Hi guys. I am trying to work up a chart for new trappers that has info on when fur becomes prime and when it deteriorates in my area. I live in Priest River, Idaho about 60 miles from the Canadian border, elevations run from 2000 to 7000 feet. I am hoping some fur buyers will chime in on this thread. I would like info on all Idaho fur bearers. I have my own opinion but am looking for other opinions especially from buyers that deal in my area.

Fur primness is due to lack of sunlight. So as the days get shorter and you have less sunlight fur will start to prime.

Some years back there was a chart like that published. I remember seeing it.

In my experience is you're dealing with averages. Many variables, such as age, sex, and health of individual furbearers. In my area beaver are starting to break down in February, whereas in northern tier states they are prime much later than that. Otter are prime in mid December and often getting singed by March.

I realize that but different species prime on different dates and that often doesn't match up with season dates, for example. Our water trapping season opens Oct. 15 but I can guarantee you that our fur in my area isn't close to prime at that time, maybe canines, but for sure not rats, beaver or otter.

Myself,I have no problem with liberal trapping seasons.
Trappers can decide when they want to start and stop trapping.
Depending on the fickle fate of fashon,sometimes early fur is well worth trapping,other years not so much.
And like BP said fur quality can vary from year to year depending on several factors.
But a general priming chart for your area will definitely be helpful for trappers starting out.

Pretty much what Boco said. But I will add, you won't see a lot a good prime buckskin otter taken out of your area, because of the low quotas, the quotas will usually be filled before they are fully prime. That being said, the fur buyers apparently don't care, I sold two blue otter at the March auction and was only about five dollars under the top otters on the sale. Their fur looked really nice, and they were put up well, but the leather was dark (not black, but dark). A lot of other species, the buyers will hit you pretty hard for blue hides though. I've not trapped beaver in October since they made the opener earlier (I did back when I was a kid, but I don't remember how prime they were, and it wasn't around here anyways) but I've trapped them first of November when I get done with elk hunters and they are pretty good, not saying they won't get better, but they are pretty good. Canines will be getting pretty prime by mid October, although their hair will be a little longer a little later in the season. Cats will be prime by Mid November for the most part, definitely by Thanksgiving, but we can't start on them here until December 14th. Badger get prime late and stay prime late, I hear January first toughted about, but you'd really have to talk to someone who has more badger experience than I. Marten seem prime to me when the season opens in November, but some of your weasels will still be graybacks rather than completly white. Longtails prime much later than shorttails as a rule.

I typed in fur primness chart in to duckduckgo and there were several pictures of charts, hope that helps.

To cover all of Idaho, it what, 500 miles north to south?
Like mentioned, there’s multiple factors that come into play. Our Trapping regs have a primness chart that kinda gets a guy in the ball park, but it 800 miles across…….theres a huge fluctuation in climate & daylight north to south.

Here is a chart from Montana Fur Harvesters

Montana Fur Harvesters Prime Fur Chart

Here's one from North Dakota

It's funny how the market effects primness.
I can remember when I was getting $7.00 and $8.00 for October rats and the same money for May rats.

Rats here in south-central Oregon look alright in November, about the same in December, great by February 1st, and with a Wildlife Control Operator license, the rats look excellent in early April.

Thanks to all of you.