.
You should know that Dirt if you sell fur products.
When my stuff is selling too slow I lower the price a bit,alternatively if it sells out too fast I raise the price so I dont sell everything at once.
Gotta try to meet the market best you can.

Well, for one I think generally felters go by weight...but irregardless it will always be an issue of supply and demand. What we're hearing is there is strong demand for felt, and supply about as low as it's ever been. Good scenario for the trapper.

I believe the next sale should be good.
Small window between last sale and last recieving date for next sale.

The question I have is the following: Is the higher beaver market a low supply issue, or an increase in demand? For years there has been a deficit in beaver skins. Is it finally catching up? Or is there a higher demand for felt hats? Recent reports from around the industry hint at demand increasing. Because if it is a supply issue to shore up inventory then the uptick in the market could be short term. If demand for felt hats increases outside of normal, then I would anticipate the market to stay up for the time being.

Are felt hats the new Canada goose?
Toss your beavers(hats) high Lads!

I saw a report issued for the industry (felter/hatter) projecting strong growth for the next 5 years. You've not only got strong sales for western type hats in North America but also felt fedora hats for the hipsters all over the globe. Australia is also a player in the felt hat movement.

Is there a disruption in the supply of cheap(er) filler materials like rabbit fur? There have been rumors that disease and war have caused supply issues there as well.

And then if you look back over the last 10 years or so FHA was selling between 75,000 to 120,000 beaver a year with up to 4 sales in a calendar year. To even hit the low end 75,000 this year there needs to be 44,000 beaver come into North Bay in the next two-three weeks.

What makes you think no body shipped beaver between last receiving dates the last three months?

^^^Nit picker!

Yep^^^

And this surge will end too. I just hope it holds out for a year or three.

What's the last pickup date for the May sale? I would think last week sale wouldn't have much influence unless last recieving date is still a few weeks away. State sale results probably would of had a bigger influence. I wouldn't of sold as many as our state sale if i hadnt seen those early state results.

Basic supply and demand at work here.

The hatter market has been active the last few years but the supply continued to come to market.

Now we have a sweet spot where demand has increased globally and the supply has dwindled because of the lackluster prices.

Increase in demand has finally pushed prices up.

I been buying beaver all winter and most trappers in my area have beaver in the freezer but few have or had put them up.

I bought almost as many rough skinned frozen as I did put-up beaver.

Expect the folks to be putting up beaver now.

Ride the wave and trap beaver who knows how long it will last.

April 16 - last receiving date for the May sale. FH will work overtime to get every beaver possible on that sale!

They may have, but his original question was about the March sale stimulating additional beaver on next sale. See, I can pick nit too.

Better order your beaver traps and lure now before it's gone. Especially lure since the high castor prices of the last few years has created a lure shortage. Beaver will be high again next year! After that????

That would be the desire to make a profit, same as you when you trap. Don't you want as much as much profit as you can get? Is that that being greedy ?

Yes. No. Its being shrewd. Why pay more than they have to.

Just hope they don't go the other way more than they have