I wonder how many beaver were weighed dry at the buyer? Most people are to lazy to take them that far, Me included at times.

I saw scales being used for the first time at an OTC sale this last year. Weird.

If you have good beaver you wont realize their true value if graded on a weigh scale.

100% true. Prime winter beaver with clean, clear leather will always bring more money for what ever the current market is at the time at FHA than almost anywhere else. Hatters may again shine in the country (relatively speaking).

Just another way to smash the small guy.
Just think what would happen is the producers would quit for a year or two…:

It is wierd

Nothing, You can add your John Dutton hat to your canada goose parka and 6.5 creedmoore No matter how good the product and demand its only for a short time till something new and shiny comes along Add castor prices to the list

I don't think it is odd for them to use a scale to buy beaver. What they pay a pound is what counts. I have heard of them buying beaver for a dollar an inch. Is it odd they measure coon, muskrats, beaver and bobcat?

No but it would be odd if they weighed them.

I believe they stopped buying beaver by the poumd before due to all the fraud?

They weigh them for the felt market....not the garment market...correct?

Fill their worthless hides full of bird shot then throw them on the scale.

I commented that I found it weird, but if I think about it a bit it makes perfect sense:

If a buyer has a contract for X amount of lbs of dried beaver pelts and he already knows the price he's getting it makes sense to buy by the pound for the amount that leaves you with your desired profit level. Takes out all the guesswork.

If you have good pelts it limits your market to the lower priced felt market for your
good quality garment pelts(if you have any)
I guess some consider actual grading guesswork?No need to grade out leather damages for the felt market.Just weight of the underfur.Must be a lot of discount there though to allow for pelts dried with saddles on etc(weight other than underfur)
Grading out leather damages is a must for those who need good garment quality beaver

On our western association sales the trapper can lot out his beaver however he likes. If you have some exceptional pelts that may attract crafter bids you should surely separate those out. The crafters have been largely outbid by the hatter buyers lately but that is probably about to change.

Whay percentage of your beaver so you think went to the garment market?

I see it the same as buying hay by the bale or by the ton. Is one better way to buy or sell hay? Lumber can be bought or sold by the piece, foot or board foot. It cost you the same. The garment trade on beaver is pretty small. That is why beaver were so cheap, and once the felt market kicked off the price of beaver went up.

Just think for a second about it, going around weighing beaver doesn’t make sense. Unless they adjust the price for what area they’re in. We had this discussion last season and someone mentioned a $ per pound. When I weighed a few winter beaver, it would’ve be a terrible idea for me to sell that way.

Worthless weight... Hide, guard hair, dried flesh, grease, lips Useful weight... Underfur. Buying by weight would appear to encourage the production of crap beaver?

It is my understanding that regional collectors had contracts from the felters based on poundage. Makes sense since they sold by the lb they would buy that way too. Was that way back in mountain man times as well.